Tag: Golf Fundamentals

Perfect Your Golf Swing Alignment

Perfect Your Golf Swing Alignment

Article by Brad Myers







If you ask the players on the PGA Tour to name what they believe to be the most important golf fundamentals, there is no doubt that golf swing alignment would be towards the top of the list. However, most amateurs either do not know or do not admit how important golf swing alignment is to their success.

It is amazing how you always have certain things that stick with you that you have heard from your different instructors. On the topic of golf swing alignment, one of my old instructors used to say.You can have the biggest and boldest cannon and it does not mean anything to you if it is not aimed in the correct direction.. There are many sayings that I am sure that you have heard along these lines. Obviously, you can hit the perfect golf shot but if it is aimed 30 yards to the left of the target the results are not going to be to your liking.

Since golf swing alignment is a main fundamental to each and every golf shot, here are some simple exercises that you can quickly and easily do to check your golf swing alignment.

First, setup to a golf shot as you normally would and make sure you are comfortable. Now that you are ready to make your golf swing, place a tee directly behind each of your heels and push both tees all the way into the ground. Now move away from your setup and place a club.s shaft over both of the tees to create a straight line. Now, go behind your ball and look down the target line. Does it match what you thought?

This golf alignment exercise shows you exactly where you are aligning your feet. If your pictures do not match, then you can simply change or move the tees so they align correctly and then setup with the tees touching the back of your heels. If you were not aligned properly, do not be surprised that when you setup to your next shot with your heels properly placed that you will feel that you are aimed somewhere else. If your feet have been aligned incorrectly for a while, then it will feel quite strange when you do align them correctly. Keeping track of your alignment, your new feet position will become second nature in no time at all.

Another easy way to check your alignment is to assume your address position, remove your left hand from the club and simply point to a spot 10 yards to the left (for a right-handed golfer) of your target. Monitor where your arm and finger are pointing opposed to where your shoulders and hips are pointing. They should feel like they are creating a straight line. If you feel they are pointing to the left then you are prone to hit a push or a hook. If pointing to the right, you are prone to hit a pull or a slice.

As the PGA Tour players would agree, your golf swing alignment is one of the most important golf fundamentals for each golf shot that you take. You must check it often, because it’s very easy to align yourself incorrectly without even knowing it. That is why I would be surprised if you were on driving range at a PGA Tour stop and did not see several players with clubs on the ground to assist with their golf swing alignment. Now that you know exactly what you need to do to check your golf swing alignment, you should be hitting more golf shots at your target and lowering your scores.



About the Author

Brad Myers writes golf articles for Wireless Golf Coach. Click to find golf equipment or short game tips that will work for you.

What are the different types of golf shots?

What are the different types of golf shots?

Though it sometimes seems that there are dozens of different golf shots that a golfer must learn to be a “good golfer” (e.g., consistently shoot in the 70’s or 80’s), there really are only a critical few golf shots that matter outside of the putting game.  If golfers can master these critical golf shots which can be applied and adapted for just about any golf situation, then they will certainly see a drop in their scores and more consistency in their game.  Below is a listing and description of each of these golf shots and how they are applied around the golf course.

1.Straight Golf Shots: As the name implies, a straight golf shot starts straight and holds the line toward the target.  It is used when the target is straight in front of you and shaping the golf shot right or left is unnecessary.  A straight golf shot is achieved when all the golf fundamentals are executed and synchronized effectively including setup position, grip, swing path and weight transfer.

2.Draw Golf Shots: A draw golf shot is used to curve a shot right to left around an obstacle to the target. The basic fundamentals of straight golf shots are followed, except alignment is right of the target and the grip is rotated in a “stronger” position to encourage right to left ball flight.

3.Fade Golf Shots: A fade golf shot is used to curve a shot left to right around an obstacle to the target. Similar to a draw, the basic fundamentals of straight golf shots are followed, except alignment is left of the target and the grip is rotated in a “weaker” position to encourage left to right ball flight.

4.Fairway Bunker Golf Shots: A fairway bunker golf shot is hit from fairway bunkers adjacent to the fairway. A good fairway bunker shot can position you well for your next shot and help save your score.  On these shots, it is important to position the body so that ball lies in the middle of your stance and stand “taller” throughout the shot to strike the ball cleanly.

5.Greenside Bunker Golf Shots: A greenside bunker golf shot is hit from bunker adjacent or very close to the putting surface. Since loft, rather than distance, is more important on these golf shots, it is important to position the ball forward in the stance while weight is distributed (and kept) favoring the left side throughout the golf shot.

6.Pitch Golf Shots: Pitch golf shot spends more time in the air than on ground and are typically used when 60 yards or more from the putting green.  The setup and weight distribution used for pitch shots are different than for straight, draw and fade golf shots and a lofted club such as a sand wedge or lob wedge is used.

7.Chip Golf Shots: Chip golf shots are typically used when the golf ball is 3 to 6 feet off the green and putting the ball is not a good option.  Chip shots are miniature versions of the full swing where just enough power is applied to land the ball quickly on the surface and roll toward the cup.

Of course, there are several other types of golf shots, but most are just variations of the ones above.  If golfers can focus on mastering these golf shots, then their games are sure to quickly improve.

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