The post Why you shouldn’t aim based on your miss, according to a top teacher appeared first on Golf.

The post Why you shouldn’t aim based on your miss, according to a top teacher appeared first on Golf.

When you’re battling a hook or slice, it can feel almost impossible to straighten out your shots. So, like most golfers, you do what feels natural: aim for your shot shape.

Depending on the severity of the curve, this could mean aiming anywhere from a few yards off line to an entire fairway’s width to compensate for your exaggerated ball flight. But, Cameron McCormick, a GOLF Top 100 Teacher, says that habit could actually be what’s preventing you from hitting it straight.

Stop aiming for your miss

“Most golfers aim for their miss,” McCormick says.

His meaning: players whose shots typically curve left aim right of the target, while those who have a tendency to bend the ball to the right aim left. Unfortunately, what seems like a simple fix, McCormick explains, is often making the issue worse.

 “The problem is, that [aiming for your miss] only exacerbates the error,” he says, “It increases the chance of you hitting that shot you’re trying to avoid.”

Aim tighter for straighter shots

If you want to shrink your misses and tighten your dispersion, McCormick recommends using an intermediate target when lining up to your shots. Having a small reference point a few feet in front of your ball will help you ensure you’re aimed on line every time. 

Your intermediate target can be anything from a dead patch of grass to an old divot and practicing on the range with one will help you incorporate it into your routine so it becomes second nature when you use it on the course.

To try it out, simply place a tee about three to four feet in front of your ball, directly on your target line. Then, step up to the ball and set up like you normally would.

Remember: face, then feet

The key to aiming correctly — whether you’re using an intermediate target or not — is how you set up your clubface and body. Many golfers don’t realize that the order in which you aim your club and feet actually matters. As McCormick demonstrates in the video above, the proper sequence is: clubface first, then body.

“I’m going to force myself to aim straighter by aligning the clubface to the tee, then splitting my feet,” he says.

Now that you’re aimed properly, go ahead and pull the trigger. It might feel weird at first, but with a bit of practice, you should start seeing your dispersion window narrow. 

“My brain tells me I need to accommodate my error, but I’m going to force against that and I’m going to learn to hit a much straighter ball flight,” McCormick says.

By breaking the habit of aiming for your miss, you’ll rein in your shots and be able to play confidently to the target, not around your mistakes.

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The post A legal ‘cheat code’ to check your aim and alignment on the course appeared first on Golf.

The post A legal ‘cheat code’ to check your aim and alignment on the course appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.

Fundamentals, fundamentals, fundamentals. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve been on a kick this offseason stressing the fundamentals. Why? Because fundamentals are some of the easiest variables in golf to control.

If you watch any high-level golfer practice, you’ll notice that they are constantly checking their fundamentals. From their grip to their ball position to their posture, they’re obsessed with double- and triple-checking the basics.

Recreational players rarely give fundamentals this amount of respect. In the short time they do practice each week, they’re focused on swing changes and new feels that they hope will be the magic cure to their woes. Often times, though, the secret to improve lies in improving their fundamentals.

At GOLF’s Top 100 Teacher Summit last fall at Cabot Citrus Farms, understanding and improving fundamentals was a huge point of emphasis when I talked with various teachers. And one such instructor, GOLF Teacher to Watch Addison Craig, gave me some great advice on how to check the fundamentals of aim and alignment while out on the course. Check it out in the video below.

A trick for checking aim and alignment

When you’re practicing, it’s easy to check your aim and alignment before every shot. All you need is an alignment stick (or some other aid) laid along your foot line.

During the round, laying an alignment aid on the ground during your shot is against the rules. But that doesn’t mean you can’t check your aim and alignment legally.

“How we want to do that is called an ‘intermediate target,'” Craig says. “We want to find something about two feet in front of [the ball] that stands straight out.”

You want that spot on the ground to be directly in line with your target in the distance. And once you’ve found that spot, you want to focus on aiming and aligning with that spot.

“What that does is gives us that nice clean target line right where we want to go,” Craig says. “The smaller target, the smaller the miss.”

When you pick a target hundreds of yards away, it can be difficult to get yourself aimed and aligned directly at that spot. But by choosing a target just a couple feet in front of you in line with that distant target, it becomes much easier to make sure you are aimed and aligned properly.

Another easy way to check your aim and alignment is by using your club as an aid. But instead of laying the club down on the ground, you just want to pick it up and hold it by the clubhead and the grip and place it along your belt buckle.

“That’s just kind of like a cheat code that’s gonna help you make sure you’re squared up towards the target,” Craig says.

Next time you find yourself struggling with aim or alignment on the course, give these two tricks a try. Chances are, they’ll have you aiming much more precisely than you were before.

