I need serious alignment help!

[jimmyt]

Can anyone offer any advice to help me learn to be able to align myself square to my chosen target?

On the range or at home I have tried everything to learn to aim correctly, and although I am fairly successful with it at home or range, I get to the golf course and same old thing 10-15 yards right of target line. I try moving front foot towards me to attempt to open or in this case square my alignment and still closed.

When I do, with the help of my playing partners get aligned correctly it feels as if I am so wide open and feels very uncomfortable, ball position looks so out of whack.....when I finely do swing its a guess on whats going to happen because I am so uncomfortable with alignment and I get mechanically bogged down.

Anyone have a drill or training device that you could recommend?

I play to about a 4, very good short game. I feel that if I could get this fixed I could move my game to the next level.

Help, please

Jimmy T

 

[Garth]

Wow; you just described me to a tee! Same problem; it feels so uncomfortable to not be closed that I usually just give up trying to fix it. I bounce from 2 to 6, so same game too! I fight going left and I know it has to do with my closed stance, but an open stance throws everything outa whack for me.

 

[savydan]

I don't think you're alone by any means. I would guess that a lot of folks tend to creep open or closed.

Since you've got understanding playing partners, I would simply use them and fight through it for a few rounds. Since you're a good player, sooner or later a correct alignment is going to look normal to you.

In addition, you may want to set up intentionally open during your next few practice rounds just so on the course it looks more normal.

But make it your only goal your next few rounds, set up square and fight through the emotions. Alignment and grip changes can just take some guts and trust.

 

[Burner]

Can anyone offer any advice to help me learn to be able to align myself square to my chosen target? Jimmy T

Perhaps you should first decide what your chosen target is.

Is it the balls ultimate destination or is it the line of travel you hope it starts on in order to get there?

Focus on the line of travel. That's what you do with a putt, isn't it: and how often does a putt have a dead straight line of travel from A to B?

 

[curtisj76]

Yep, same problem here. Only difference is my hdcp =12. I was AMAZED when my buddy showed where I was really aiming (20 yards to the right!!) No wonder I struggled with hooks.

 

[Gibby]

Had many long putts because of this last year. Even with wedges I was sort of guessing. I've been focusing a lot on getting my hips, shoulders, and knees square to my target line at address, regardless of where my feet happen to be.

 

[jimmyt]

Seems like there are alot of us out there. Misery loves company....but still no real options on how to fix.

Brian, Academy and Instructors how about some help to us loyal forum members who are all struggling with the same affliction.

 

[birdie_man]

All I know is it's much easier if you forget about trying for "dead square" (an absolute) and try for being, to some rough feel-based degree, either:

-somewhat open

OR

-somewhat closed

...

I realized a long time ago it probably wasn't worth it to try to be so perfectly square.

Especially if you believe in drawing or fading the ball a little bit almost all the time. (although Brian's latest research says even for straight shots you're mostly gonna want to not be "square")

I just make sure I am either open or closed. It is pretty easy to do.

And shoot...

You guys might want to check out some of Brian's recent work...

...in his "BLOGs":

1. If you want to hit the ball straight, DO NOT aim straight on every shot, with every club in the bag. You have NO CHANCE.

You have to aim a decent amount left with short irons, and slightly less and less until you get to slightly closed with a Driver.

If you try to do it out of a square stance your head will explode.

2. Plane Line is NOT relevant to the golf ball. True Path and True Clubface rule, trust your eyeballs (ball flight) more than any line on any screen.

When TrackMan's audible measurements were telling me my true face or true path, I could make feel and ball flight sense of it after the shot, and adjust during the shot.

When it gave me plane line numbers, I was swimming in the variety of how down I hit on it related to the true path and face.


3. You are going to hit down on wedges more than 8-irons, and 8-irons more than 6-irons. No matter what you do. Aim more left the shorter the club.

You can NOT hit a straight ball with a square stance and a straight plane line with a mid-iron. You are going to have to GUESS at how far left left to swing and say a little prayer.

So, aim left enough, and control the face based on spin—or hit draws.

From: http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/...rackman-research-findings-brian-manzella.html

...

 

[jimmyt]

All I know is it's much easier if you forget about trying for "dead square" (an absolute) and try for being, to some rough feel-based degree, either:

-somewhat open

OR

-somewhat closed

...

I realized a long time ago it probably wasn't worth it to try to be so perfectly square.

Especially if you believe in drawing or fading the ball a little bit almost all the time. (although Brian's latest research says even for straight shots you're mostly gonna want to not be "square")

I just make sure I am either open or closed. It is pretty easy to do.

And shoot...

You guys might want to check out some of Brian's recent work...

...in his "BLOGs":



From: http://www.brianmanzella.com/forum/...rackman-research-findings-brian-manzella.html

...

I agree with everything you are saying. I agree 100 percent with all of Brians new findings, regarding aiming left to hit straight.

The problem still remains that no matter what I aim at whether left or right, my alignment is 10-15 yards right of whatever I am aiming at so thats why it important to get aimed roughly square to my target left or right.

So it continues........

 

[puttmaster]

I agree with everything you are saying. I agree 100 percent with all of Brians new findings, regarding aiming left to hit straight.

The problem still remains that no matter what I aim at whether left or right, my alignment is 10-15 yards right of whatever I am aiming at so thats why it important to get aimed roughly square to my target left or right.

So it continues........

jimmy,

Sometimes the simplest and easiest fix is the most obvious one -- in this case, simply aim another 10-15 yards farther left until your sense of alignment improves, assuming you are practicing with aiming aids, etc. It worked for me a few years ago.