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So much of golf is result oriented. You can make a technically poor swing that matters little to most golfers if their ball finds the fairway or green.
It has been my experience that the majority of amateur golfers have their bodies aligned incorrectly and are therefore required to make compensations with their swing to make up for the fact that their body was not aligned to the target.
It is important to practice your alignment because often the message that your eyes are giving your brain is distorted. We need to look at ways to reprogram that message.
For a full swing the most common fault I see in alignment is a closed stance. Nine out of ten amateurs at the start of their first lesson they have with me have their feet pointing directly at or to the right of the target (the right handed). Often these golfers will compensate by having their shoulders pointing to the left of the target or in an open position. Now it is a lottery as to whether the lower or upper part of the body is going to lead the way, and given that neither is actually aligned correctly, the results are errant shots. If they manage to hit a shot that does go straight it is more a result of good luck than a good swing.
TIP
Almost every amateur believes that your feet should point AT the target when in fact they should point to the left of and be parallel to the target line. (the target line is the line drawn from the ball to the target). If your feet are pointing AT the target your stance is actually closed.
One of the other reasons amateurs find themselves in a closed address position is due to them picking a spot a metre or so in front of their ball on the target line to align themselves to.
Because your eyes are to the left of the target line at address I see them aligned to that spot and not parallel to the target line.
DRILL
Feet Alignment
We have all used a club along the line of our feet at some stage and in this instance it is the best method, however it is important to use this method correctly and regularly. The club must be parallel to your feet and the target line (pointing slightly to the left of the target), and approx 15cm from your toes.
If you have the shaft touching your toes you run the risk of nudging it with your right foot each time you follow through. You only need it to move a little to make a big difference.
Instead of using the spot a metre or so in front of you (as mentioned previously) I suggest that you have your eyes on the actual target that you are aiming at when you take your stance.
Shoulder Alignment
Once you have your feet aligned correctly you need to spend some time to ensure that you have your shoulders aligned as well.
Because your feet are now correctly aligned we can use them as a reference point. The method I use requires picking a spot on the ground midway between your feet. Focus on that spot and use your peripheral vision to align the points of your shoulders with the tips of your toes.
Try turning your shoulders and you will notice how the distance between the points of your shoulders and the tips of your toes change. When the distance is equal, your shoulders are aligned to your feet.
Chris Rutherford
Head Professional
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