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The post This updated alignment trick will perfectly dial in your aim appeared first on Golf.

The post This updated alignment trick will perfectly dial in your aim appeared first on Golf.

Are you one of those golfers who finds themselves struggling with aim and alignment on most shots? If so, you’re not alone, as this can be one of the trickiest things to master as you work towards lowering scores.

But you can’t hit it close to the pin if, you know, you’re not actually aimed at the pin, so it’s time to upgrade your alignment in order to hit the shot you envision in your head.

Instruction

This on-course hack will improve your aim and alignment, says top teacher

By: Nick Dimengo

For instance, I can’t tell you how many times I hit a great shot off the club, but watch it go directly into a bunker because I was aimed improperly. Talk about a major buzzkill, right? It’s deflating each time it happens, and just crushes any hope of scoring low on that hole.

While there are a number of different ways to try and dial in your aim and alignment, GOLF Teacher to Watch Todd Casabella shares a new way to do it — so take a look below and see if Casabella’s trick can help you hit shots closer to the actual target.

Try this easy trick to dial in the perfect aim

According to Casabella, the way you align yourself to the target is always a “personal thing,” with golfers using all sorts of different methods to feel comfortable before hitting a shot.

He then lists a few popular ways that golfers do this.

“Most golfers know the strategy of picking a spot out in front of the ball, about a foot or two on the target line, with the line it creates being used to set them parallel to the target line,” Casabella explains. “While most people have heard this, many of them still struggle.”

So why is aim and alignment so difficult for most players? Casabella says there’s two main culprits.

“The line is incomplete, and the line is on the front half of the body,” he adds. “I say it’s incomplete because we start behind the ball and address it first with our back foot, assuming that it’s in the correct position to the target line.”

Instead of sticking to the same old routine that keeps producing poor results, Casabella encourages golfers to try a more complete process — which incorporates finding a spot behind the ball as well (seen in the photo below).

“I think the traditional process is incomplete,” he argues. “I still want you pick out a spot in front of the ball, but I also want you to pick out a spot behind the ball. This will make it much easier to get the back foot set correctly with more consistently.”

Casabella then details how this new routine should look, which will help dial in your aim in golf.

“First, identify your target, then pick out a spot in front of the ball and behind the ball that are in-line with the target and the ball,” he says. “Now walk into the shot and place the club behind the ball, pointing directly at the spot in front of it. Then place your back foot perpendicular to the line created by the ball and the spot behind it.

“Finally, place your front foot perpendicular to the line created by the ball and the spot in front of it. If you need to move further away or closer to the ball, feel free, but be sure to move both feet equally.”

“With consistent parallel left alignment, your ability to hit solid golf shots will increase,” Casabella explains. “You’ll also start to get actual feedback on the golf course from any mishits, because you’ll be able to take misalignment out of the equation.”

The post This updated alignment trick will perfectly dial in your aim appeared first on Golf.

The post Why your aim and alignment are poor (and how you can fix them!) appeared first on Golf.

The post Why your aim and alignment are poor (and how you can fix them!) appeared first on Golf.

Golf instruction is ever-evolving, but the best advice stands the test of time. In GOLF.com’s new series, Timeless Tips, we’re highlighting some of the greatest advice teachers and players have dispensed in the pages of GOLF Magazine. Today, we revisit a piece from our September 2001 issue regarding why golfers struggle with their aim — and how they can fix it. For unlimited access to the full GOLF Magazine digital archive, join InsideGOLF today; you’ll enjoy $140 of value for only $39.99/year.

Fundamentals might not be “sexy,” but they sure are important. Without a firm grasp of the basics, you have no chance of consistency. In fact, it can be argued that there is nothing more important to the golf swing than solid fundamentals.

One of those fundamentals comes in the form of aim. It might seem silly that something so rudimentary deserves so much attention, but it’s true. Having you aim and alignment dialed in is absolutely crucial for great golf.

Below, we’ve highlighted an article by Rick Martino from the September 2001 issue of GOLF Magazine. In it, the former GOLF Top 100 Teacher breaks down why amateurs struggle with their aim — and gives tips for how to fix the problem.

Why your aim stinks

If golf were just about hitting the ball a long way, John Daly would be the world’s best player instead of Tiger Woods, whose combination of distance and direction is unmatched. Remember, Tiger didn’t start dominating until he could hit the ball where he wanted to nearly every time. Even he can’t make birdies consistently from the rough. 

Regardless of how far you hit it, you’ll score lower by hitting more fairways and greens. On average, you lose one stroke every time your ball is off the fairway. Even with good swings, aim and alignment mistakes create off-target shots. 

