Alignment while out on the course.

[iGolf]

Could anyone give me few tips to help with alignment while out on the course?

I find that I tend to point my feet/shoulders etc straight at the target and i think its causing me to push a lot of my shots right.

 

[fundy]

Personally, i pick a spot 3 or 4 feet in front of the ball directly on line to the hole. From there I set the club up square to that point then set my feet and shoulders on a parallel line to the line from club to that point. Quick check over my left shoulder to check feels square then hit.

 

[Fyldewhite]

Stand 5/6 yards behind the ball, see the line I want, pick a spot on that line a few feet in front of the ball. Draw an imaginary line between that spot and the ball and line up with it as if I were on a range. I try to use this set up for every shot but it's very easy to get lazy and it's the first thing to check if you feel you've hit a decent shot that goes quite a way left/right of target.

 

[patricks148]

I too struggle with my body alignment.

Stand behind the ball pick a spot in front of the ball in line with the target, now find a spot parallel with the ball to line you feet up with.

I usually find, if I think I’m pointing left I’m in line

 

[iGolf]

Thanks for the tips guys, I'll give them a try.

I usually find, if I think I’m pointing left I’m in line

this is true for me. I guess just need to make sure I go through this routine every shot and I'll soon get over that feeling of pointing left.

 

[bobmac]

Do you do much practice on a range?
If so, get yourself an alignment aid (I can recommend one )
Make sure you're aiming straight and tilt your head to the target.
You will see the flag and your left shoulder. Check the distance between the 2.
Each time you aim, that gap between the flag and your shoulder should be the same.
If you're aiming too far left, the gap will be too big and vice versa.
This can also be used as well as the above suggestions as a double check.

 

[Smiffy]

Alignment is my biggest fault. Most (if not all) of my duff shots I can put down to bad alignment.
I played at Camberley Heath a few weeks ago and one of my playing partners took a picture of me teeing off on a long par 3 with my 3 wood. It wasn't taken deliberately to highlight my problem, it was just a picture for "pictures sake".
I distinctly remember standing on that tee and making sure I was squared up, even standing slightly open to counter my natural tendency to address the ball aiming to the right. Everything felt good. As I say, I distinctly remember aiming slightly down the left hand side of the hole. At the time I would have put money on it....
Wanna see the piccie?
Because all it did was highlight the fact that even when I think I'm doing it right, I'm not.
If I practice one thing this winter (and I hate practicing) it will be working on my alignment.


PS I've got two pictures on my PC at home that will highlight how bad my alignment problem is. I will post them up later, hopefully as a warning to you all. I'll give you advance warning...they ain't pretty

 

[bobmac]

nooooooooooooo
If you hit the ball straight, dont change your aim.
If your swing is slightly out to in and you aim right, you've got more chance of hitting it straigh WITHOUT TOO MUCH PRACTICE
All you have to do is square the clubface up at impact.
Simples geezer
Then you can practice your putting

 

[Smiffy]

nooooooooooooo
If you hit the ball straight, dont change your aim.
If your swing is slightly out to in and you aim right, you've got more chance of hitting it straigh WITHOUT TOO MUCH PRACTICE
All you have to do is square the clubface up at impact.
Simples geezer
Then you can practice your putting

My big problem though Bob is when my stance is "closed" I have to throw my right shoulder into the shot in my efforts to get back to the ball. This leads to an ugly pulled shot at worst, or a horrible hook. Stupid thing is, on holes where I have to hit a fade off the tee, I open my stance up slightly and usually (usually) hit a nice controlled one. I need to get this throw of the shoulder out of my game because it's ruining any hopes I have of putting a decent score together.
I'm tempted to phone Mike Andrews up (the pro at Highwoods) and have a few lessons concentrating on nothing else other than alignment.
My swing is my swing. At 54, I ain't going to change it now. But as I say, I feel that most of my faults out on the course stem from my inability to keep myself on line. And my white trousers