We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Help with alignment

GregDan

GregDan

#DreamTeam
Joined
Dec 22, 2011
Messages
16,883
Reaction score
2
Location
IN
Handicap
4
Mr. Kong I need some help if you wouldn't mind. I have always struggled with alignment, woods and irons, and usually it takes me quite some time to get it straightened out every year. My question is what should I be doing to get my alignment right? I have heard many different ways to find alignment but I can never be consistent.

What's your take on it and what should I be doing to find my alignment in the course? Are there drills I can do to help set up the right way to the line on each swing?

Thanks!
 
Dan. Love this topic! I really struggle with this as well. Looking forward to Freddies thoughts
 
My shoulders give me fits from time to time and I have to remind myself to square them up, especially off the driver. Looking forward to Freddie's thoughts as everyone can take something away from this.
 
TexasHacker34 said:
Dan. Love this topic! I really struggle with this as well. Looking forward to Freddies thoughts
Click to expand...

tpluff said:
My shoulders give me fits from time to time and I have to remind myself to square them up, especially off the driver. Looking forward to Freddie's thoughts as everyone can take something away from this.
Click to expand...

It's what I started this thread I struggle with it and I know a lot of other people do.

If anyone has any tips and tricks as well feel free to share!
 
I'm not Kong but I will share what helps me. When I'm at the range I like to be sure that I get my alignment stick down and be sure that its right on my target. My range has a green at 150 yards, so its a perfect target to work on wedge, 9, or 8 irons depending on where the tees are for the day. I like the get my stick right on that flag and then hit balls at that. But the thing I like to do really ensure my alignment is solid is to build a gate with two other alignment sticks. This ensures that you are hitting and starting the ball on line. It forces you too. Other wise you spend a lot of time chasing aligement sticks around the range.

I really pay attention to how my feet are lined up, and the feeling i have when I'm lined up square to target. What I mean by the feeling is, how my feet, hips and shoulders are compared to what my eyes see. I'll be honest when I say that I feel like I'm aimed right of target when i'm really square to target, which is the opposite of how I feel when I putt. Thats what I have to replicate, that feeling, when I'm over a shot. It really has helped me a lot. When I was at the range the other night, I put about 15 shots inside a 18x18 box working on alignment at about 140 yards. And that is stepping out after every shot and realigning myself every time. I didn't have a gate up as I didn't have my extra alignment sticks with me, but I was very happy with how my alignment work went that night.
 
Playdough said:
I'm not Kong but I will share what helps me. When I'm at the range I like to be sure that I get my alignment stick down and be sure that its right on my target. My range has a green at 150 yards, so its a perfect target to work on wedge, 9, or 8 irons depending on where the tees are for the day. I like the get my stick right on that flag and then hit balls at that. But the thing I like to do really ensure my alignment is solid is to build a gate with two other alignment sticks. This ensures that you are hitting and starting the ball on line. It forces you too. Other wise you spend a lot of time chasing aligement sticks around the range.

I really pay attention to how my feet are lined up, and the feeling i have when I'm lined up square to target. What I mean by the feeling is, how my feet, hips and shoulders are compared to what my eyes see. I'll be honest when I say that I feel like I'm aimed right of target when i'm really square to target, which is the opposite of how I feel when I putt. Thats what I have to replicate, that feeling, when I'm over a shot. It really has helped me a lot. When I was at the range the other night, I put about 15 shots inside a 18x18 box working on alignment at about 140 yards. And that is stepping out after every shot and realigning myself every time. I didn't have a gate up as I didn't have my extra alignment sticks with me, but I was very happy with how my alignment work went that night.
Click to expand...

I try and do the same thing with my alignment stick as well but for me sometimes I feel its hard to feel like my shoulders and hips are also square.

I like the idea of the gate but I am not sure what you mean by it. Just two sticks just outside of the club head aimed at the target?
 
With that I try to feel my shoulders in line with my feet. Sometimes if I feel that shoulders are out of line I with throw a stick down to the outside of the ball and use that to align my shoulders. I feel that outside stick is easier to get my shoulders aligned with.

The gate drill is basically two alignment rods stuck in the found up and down to make a slot. You want them out far enough that you don't hit them, but close enough that the ball actually go through them. I will usually put them on an slight angle as that makes them a little harder to hit. Would look something like this .... I.I Each I is the stick in the ground up and down and the . is the ball. Hope that helps some
 
Great idea! Haven't heard that before.
 
