Alignment trouble

kelbal

Hi guys,
I've been having a fair amount of trouble lining up for shots for the last year and a bit. I seem to constantly be drifting my alignment off to the right, along way right at times. In an effort to keep the ball on target this has ended up in me playing a 'power draw'! At times I've been able to play this quite well, but its just not something I can play consistently, I'm tending to either push the ball or snap-hook lately.
I try to aim more to the left, but can't get a feel for whats right, with the end result that I'm really struggling to hit a ball on target for the last while. I'm still making good connections (other than the very odd snap hook), I'm not wildly off target by any means, and my short game is decent, so I can still play somewhat respectable - but I just can't put any score together because of it.
I do intend to get some lessons very soon, but I just thought I'd put it out there for ideas as to things I can be thinking of, or practicing by myself until I go for the lesson
thanks in advance

spacecoyote

Do you have a set of alignment sticks or ever practice on the range with a club on the ground for alignment.

I had a similar issue, which I only discovered when a pro pointed it out to me.

If alignment is a problem then you should be using an aide when on the range until you get a better feel for where you should be lining up. The one by the ball pointing at the target, the one at your feet pointing parallel left of the target (assuming you're a rightie)

Gin77

Check out this thread it helped me.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2057020782/1/#post86123383

Let me know if it helps.

GreeBo

What technique do you use to align yourself when you are on course?
Trying to align from anywhere thats not directly behind the ball is pretty much impossible...

two on course methods that I know of are:
1) standing behind the ball, pick something on the ground along your target line a foot or son in front of the ball. Align the clubhead to this and your feet to the clubhead. this works well for me.
2) Standing behind the ball pick out your target, keep looking at your target as you move into the ball...dont look at the ball until you are standing alongside it...you can then adjust the ball back or forward in your stance. This has also worked for me in the past, but I prefer #1.


One thing to watch out for with #1 is that you almost have to take a wide turn around the ball and move into it, if you try to walk from straight behind to your stance you will end up pointing right of your target everytime. You have to trust the the thing on the ground is correct.

kelbal

spacecoyote wrote: »

... you should be using an aide when on the range until you get a better feel for where you should be lining up.

Well I've been throwing a club on the ground when practicing on the course to help - and in comps I've thrown the club down after some shots to see how I lined up the shot. I'm still finding it hard to gauge

Gin77 wrote: »

Check out this thread it helped me.

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/205702.../#post86123383

Let me know if it helps.

Yeah, I'm right eye dominant! I'll try that, approach the ball from behind. Thanks a mil

kelbal

GreeBo wrote: »

1) standing behind the ball, pick something on the ground along your target line a foot or son in front of the ball. Align the clubhead to this and your feet to the clubhead. this works well for me.

Thanks Greebo - not too dissimilar to the link Gin77 posted - visualizing the line from behind the ball, and then approaching it is something I'll definitely try -and yeah, keeping an eye out for something on the ground to help with my clubhead & feet placement is a good tip

Ben1977

GreeBo wrote: »

What technique do you use to align yourself when you are on course?
Trying to align from anywhere thats not directly behind the ball is pretty much impossible...

two on course methods that I know of are:
1) standing behind the ball, pick something on the ground along your target line a foot or son in front of the ball. Align the clubhead to this and your feet to the clubhead. this works well for me.
2) Standing behind the ball pick out your target, keep looking at your target as you move into the ball...dont look at the ball until you are standing alongside it...you can then adjust the ball back or forward in your stance. This has also worked for me in the past, but I prefer #1.


One thing to watch out for with #1 is that you almost have to take a wide turn around the ball and move into it, if you try to walk from straight behind to your stance you will end up pointing right of your target everytime. You have to trust the the thing on the ground is correct.

That last statement makes has just hit the nail on the head. Its very hard to truth your intermidate target because you are side on.

When at address position, when practicing, look at the target or flag, if it over your left shoulder then your closed to that target. It should almost feel like your aiming left, but infact you are parallel.

ssbob

There is nothing stopping you throwing down a club before you take your shot as long as you take it away before you strike!

Alignment is and has always been a big issue for me too but it is something I check and double check now when I step up to a ball.

GreeBo

ssbob wrote: »

There is nothing stopping you throwing down a club before you take your shot as long as you take it away before you strike!

Alignment is and has always been a big issue for me too but it is something I check and double check now when I step up to a ball.

Except your playing partners will probably beat you for being slow!

kelbal

ssbob wrote: »

There is nothing stopping you throwing down a club before you take your shot as long as you take it away before you strike!

I actually threw that out there as an idea on a thread a while back - but if you think about it, there's no way you can be doing that in a weekend comp. Its akin to looking at a putt from 5 different perspectives. Your partners will be fairly browned off. You need to come to the game prepared

thanks for the suggestion though!!

ssbob

kelbal wrote: »

I actually threw that out there as an idea on a thread a while back - but if you think about it, there's no way you can be doing that in a weekend comp. Its akin to looking at a putt from 5 different perspectives. Your partners will be fairly browned off. You need to come to the game prepared

thanks for the suggestion though!!

