Lining my body up for shots- Help!

[Deleted member 1740]

I'm often missing greens with my approach/2nd shots usually around the 170yds with my ball going left or right of the target even OB.

My shots are straight, too straight at times so i know its nothing to do with hooks/slices. I've tried aiming my body to the target and also the ball but i haven't managed to sort this out.

Can you help please?

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I would get two clubs at the range and lay them parallel to form a train track. Place a ball inside the two shafts and line the clubhead up with the furthest away. Line your body parallel to the target using the nearer club to you making sure the hips shoulders and feet are all square to your target line.

 

[Deleted member 1740]

Cheers for the swift reply Homer. I will give that a try tomorrow and hopefully start saving myself a couple of shots a round

 

[Whereditgo]

Just to put this into perspective, I recently read an article on stats for approach shot success, the results might surprise you:

Phil Mickelson (2008) hit the green 50% at 195 yds

5 handicap players average 50% at 170 yds

15 handicap players average 25% at 170 yds

Based on 70,000 amatuer rounds analysed (source Pete Sanders)

Makes me feel human after all

 

[JustOne]

Your body should be lined up approx 10 feet to the left of a 100yard shot and 20 feet to the left of a 200yard shot (that's 7 yards almost.. probably off the green!) in order to be aligned properly with the target line and clubface (assuming it will be square when you hit the ball).

Interesting huh?

Therefore when you are lining up a 170 yard shot try to feel that your shoulders/hips/knees/feet are lined up approx 5/6 yards left and voila.. your ball should find the right target if you hit it correctly.

 

[RGDave]

I used to worry a lot about alignment. It amazes me how often I'm spot on, so for me, it's about thinking about it and checking for as long as it takes to get right.
On my own, I sometimes get almost ready to hit the shot, then un-grip the club and lay it across my toes, step back and check the line.
Since calming my slice/pulls I've actually been teeing up in the middle of the tee area and aiming straight down the middle....i.e. not to the left 2nd guessing a slicey shot.

Interesting to note that for many years I played all my short shots standing a little open (I think it was a John Jacobs thing (??)) but to do this, I must remember to weaken my grip and think to play a high "cut" shot, if not, it just pulls left.

Other than that, I don't worry too much - until I'm hitting 95% of shots dead along the line of my alignment, it's still unlikely that I'll hit every shot dead straight anyway!

 

[CrapHacker]

With me, I'm more worried about where my hips and shoulders line up. I can concentrate on my feet, get them perfect, but my upper body is aiming several degrees left of target.

Cue a pull or slice.

When I'm checking my alignment, I check the feet, but then I grip a club across my shoulders, then just turn my head and look down the line of the club.

Terrifies me how much I can be out sometimes.

 

[JustOne]

With me, I'm more worried about where my hips and shoulders line up. I can concentrate on my feet, get them perfect, but my upper body is aiming several degrees left of target.

When you have taken your left hand grip the action of reaching down lower with your right hand to grip the club will pull your shoulders open an inch or so, so you should make that correction. Other than that you SHOULD feel like you are aimed a little left of the target (as above)

When I'm checking my alignment, I check the feet, but then I grip a club across my shoulders, then just turn my head and look down the line of the club.

Terrifies me how much I can be out sometimes.

That method never really worked properly in the first place as the target isn't on the same line as your chest or eyes.
If you put a club across your chest use it to simply see if it matches parallel to the imaginery target line you have on the floor in front of you (which is running through your ball to the target), never look down the club towards the target.

Theoretically you can stand behind your ball and pick your tagrget line, set up up to your ball parallel to that line and then there's no need to look up again. What for?. As long as you are sure you chose the correct line and you are staying parallel to it then the flag will be down there somewhere.
Most people look up though just to see a stray COW hasn't walked on the fairway!! or just to get a feel for the distance, but at this time you shouldn't be worrying about your alignment you did that already in your setting up and you should be getting ready to hit the thing. If you really DO feel wrong then walk away from the shot and start again.

Hope this helps