Golf Pro Tip - Aim

Why is aim and alignment so important?

Golf is a game of precision and to be precise you must aim and align. It will sound obvious, but knowing your target and having a method to hit the ball towards it will greatly increase your accuracy.

How can some golfers aim a long way to the right or left of the fairway and yet manage to hit the ball accurately?

They must compensate for their faulty aim and alignment as they swing. If they aim to the right of their target, they will pull to the club to the left as they swing through. If they aim to the left, they will push the club out to the right in an effort to hit the ball towards their target. The compensation may give the golfer a measure of accuracy but they cannot swing the club freely at their target unless they aim and align correctly.

Some pros hold their club up in front of their bodies and point it down the fairway before they hit the ball. What are they doing?

They are probably using the shaft of the club as a ruler to help them identify their ball-target line. They hold the club up so the bottom end of the shaft covers the ball while the rest of the shaft extends towards their target. The shaft shows them their ball-target line.

Some of the pros address the ball and then walk back behind it again. What are they doing?

They probably did not feel comfortable addressing the ball. They know when they are not in position to hit the shot they planned on playing and this is often caused by faulty aim and alignment. They go back behind the ball to check both.

Why do I find some tees difficult to aim and align on?

Some tees are set at an angle to the left or right of the fairway. If that is the case, you must ignore the direction the tee is pointing. Elevated tees can pose problems because there is no physical feature at eye level to aim towards.

Should I think of the target when I hit the ball?

Yes, if you find it helps you to hit the ball towards it. You could think of your club head swinging towards you target if it improves your accuracy.

What is the most common fault with aim and alignment?

There are several faults which stand out. Some golfers do not have a method of aiming and aligning. This lesson tells them how to do both. Others think they should align their bodies towards the target rather than align parallel to their ball target line. Finally, for some reason, many right handed golfers aim and align to the right of their target. You cannot hit the ball towards a target you are not aiming at.

How do I practise my aim and alignment?

If you are on the range with your wife or husband, partner or friend, ask them to check it for you. Aim and align at a target and then ask them what target they think you are aiming at?

Are there any other tips for aim and alignment?

If you find yourself pushing or pulling your shots, check both your aim and alignment first. Where you think you are aimed and aligned may be at odds with where you are actually aimed and aligned.