How do you maintain proper alignment and ball position?

The struggle is real with this one. I have to really think about ball placement in my stance if I don't get to play in a while. I also do the same and try to swing the club a few times every day to keep things in order as it does seem to help.
 
Preshot routine should include the method with which a player adopts his grip-posture-alignment and ball position.
Do the same routine each time and the address fundamentals will be the same each time.
 
My preshot routine, I change ball position based on the shot I want to hit, I do feel like I struggle with alignment, it's the battle I'm always fighting.
 
The struggle is real with this one. I have to really think about ball placement in my stance if I don't get to play in a while. I also do the same and try to swing the club a few times every day to keep things in order as it does seem to help.

If your preshot routine includes your feet initially very close together (even touching each other), from that starting point , once the feet are spread, consistent ball position becomes relatively easy.
 
If your preshot routine includes your feet initially very close together (even touching each other), from that starting point , once the feet are spread, consistent ball position becomes relatively easy.

I agree. My instructor got me doing that a few weeks ago, and it has really made a difference. Also, I always use my alignment stick on the range.


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I agree. My instructor got me doing that a few weeks ago, and it has really made a difference. Also, I always use my alignment stick on the range.


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I think having a preshot routine with the feet so close they are touching other provides several benefits. For example:

1) with feet together chances are good a players feet-knees-hips-shoulders will all be square to each other

2) feet together promotes a posture of bending from the hips (rather than the waist)

3) feet together helps a player find consistent ball position

4) feet together helps a player avoid having too wide of a stance

5) feet together, along with looking at the club face- then target-then club face again , helps a player find consistently good alignment.
 
For alignment I stand behind the ball and find the target line, and then find the parallel line for my feet, using spots on the grass about 2' from the ball, then I address by standing on those spots. I think it's better than using an intermediate target.
 
I think having a preshot routine with the feet so close they are touching other provides several benefits. For example:

1) with feet together chances are good a players feet-knees-hips-shoulders will all be square to each other

2) feet together promotes a posture of bending from the hips (rather than the waist)

3) feet together helps a player find consistent ball position

4) feet together helps a player avoid having too wide of a stance

5) feet together, along with looking at the club face- then target-then club face again , helps a player find consistently good alignment.

Just having a routine also forces you to take your time as you line up your shot.


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For alignment I like to stand behind the ball get my line and then use something close to the ball to line up with before swinging. Maybe a piece of a broken tee, dry spot in the grass, divot, whatever, I line up with that, then take my stance and take one final look at the hole envisioning the shot and then swing away!!
 
I think having a preshot routine with the feet so close they are touching other provides several benefits. For example:

1) with feet together chances are good a players feet-knees-hips-shoulders will all be square to each other

2) feet together promotes a posture of bending from the hips (rather than the waist)

3) feet together helps a player find consistent ball position

4) feet together helps a player avoid having too wide of a stance

5) feet together, along with looking at the club face- then target-then club face again , helps a player find consistently good alignment.


This was a great tip! I tried his at the range tonight and had great results. By doing this I feel my stance was way more consistent. Now if I could just stop a head movement I have I will be stoked! Thank you for posting this.
 
These are two of my most significant struggles. Ball position in regard to distance from the body is more inconsistent for me than ball position in relation to it being forward or backward in my stance. Alignment is always an issue. I line up facing left...often.

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These are too of my most significant struggles. Ball position in regard to distance from the body is more inconsistent for me than ball position in relation to it being forward or backward in my stance. Alignment is always an issue. I line up facing left...often.

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To find a fundamentally sound consistent distance from the ball do the following:

1) hold a golf club in your right hand
2) stand with your feet close together (nearly touching)
3) bend from the hips (not the waist) by sticking your rear pants pockets outward a bit and at the same time relax your knees a touch
4) now your body is in an effective athletic posture with your arms hanging relaxed and loose straight down from your shoulder sockets
5) still holding the club in your right hand, set the club face on the ground in front of your left foot
6) adopt your left hand grip.........followed by adopting your right hand grip
7) move your left foot to your left (so that ball position becomes an inch or so inside your left heel).....move your right foot to your right (wider as the clubs get longer)

The above routine will work well for all golf clubs. When done properly you will notice the shortest clubs require a little bit more relaxing of the knees (to get the club head down to the ground) and you will notice that the length and lie angle of the longest clubs has your arms/hands a little bit higher (at address) than with the shortest clubs.
Your body's "distance from the ball" is essentially the same with all the clubs.
 
I think having a preshot routine with the feet so close they are touching other provides several benefits. For example:

1) with feet together chances are good a players feet-knees-hips-shoulders will all be square to each other

2) feet together promotes a posture of bending from the hips (rather than the waist)

3) feet together helps a player find consistent ball position

4) feet together helps a player avoid having too wide of a stance

5) feet together, along with looking at the club face- then target-then club face again , helps a player find consistently good alignment.

To find a fundamentally sound consistent distance from the ball do the following:

1) hold a golf club in your right hand
2) stand with your feet close together (nearly touching)
3) bend from the hips (not the waist) by sticking your rear pants pockets outward a bit and at the same time relax your knees a touch
4) now your body is in an effective athletic posture with your arms hanging relaxed and loose straight down from your shoulder sockets
5) still holding the club in your right hand, set the club face on the ground in front of your left foot
6) adopt your left hand grip.........followed by adopting your right hand grip
7) move your left foot to your left (so that ball position becomes an inch or so inside your left heel).....move your right foot to your right (wider as the clubs get longer)

The above routine will work well for all golf clubs. When done properly you will notice the shortest clubs require a little bit more relaxing of the knees (to get the club head down to the ground) and you will notice that the length and lie angle of the longest clubs has your arms/hands a little bit higher (at address) than with the shortest clubs.
Your body's "distance from the ball" is essentially the same with all the clubs.

I really appreciate this. I struggle with both alignment and ball position. Just this past Sunday a friend told me that I had lying eyes convincing me that I was lined up on my target line when I was a good bit left. I've done what you said in the first quote on a few occasions and had good results but always fall back into my old habits. On the second lesson, I'm really anxious to try it. I think I've always the ball sneak a little too far away from me as well as center back on my short irons.

Muchos gracias. Losing any confidence you had in ball position or its distance away from you is a terrible feeling to have in the middle of a round. This will help with that.
 
Muscle memory is the best way for me to maintain it as I don't have an elaborate setup or anything.
 
Muscle memory is the best way for me to maintain it as I don't have an elaborate setup or anything.
This. But in order to get muscle memory, you need a lot of repetitions. Coming from martial arts, we had a rule of thumb: 10k repetitions and after that you don't need think the technique, you just do it.
 
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