At the PGA Learning Center in Port St. Lucie, Florida, we conducted an aim and alignment study, measuring players from Tour pros to 40 handicappers on the range and on the course from four distances — 70, 130 and 190 yards, and with driver. There were three significant findings:

Instruction

10 ways to aim perfectly when you play

By: Kellie Stenzel, Top 100 Teacher

—Tour pros and low handicappers were more accurate and consistent than higher handicappers. Clubface aim and shoulder alignment mistakes for high handicappers (over 23) were double that of the pros. 
—As target distance increased, alignment mistakes increased dramatically for all players. The off-target distance almost doubled from 70 to 190 yards.
—All players aimed better on the range than on the course. The average clubface error increased from 3.75 yards on the range to 4.35 yards on the course. 

These numbers prove that most players have trouble aiming, and that better aim and alignment corresponds with lower scores. All golfers, including pros, can improve their aim.

Why is aiming so hard? You literally don’t know where you stand because you stand beside the ball, not directly behind it. You can’t change this, but you can improve by aiming with your shot shape in mind, squaring the clubface at address, aligning your body correctly and using a pre-shot routine.

Good aim and alignment result in better shots — all without making a swing change. Consider how well you would play if you could hit a second ball after every bad shot: The mulligan is usually better than the first, yet the swing doesn’t change from one shot to the next. Instead, you adjust your alignment so it matches your swing. So you can change your swing, or you can allow your aim and alignment to compliment your swing. The latter is easier. Here’s how to do it.

Aim: Change your focus

The target — the flag, usually — is such an obvious aiming point that it’s where your attention naturally goes. But keep in mind that the target is where you want your shot to end up. Unless you hit the ball dead straight, you don’t want to aim there. Instead, aim for where you want the ball to start.

Identify you ball-flight pattern for the shot you’re playing, whether it’s left-to -right or right-to-left. Allow for the curvature with your aim. Lining up to a starting point rather than the flagstick will improve your likelihood of finishing close to the hole.

Clubface: Factor in the tilt

Now that you’ve identified the starting line, you must square your clubface 90 degrees to this line. Even a small change in clubface alignment will affect the direction of the shot. 

Instruction

Here's how to nail your aim and alignment before every shot

By: Tina Tombs, Top 100 Teacher

Because the right hand (for right-handers) is lower on the club than the left hand, the right shoulder is lower than the left at address. Yet most golfers grip the club — and check clubface alignment— while standing straight up and down, with the shoulders level. It may look fine — a perfectly vertical face which indicates it is square — but it doesn’t stay that way, because the ensuing tilt alters the clubface’s position; it is no longer square at address. 

It makes more sense to check the clubface while assuming the tilt you will have at address. This exercise will help you square the face consistently. 

Alignment: It’s in the shoulders

The most common method of checking body alignment is placing clubs on the ground. But that only tells you what your feet are doing, not necessarily the parts of the body actually swinging the club: the arms and hands. And since they are connected to the shoulders, the shoulders — not the feet — must be lined up square (parallel) to the starting line.

Here’s a good self-check: from address — without moving your shoulders — pick up the club and hold it from both ends, with your arms hanging straight down. The club will mirror your shoulder alignment, which should be parallel to the starting line.

Routine: Set up for accuracy

On the course and on the range, a consistent pre-shot routine should incorporate all the elements of aim and alignment discussed above, allowing you to set up properly for every shot.

Here is a suggested routine using the techniques and strategies in this article:

—Pick your starting line from behind the ball.
—Set the club’s leading edge at 90 degrees to the starting line, factoring in the tilt of your upper body at address.
—Line up the shoulders parallel to the starting line as you take your stance.
—Look down the starting line to confirm your aim and alignment.
—Look back at the ball, then swing.

Alignment strategies

Use a friend

Because you’re standing to the side of the starting line, it’s hard to tell whether you are aligned correctly. There is no substitute for another pair of eyes; even Tour professionals rely on caddies or teachers to check their aim and alignment. Find someone you trust for accurate feedback. 

Instruction

Try these 3 alignment and aim techniques for better ball striking

By: Zephyr Melton

Line up the logo

Many Tour pros use the ball’s logo to aim on the greens — and perhaps you do, too. Why not use the same technique on the tee, where you also have control over the placement of jf the ball? Line up the logo so it points down the starting line, then aim the clubface and align the body using this reference. It is a great aid; use it whenever you can. 

Choose an intermediate target

You can use the ball’s logo off the tee, but not from the fairway. You need a different alignment aid, and there is none better than an intermediate target — a divot, a tuft of grass, or a discoloration along the starting line. As our testing showed, it is much easier to line up an object a few feet away than one 130 yards away.

