MAKE GOOD ALIGNMENT PART OF YOUR ROUTINE

Of all the swing basics, alignment is the one that the world’s top golfers obsess about the most. The best way to groove good alignment is to build it into a pre-shot routine so you can get it right every time.

Start your routine by looking at the shot from behind the ball. Once you have identified your target line, pick out a spot on the ground a maximum of a few feet in front of your ball. Your eyes can often play tricks on you when you move from standing behind the ball to side-on, so to avoid confusion and inconsistencies, the more detailed you are with this aiming process the better. To avoid the classic amateur mistake of aiming too far right, place the club behind the ball with your right hand and align it to your intermediate point before you complete your stance. Continually double-check the alignment of the club with the intermediate target you selected (left). Be sure to build your stance around the square alignment of your clubface – not the other way round.