Alignment Tips?

[Nat Williams]

So, I've always had issues with alignment, but now that I play a lot less, it is becoming more severe.

If I line up, then put a club down, I am a good 30 degrees offline (30deg left, as a lefty)...enough that I am often pinching shots between the face & hosel as my swing actually does come through on line with the target (producing shots on line, but low & usually 75% the expected distance). Essentially, I know where the target is with my club, and my poor alignment causes me to cut across the ball in an effort to hit the target even though @ address, for whatever reason Ican't see how offline I am.

I don't know why I do this, but I always have, and used to play enough to develop a feel for the offset in my alignment (although even then, I would randomly loose focus and eff up, especially on tee boxes that aren't lined w/ the target) - but now there's no feel. Need a cure!

Whenever I drop a club and use it as alignment for my feet I hit it flush and on target - honestly feels like it used to when I played all the time. But without it, I'm lost - firing inconsistently, and I can't exactly use a club for alignment in a game.

Thoughts?

[DenisO]

I normally pick a spot infront of the ball for the line, I then line up my clubface on it. After that, I setup my feet parallel, imagining another line parallel to the first. Haven't had many issues with it (besides when I'm being stupid and just don't do it at all).

[ex-mailman]

Feet is not the only the only parts of the body that need to be square to the target line. Hips and Shoulders also. Three points make a line. If all three of those points are square the body will be.

[HoganWoods]

I noticed that the main thing for me is to make sure my shoulders/chest and parallel to a spot 1 foot ahead of your ball. I used to place the club and then align my feet but I would neglect my shoulders and end up square at the bottom but closed up top. When I pay attention to my shoulders I find my hips follow and I have less issues.

[Rusty]

I also had alignment issues. Long story short, at Daytona LPGA GC I was paired up with 2 young ladies practicing; trying to qualify for LPGA. After a few holes they commented that I was aimed to the right on almost all shots. The better of the two said that I should stand behind the ball, pick out a target, pick out spot in front of ball to the target, then when addressing the ball, align face of club to spot, and then align feet. Important to place ball in correct place between feet, fore and aft.
I took this advise to heart and practiced religiously for an entire summer,(this was 3 years ago) using alignment rods and bungee cords around hips and shoulders, to show upper body alignment. I definitely looked goofy out on the range, always took the end spot.
My remaining issue is ball placement fore and aft, as you can imagine this affects ball direction, I still need to work on that part. It has changed my game, I align every shot with the intermediate spot and I am far better at hitting my target. If the ball is too far forward, I reach for the ball and shoulder alignment is off, similar issue with the ball too far back. I used the mirrors at K Haimes to help with alignment.
Thats my experience, hope it helps.

[HoganWoods]

Hey Rusty,

I've had the exact same issue with ball position. If you don't mind what do you find the difference is, from your point of view when you stand over the ball, with the ball position when you are parallel as opposed to a bit closed.

[Rusty]

Honestly, I make so many compensations when I change ball position now it ends up with a pull or push regardless if the ball is too forward or rearward. I recently had a lesson and the instructor has had me move the ball forward and it is a challenge to adapt.
If the ball is too far forward I tend to hit a push to the right, but as I say its not written in stone. Believe me I wish I understood my swing a lot more than I do. I don't know if you watch Martin Hall on School of Golf on Golf channel, but I respond to the type of stuff he does, with the training aids, like the alignment sticks that I used. I need to practice more than I do now.