Look down the starting line

It is surprising how many people set up without looking at where they want the ball to go. They look mostly at the bal l— probably trying to come up with a swing thought to compensate for their poor aim. Looking down the starting line—for four or five seconds at least — will allow you to make adjustments with your body to ensure proper aim and alignment. When you finally look back at the ball, you can concentrate on making a better swing, one that you don’t have to manipulate to make up for poor alignment. 

The post Why your aim and alignment are poor (and how you can fix them!) appeared first on Golf.

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Aiming the club face properly and aligning the body relative to your desired ball flight is an important skill. And an earned one.

Your practice and preparation will have a huge effect on how well you aim, align and are able to get your golf ball to your target. As you work on technique and swing mechanics on the range, make sure you have a general area as a target.

Prepare to aim perfectly when you play

Often, I see golfers on the range aiming haphazardly — and then being surprised when the ball does not go where they want it to go.

As an instructor, my goal is to make sure you hit it where you aim. Understanding proper technique as well as the difference between aiming and aligning, will help get you there. But you have to practice properly.

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The post 10 ways to improve your aim and alignment appeared first on Golf.

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One of the most common requests I get from my students is to help them aim better.

Generally, I think of aiming the clubface, and aligning the body. There is no question that the clubface has the most direct impact on ball direction, but the alignment of the body — especially the shoulders — to the clubface will affect the swing pash and, therefore, the curvature of the golf ball.

Here’s how to master both.

1. Find a consistent ball flight

It may sound counterintuitive, but your ability to aim is often a reaction to your ball flight. If you miss your golf ball in multiple different directions, it’s really hard to aim properly. To aim well you first have to have a predominant ball flight — even if it goes right-to-left or left-to-right. You can straighten the curve out down the road, but having a sense of certainty will make you more confident as you learn how to aim.

2. Know your bias

Most right-handed players, myself included, tend to aim too far to the right. This is common because setting up to the golf ball means approaching the target with your body turned to the side, which makes aiming and aligning more difficult.

But everyone has a different bias, both in direction and degree. The key is knowing what yours tends to be so you know what to account for as you address the ball.

3. Aim the face first

The clubface has the greatest influence on where your golf ball goes, so it’s important to be good at aiming the face. When you watch many good players start their routine, you will often see them setting the club behind the ball first while looking back and forth at the target.

Aiming the face should be done with the leading edge of the club. Lofted clubs will tend to look more crooked, but practice aiming the clubface at your target first before stepping into the shot.

4. Align the body

Once you’ve aimed the face, you need to align your body so your feet, knees, hips and shoulders are all running parallel to your target line. It may not seem parallel at first, but this is why it’s so important to practice this — to train your eye to align your body properly.

5. Use your lead shoulder

Some golfers often find it helpful to use their lead shoulder to learn how to aim. Ask yourself: “Where does my lead shoulder look relative to my target?”

For me, when I aim properly, I know my lead shoulder looks about 10 yards left of the target. Finding little visual cues that can help you will improve your aim, and help you hone in on pins.

6. Pick an intermediate target

Many golfers use an intermediate target, which is a spot between their golf ball and their target. Based upon this theory, it’s easier to aim at something close to you than far.

If you stand directly behind your golf ball, you’ll be able to pick a spot on the ground within a couple of feet of your ball but in line with your target, and focus on aiming the clubface at that. This can be particularly helpful when you have hazards in your way, where your aim needs to be more exact.

7. Use angles off the tee box

It may be a bit counterintuitive, but using smart angles on tee boxes can help you aim and align well. Remember to tee off on the side of trouble. So, if the hazard is on the right side of the hole, for instance, moving to the right side of the tee box and aiming away from the trouble can help you stay safe.

8. Don’t forget to look!

So many of my students who think they can’t aim, I might say, don’t aim. That’s because they spend their entire time looking at the golf ball.

Those who are best at aiming typically look back and forth between the ball and the target several times during the setup routine. Just watch the best players in the world. Often they will…

1. Look at the target
2. Set the clubface
3. Look at the target
4. Set up their feet
5. Look at the target one last time
6. Swing

9. Adjust on the day

Some days are better than others. Every golfer knows this. When you’re warming up on the range, be prepared to change your aim based on the ball flight you’re seeing that day. If you are slicing the ball, you may not be able to fix your mechanics to get back to your typical ball flight, so adjust your aim accordingly until you can get back to the range.

10. You have to earn it

Being great at aiming is an earned skill, and your attitude can often be the largest hurdle. So many golfers take good aim for granted. Recognize that you need to practice it, with feedback, in order to improve it.

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For more golf tips from Kellie Stenzel, click here.

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