3 Best Golf Alignment Drills to Practice
As you know from experience, alignment is super important to hitting an accurate golf shot. And with technology these days we can determine how slight changes in alignment angles impacts our accuracy.
For example, statistics found that aiming just 4 degrees to the right of our target can result in hitting a golf shot 10 yards right of the intended target, assuming a perfectly straight golf swing.
But remember, other factors impact the golf shot as well like wind, lie angle the ball sits on the ground, etc. which can result in our golf shot being even further right of the target.
So if you’re frustrated that you’re missing fairways by a few yards or hitting greens hole high but still 35 feet away to the side, then these golf alignment drills are for you!
Spot Aim Drill
On the golf course, you’re going to need to find a divot, stick, leave, stone, or something you can use as a spot holder that helps you align yourself at your target.
On a tee shot for example, I like to tee my ball up first. Then I step back and get several yards behind my ball so I’m looking down the line I want to hit it and locate my target.
Next, I draw an imaginary line between my ball and the target. I look for an object the falls on this line such as a divot from when the tees were moved forward on a previous day.
Using this object and imaginary line connecting to my ball, I set up to the shot and align myself parallel to it. Lastly, I adjust my feet if I’m trying to hit a fade or draw by slightly opening or closing my stance instead of standing perfectly parallel to my target line.
Alignment Sticks
The previous drill helps you adjust to reality out on the golf course when you’re not allowed to use a training aid. But for practice days on the driving range, you can use alignment sticks to properly set up to the ball.
This is important because it helps you learn how being properly aligned feels and visually how it looks when you glance out at your target.
Naturally, your body will feel like it’s aimed left of the target since your feet line is a few feet left of your ball’s target line.
If you aimed your feet line at your target, your body would now be aiming right of the target, causing shots to miss 10 or more yards to the right.
Practice this drill..
- Lay down 2 alignment sticks, one for your golf ball pointing at the flag on the green and one for your feet pointing left of the flag but parallel to the ball line
- Take swings getting used to how proper alignment feels
- Then add a golf ball and start hitting golf shots
Power Fade & Power Draw Alignment Technique
If you want to hit a power fade, slightly open up your feet target line a few degrees further left. Now your stance target line should be aimed a few degrees left of parallel, creating an obtuse angle if you’re familiar with geometry.
If you want to hit a draw, slightly close your feet target line a few degrees to the right so that they’re aimed more at your target than to the left of it like normal.
After adjusting your feet alignment slightly by open or closing your stance just a few degrees, it’s time to set the club face to the ball on it’s normal target line.
Then make a golf swing so that your club and swing path are still traveling down the ball’s target line, not parallel to your feet target line, and you should see the ball naturally draw or fade.
Best Golf Practice Plan
Take today’s lesson on alignment and apply it to the various driving range drills we’ve added to our practice program that has helped hundreds of golfers break 80, and thousands of golfers see strokes fall off their golf scores.
It’s a structured practice plan that gives you practice routines to follow step by step. Each week you’ll complete the routine 3 times or you can progress through the routines as fast/slow as you wish. Complete all the practice routines within 3-6 months and you’ll be a much improved golfer with a strong short game that can save pars / make more birdies.
Trust me. It’s our best product to date and you don’t want to miss out on the bonuses you get.
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Or check out these indoor golf practice drills and training plan for winter practice. Don’t let your skills get rusty when the weather turns cold and forces you indoors.
