Alignment

Alignment is how you line up to your target. It’s important in achieving your goals, because a great swing and poor alignment does not make for a happy golfer. In putting, it’s particularly important, and the better you get, the more crucial it becomes.

Once you’re comfortable with grip, posture, pivot, and hand and arm relationship, you can work on alignment.

When you’re setting up to make your shot, make sure you’re focusing on your target, not a distraction, such as a water hazard or sand bunker. If you’re thinking about a hazard, your body is naturally going to focus on that point. Acknowledge the hazard, but focus on your target.

There are a lot of ways you can properly align yourself to your target. When you look at the target and away from the ball, you loose all your orientation. So use an intermediate target. Something between the ball and your target. Make sure you can see it when you’re looking at the ball. It will usually be a discolored blade of grass, a twig, a clover, anything that stands out. It must be something that’s already there; you can’t place something on the ground to help, that’s illegal.

To pick your intermediate target, stand behind the ball and look through it at your target. Pick something you’ll be able to see when you’re looking at the ball. It should be about six to twelve inches away from the ball.

Keeping your eyes on your intermediate target, move to the ball. Set your club directly behind the ball, with the club face pointing at the ball and your intermediate target. Take your stance with your feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the target line.

Most people think their body should be pointing directly at the target. But if your body and your club face are both pointing at the target, then you have a “shut” club face, and you’ll probably hook the ball. The ball would travel from right to left and not toward your target.

The direction of the club face and the ball should point and extend all the way through your target. The line the ball will make is a straight line. Your feet, hips, and shoulders should be on a parallel line that would end just left of your target line.

Like a railroad track, your feet, hips, and shoulders are on one track, and your club face and ball will be on the other track. Your body will actually be aligned just a little left of your target.

Picture your target in your mind’s eye. Positive thinking and visualization will improve your game.

Link to the next chapter, Mental: the Ability to Play Without Thinking.