I guess as you say you need to engrain(spelling?) this in your practice routine so when out for a casual 6-9 holes or when on the range, put down the alignment sticks and if your aligned correctly then there is a different problem at force!

Oilbeefhooked!

GreeBo wrote: »

What technique do you use to align yourself when you are on course?
Trying to align from anywhere thats not directly behind the ball is pretty much impossible...

two on course methods that I know of are:
1) standing behind the ball, pick something on the ground along your target line a foot or son in front of the ball. Align the clubhead to this and your feet to the clubhead. this works well for me.
2) Standing behind the ball pick out your target, keep looking at your target as you move into the ball...dont look at the ball until you are standing alongside it...you can then adjust the ball back or forward in your stance. This has also worked for me in the past, but I prefer #1.


One thing to watch out for with #1 is that you almost have to take a wide turn around the ball and move into it, if you try to walk from straight behind to your stance you will end up pointing right of your target everytime. You have to trust the the thing on the ground is correct.

Started using method 1 myself lately,to good effect - but I really have to TRUST the leaf/divot etc that you pick, as i feel like im aiming left.

Really recommend a quick lesson, or even a mate to stand behind you and check it.

Also be very aware of your shoulders, not just the feet.

i had a lesson last week,pro told me to pick a target.
Hit a few half decent and convinced i was aligned straight at it.
Turned out feet were aimed right and shoulders open and aimed left.
Also standing a little too far away.
Three small adjustments later and i was creaming them out of the middle and
dead on line.

Point being, you wouldn't believe how far out you can be while in your own head believing you are aimed bang at the target.:eek:

kelbal

I set the camera up in the garden and video'd myself swinging - used it to help me get a better feel for alignment.
Also noticed I was hugely overswinging on my backswing, a-la John Daly. So hopefully I've ironed out a few issues, however I could be totally wrong, I ain't no golf teacher! We'll see tomorrow morning when there's actually golf balls involved:)

Ben1977

GreeBo wrote: »

What technique do you use to align yourself when you are on course?
Trying to align from anywhere thats not directly behind the ball is pretty much impossible...

two on course methods that I know of are:
1) standing behind the ball, pick something on the ground along your target line a foot or son in front of the ball. Align the clubhead to this and your feet to the clubhead. this works well for me.
2) Standing behind the ball pick out your target, keep looking at your target as you move into the ball...dont look at the ball until you are standing alongside it...you can then adjust the ball back or forward in your stance. This has also worked for me in the past, but I prefer #1.


One thing to watch out for with #1 is that you almost have to take a wide turn around the ball and move into it, if you try to walk from straight behind to your stance you will end up pointing right of your target everytime. You have to trust the the thing on the ground is correct.

Keep this in my mind during round at the weekend. Used the first option. Walked straight into the ball on some holes and felt the aim point was way left. Looked up and found that the aim point was spot on.
So on other holes I did the walk around and found it easier to pick out the aim point.
No pulls or pull draws, actually hit a copy of shots within a couple of feet from my target.

Cheers GreeBo

Reganovski

Oilbeefhooked! wrote: »

Also be very aware of your shoulders, not just the feet.

i had a lesson last week,pro told me to pick a target.
Hit a few half decent and convinced i was aligned straight at it.
Turned out feet were aimed right and shoulders open and aimed left.
Also standing a little too far away.
Three small adjustments later and i was creaming them out of the middle and
dead on line.

Point being, you wouldn't believe how far out you can be while in your own head believing you are aimed bang at the target.:eek:

I think this is an important point.
Feet alignment isn't as important your shoulders. Fair enough, it's better to have your feet aiming at the target (well slightly left of it) but it's your shoulders position that will affect the plane of your swing.

I used to hit a massive fade despite my feet aiming perfectly. But my shoulders were aiming a 10 yards left of the target. So then I was told to aim my shoulders 10 yards right while keeping my feet as they were. It felt awkward at first, in fact I felt twisted. Because I was so used to aiming left with my shoulders aiming 10 yards right meant I was actually aiming at the target.

I still hit a slight fade but I can control it a lot more now.

kelbal

Thanks guys. Tried this over the weekend, and I did feel much more comfortable over the ball. Can't say I was quite nailing them just yet, but my ball striking was way more consistent. Scored 30 points - but at least 4 of those dropped points were due to greenside errors. Will keep at it - and hopefully there's a score coming

kelbal

Really feeling more comfortable lining up and hitting it now.
Scored 36 points today - with 3 balls lost under leaves that would have safely been in play otherwise:eek:

Wombatman

Using an intermediate target has really helped me line up putts this year. Pick a mark on the green a foot to two feet from the ball on your chosen line and strike the ball to roll over that point.

http://www.pgaprofessional.com/golf_instruction_articles/intermediate_target.html