Getting on the right track
A lesson on proper alignment techniques
In the pin: When taking a shot, make sure your clubface is aimed at your target while your body is aligned parallel to the target line.—photo courtesy Windermere Valley Golf Course
A technically sound golf swing and a solid game plan will both go to waste if your body and clubface are not aiming appropriately when you start your swing. Each and every day I watch players struggle with alignment issues on the lesson tee. Most of these struggles are simply because the student misunderstands the entire concept of aiming and aligning; essentially they fall victim to myth. Golfers are routinely told to visualize a line being drawn across their feet, with the thought being that if they are lined up properly then this line should point directly toward their target. This myth couldn't be further from the truth, so please allow me to clear up the entire concept for you. The first thing you must do prior to hitting a shot is locate your target line. What exactly is a target line you ask? It is essentially the term used to describe the imaginary line that exists between your golf ball and its intended target. Once you locate this line you are ready to begin with the aiming process. You start by setting up for your shot by placing your club on the ground behind the ball. Once you get it in place, take time to ensure that the clubface is aiming directly at the target. Once you are done aiming the clubface, you are now ready to begin setting your body lines in place. Body lines are simply the imaginary lines you would draw across your feet, knees, hips or shoulders. Your body lines should all be aligned so that they run parallel to the target line. Imagine for a moment that this process was happening on a set of railway tracks. The far rail would represent your target line, and it would have the club, ball and flagstick on it. You would then place both feet on the near rail and it would represent your body lines. This image should help emphasize the fact that your clubface aims at your target, while your body is aligned parallel to the target line. The body lines never actually point at the target; in reality they will point somewhere slightly to the left of it, for a right-handed player. If you want to ensure that your game improvement is on track, consider looking at it on a shot-by-shot basis. Proper alignment may just be the answer to some of your problems.