Playdough said:
With that I try to feel my shoulders in line with my feet. Sometimes if I feel that shoulders are out of line I with throw a stick down to the outside of the ball and use that to align my shoulders. I feel that outside stick is easier to get my shoulders aligned with.

The gate drill is basically two alignment rods stuck in the found up and down to make a slot. You want them out far enough that you don't hit them, but close enough that the ball actually go through them. I will usually put them on an slight angle as that makes them a little harder to hit. Would look something like this .... I.I Each I is the stick in the ground up and down and the . is the ball. Hope that helps some
Click to expand...

Ah! So you actually try and hit the ball through the gate? That sounds like a good drill. I will have to try that.
 
GregDan said:
Ah! So you actually try and hit the ball through the gate? That sounds like a good drill. I will have to try that.
Click to expand...

Yep. I do this about every 3 or 4 range sessions or when I feel like my alignment isnt jiving very well. Usually put them about a 12-18 inches apart. But you can find your comfortable spot in distance apart.
 
Playdough said:
Yep. I do this about every 3 or 4 range sessions or when I feel like my alignment isnt jiving very well. Usually put them about a 12-18 inches apart. But you can find your comfortable spot in distance apart.
Click to expand...

I will do that the next time I go to the range. That might help quite a bit.
 
I think the gate drill sounds really interesting as well! I'm gonna need more alignment rods.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I337 using Tapatalk
 
I can't visualize what the Gate looks like...
 
Kevin think uprights with the ground being the cross bar or hitting between two trees
 
Help with alignment

Playdough gave a pretty good visual.

| . |

The vertical lines are the sticks and the period is the ball. With the sticks being about 12-18 inches apart and far enough in front of you without hitting them with the club.
 
GregDan said:
Playdough gave a pretty good visual.

| . |

The vertical lines are the sticks and the period is the ball. With the sticks being about 12-18 inches apart and far enough in front of you without hitting them with the club.
Click to expand...

Might need to give this a try, but need to pick up a couple more alignment rods first.
 
Greg on the course you can't use alignment sticks on the course. So you have to rely on the tools you have.

You know that the knees, hips and shoulder all need to in alignment with your target line. So how do you get there?

place you club down behind the ball on the line you want the ball to start on. The leading edge of the club makes a straight line that will be perpendicular to your target line. Once that is set you can line up off this. It's easiest to start with the feet and work you way up to the shoulders. But everything should be perpendicular to the line formed with the leading edge.

If this doesn't completely help, then use you peripheral vision. If you are in your address position, you should be able to see both shoulders equally. If you see more of your left than right, you are misaligned. Simply Pull the shoulder back so that your vision of them is equal.

the most important thing is to be the knees, hips and shoulders and on the same line, what ever that line may be.
 
That makes a lot of sense. So when I am looking down the line at address at the target should I be looking where my shoulder is pointing? Or should I be looking a little inside of that on a line parallel with my shoulders?
 
GregDan said:
That makes a lot of sense. So when I am looking down the line at address at the target should I be looking where my shoulder is pointing? Or should I be looking a little inside of that on a line parallel with my shoulders?
Click to expand...

Your shoulders should be parallel to your target line. The ball is in one line and the shoulders on another, like railroad tracks.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Your shoulders should be parallel to your target line. The ball is in one line and the shoulders on another, like railroad tracks.
Click to expand...

So if I look down the middle of the train tracks then that should be where I am aiming.
 
GregDan said:
So if I look down the middle of the train tracks then that should be where I am aiming.
Click to expand...

If you are working the ball back to your target.
 
Tadashi70 said:
If you are working the ball back to your target.
Click to expand...

My natural shot shape is a small draw so that would be a good thought for me.

But to hit a straight ball I should be more worried about the line of the ball and then line my body parallel to that.
 
GregDan said:
My natural shot shape is a small draw so that would be a good thought for me.

But to hit a straight ball I should be more worried about the line of the ball and then line my body parallel to that.
Click to expand...

Ok then the target should be between the tracks. Body left, club head right, target middle.
 
Tadashi70 said:
Ok then the target should be between the tracks. Body left, club head right, target middle.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your help! I will be working on that and getting my accuracy a lot more consistent.
 
I'm really struggling with alignment lately. I bought a couple sticks from the local hardware store. Going to use the tips in this thread Saturday when I make it back out to the range.

Anybody else have any tips or videos on helping with alignment? My natural ball flight is a slight fade. Thanks in advance!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top