Why Shot Alignment Is So Important, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles
Why Shot Alignment Is So Important, Golf (Video) - by Pete Styles

Now if we look at golf at its simplest form, it’s a target orientated aiming game. Now if you look at all the target orientated aiming games or sports, rifle shooting, archery, darts or even snooker and pool, one thing those sport have in common which actually makes them a little bit easy than golf is the ability to stand behind the target and look down the target line.

So of the gun or of the bow or the arrow that you're throwing or even of the pool cue, if y you’re playing pool, you could always look down the target line.

It’s very different in golf and a little bit more difficult but we're positioned to this side of the ball, so I never really get a view straight looking down what the golf ball could see, I'm always standing slightly to one side.

Now you can imagine trying to shot a gun form this sort of angle that would make aiming very, very difficult.

So I think it's quite important that when you're setting up the golf ball, you take the opportunity to actually stand directly behind the target line and look down the target as often as you can to really help you get good clear alignment.

So start a good pre-shot routine from behind the ball every time, looking down your target line here if you can.

Now, if you have got the ability to pick this ball up and move it, so for example, on your tee shots or if you’re playing winter rolls and when you’re potting, if you're on the green, you can always pick the ball up as long as you mark it.

You'd be able to actually take the golf ball and rotate it round, so the alignment aide on the ball could help you, so most golf balls would have a name or a marking on that, we'd actually draw your own arm that actually helps you point in the right direction.

So I've got my golf ball aligned but nicely. Now, I want to try and get my club line but nicely, again, to point in the right direction.

Now, lining up in that direction though is still not the easiest thing because I'm still stood to one side, so as long as I've got my feet nice and perpendicular, parallel to my target line here, I can lift the gulf club up in front of me, there the leading edge is vertical, then bring that down and now I know that I'm align so I can point myself in the right direction.

But also you can get golf clubs. Actually, Thomas Golf makes golf clubs with the target lines drawn on the back, so the drive is the hybrid to the Fairway Woods and the irons, all copy a technique.

It’s actually been used in potting for a long time. So it’s a really great idea, draw the line that you would have on the parts that helps you line up, draw that on your irons, your Harvard, your Fairway Woods and soon you've got a really easy to use golf club that just points you straight in the right direction.

So when you align the club up, you point the target line as I've done here, level to my golf ball, point the target line at the back of eye and line it with my golf ball and how you press them.

Now on the target line, make a good smooth stroke, hitting it straight down the line of my golf ball and where my club was pointing, my accuracy should improve quite nicely.

So have a little think about how you can get your club really squarely lined up to the golf ball, hitting over an object in front of you if you think that's going to help you as well and delivering the golf club straight down the target line.

If you can prove your--improve your accuracy, your set up, you have to improve your accuracy out here as well.

So really, hope that tip helps you.

2012-06-01

Now if we look at golf at its simplest form, it’s a target orientated aiming game. Now if you look at all the target orientated aiming games or sports, rifle shooting, archery, darts or even snooker and pool, one thing those sport have in common which actually makes them a little bit easy than golf is the ability to stand behind the target and look down the target line.

So of the gun or of the bow or the arrow that you're throwing or even of the pool cue, if y you’re playing pool, you could always look down the target line.

It’s very different in golf and a little bit more difficult but we're positioned to this side of the ball, so I never really get a view straight looking down what the golf ball could see, I'm always standing slightly to one side.

Now you can imagine trying to shot a gun form this sort of angle that would make aiming very, very difficult.

So I think it's quite important that when you're setting up the golf ball, you take the opportunity to actually stand directly behind the target line and look down the target as often as you can to really help you get good clear alignment.

So start a good pre-shot routine from behind the ball every time, looking down your target line here if you can.

Now, if you have got the ability to pick this ball up and move it, so for example, on your tee shots or if you’re playing winter rolls and when you’re potting, if you're on the green, you can always pick the ball up as long as you mark it.

You'd be able to actually take the golf ball and rotate it round, so the alignment aide on the ball could help you, so most golf balls would have a name or a marking on that, we'd actually draw your own arm that actually helps you point in the right direction.

So I've got my golf ball aligned but nicely. Now, I want to try and get my club line but nicely, again, to point in the right direction.

Now, lining up in that direction though is still not the easiest thing because I'm still stood to one side, so as long as I've got my feet nice and perpendicular, parallel to my target line here, I can lift the gulf club up in front of me, there the leading edge is vertical, then bring that down and now I know that I'm align so I can point myself in the right direction.

But also you can get golf clubs. Actually, Thomas Golf makes golf clubs with the target lines drawn on the back, so the drive is the hybrid to the Fairway Woods and the irons, all copy a technique.

It’s actually been used in potting for a long time. So it’s a really great idea, draw the line that you would have on the parts that helps you line up, draw that on your irons, your Harvard, your Fairway Woods and soon you've got a really easy to use golf club that just points you straight in the right direction.

So when you align the club up, you point the target line as I've done here, level to my golf ball, point the target line at the back of eye and line it with my golf ball and how you press them.

Now on the target line, make a good smooth stroke, hitting it straight down the line of my golf ball and where my club was pointing, my accuracy should improve quite nicely.

So have a little think about how you can get your club really squarely lined up to the golf ball, hitting over an object in front of you if you think that's going to help you as well and delivering the golf club straight down the target line.

If you can prove your–improve your accuracy, your set up, you have to improve your accuracy out here as well.

So really, hope that tip helps you.