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I have had a golf hiatus while raising kids and am trying to get back in the game. I am a student of the compact swing and think, for my age, 54, and for control, this suits me best. I have attempted Don Trahan's upright/vertical swing method with horrifying results. Didn't work for me. A private instructor recommended a more flat swing with right elbow close to side which hasn't worked too well also. What I have discovered with the help of my son is an issue with alignment which may be the biggest problem. Before set-up, I get behind ball and focus on a spot just in front of my ball for my target line. As I step up to the ball, I attempt to align my feet parallel with that target line but, in reality, my feel always align closed, forming a line that creates a closed angle to the target line. It's a spacial issue and I do this every time. It may explain my hooks and pulls that I struggle with continually. I will try alignment sticks on the range, but on the course I cannot use these aids. Any thoughts? Thank you!
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Re: Alignment
On the course, do the same kind of thing where you stand behind the ball and pick a spot, but also pick a spot where your feet will align. If you need to know where your toes are going to be in relation to the ball, setup and get ready to swing, look at your back toe position (find something) and stare at it, then step back and align that to parallel to the "ball-target" line.
This will be strange to start, but eventually after many times of good alignment hits that eventually, you won't need to do this. Just like practicing at the range with the alignment-stick, you will not need this anymore (after 2000-5000 good shots). -
Re: Alignment
Thanks Greg. For clarification:
1) Pick out a spot in front of ball for my target line.
2) Take my set-up.
3) Notice back foot position.
4) Move back behind ball and now pick a spot to align forward foot with back foot.
5) Address ball.
Corrrect?
After going thru this routine, will ball position be affected?Comment
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Re: Alignment
To align the foot position, stand behind your foot alignment line and line it up to a little left of (assuming right handed) your ball-target.
This wont affect ball position, because you did that first when you first stepped in to figure out where your trailing toe position was.
All you are doing is giving you something to align to, not major alignment surgery here, you should be pretty close when you first step in.
This is in place of the stick you are able to use in practice, that you can kick 1 degree here or there to get the feet perfectly parallel to your target line.
I suspect that once you practice enough with the stick, that you will start to feel comfortable without it, and won't have to "double-align" like I suggested. You were looking for a solution on the course during matches.Comment
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Re: Alignment
I understand your dilemma, try picking a spot further ahead than you are picking now. If you pick a spot too close ahead of the ball, you can have optical illusions.
Try picking a spot say 6 feet or more in front of the ball and left of the target.
Originally posted by mferraguti View PostComment
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Re: Alignment
Thanks Keiko. I will experiment with this. Trial and error. Honestly, I'm HOPING that this is the cause of so much inconsistency. If I align correctly and still find difficulty, then it will take some private instruction.Comment
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Re: Alignment
When you are at address, take a look at where your shoulders are aligned by placing the club with the right hand across your chest without moving them. You may be aligned too open which could cause pulls. Remember, hit against a strong left side by squaring your shoulders at address, even a little closed but never open.
Originally posted by mferraguti View PostComment
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Re: Alignment
Keiko, you are correct. A young instructor has me doing just that. After set-up, he has me close my shoulders. It feels VERY closed, but he implores me to begin my takeaway with that shoulder position. He also wants my hands pressed forward before takeaway. Well, still struggling with going left. I can pull wedges 20 yards left of target. Odd what's happening. Work. Work. Work. Thanks.Comment
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Re: Alignment
Frequently, pulling wedges and short irons is the result of getting lazy with the lower body. Same can be true for longer clubs, but with short irons you're thinking, "This is a short shot. This is an easy shot. I don't need to go after it full on." and may be more likely to not make a full body move.Comment
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Re: Alignment
Kbp, it's a struggle for sure. My son thinks I need to keep my left side "quieter". He thinks I'm clearing out way too soon and too much. This game can be baffling!!Comment
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Re: Alignment
I tried some of these methods, but it's still some sort of optical illusion with me. I am using alignment sticks on the range and they really help. But without them on the course, I tend to align closed to target line, thinking I'm square. Don Trahan says it's very common. I have tried to move my forward foot back a few inches after aligning, then I feel so open. Maybe I need to trust it more.Comment
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Re: Alignment
Do you wear contacts or glasses? If so, they will throw your alignment off and you will have to compensate for that.
Even if you don't wear them, go to the range and take your alignment sticks, with the sticks near by, set up without the sticks and then reach down and place a stick across your toes. Now step back and see if your alignment if too far left or right. Do this several times, you should see a pattern, either you are setting up too closed all the time or too open.
Knowing your pattern, now you can make the adjustment by moving your back foot to compensate. Moving your front foot is not a good thing to do, always move the back foot.
Hope this helps.
Originally posted by mferraguti View PostComment
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Re: Alignment
Keiko...yes I wear contacts. Appreciate the tip. Last week, I tried what you have suggested, but have adjusted forward foot. And it always feels like I'm way off. Never thought about adjusting back foot. I'll use the alignment sticks to see if there is a pattern, then adjust back foot accordingly. I'll let you know what happens. Thanks!Comment
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Re: Alignment
If you have one long and one short vision contact lens, ie. one eye fitted for distance and the other eye fitted for reading, then you will have distortions. Although this mostly affects putting, it can also affect how you line up your long shots. Next time you are at the optomotrist, have him test you for eye dominance. We all have one eye that is considered dominant over the other. If the left eye is dominant for example, it is the one that overrides the right. If you are fitted for distance in the dominant eye then that eye controls, all of these things matter. You can google eye dominance and how it affects alignment. Astigmatism also complicates things.
After years of wearing contacts, I developed cataracts-best thing that ever happened to me because to correct cataracts they remove your God given lenses and replace them with synthetic ones; after that was done, my vision is now 20/20, no astigmatism, no near and far sightedness, everything is crystal clear.
Originally posted by mferraguti View PostComment
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