My Golf Tips

POSTURE AND ALIGNMENT

For me, alignment and setup are the two most important things for a golfer, at any level. Even us Tour Pros need to keep a constant check on grip, posture, setup and alignment, alignment probably being the
most important. Being incorrectly aligned is often the cause of most faults in the golf swing.

Aligning right for example can either cause you to start developing a draw/hook, starting the ball right of target and drawing it back online. Thats the best outcome of poor alignment to the right, the worst being subconciously trying to start the ball online by throwing your arms over the top from the top of the backswing. If you continue doing this for a long period of time, you may even start developing a push cut/slice, and never get the ball
going at your target without hitting a hook, which more often than not will finish left of target. And then you haven't a clue where the ball is going. I know this, becauseIi have experienced it in the past and have learnt my lesson.

A simple way of keeping on top of alignment is always practising with either a club shaft or a rod which are becoming more readily available these days. Get used to always having a look at your target even when using this to get a feel for where the target is in relation to how much you rotate your head, and where your left shoulder is when comfortably looking at your target. Position the shaft/rod jus inside your toe line, PARALLEL to the target line, not directly at it. This form of practice is ingraining correct alignment, which will stand you in good stead under pressure during your club, county or national competition.

To check setup and posture, I recommend first going to see a coach so he/she can tell you what to look for and what is correct. Then constantly monitor these fundamentals in a mirror, either at home or at the range, to make sure you don't slip back into any bad habits.