Black Butte Ranch PGA Director of Golf Jeff Fought.
Golfers could easily waste days and days pouring through golf drills, some of which can be overly complicated. Sometimes it’s the simplest drills that are the most effective, though.
Working on alignment involves among the simplest and most effective drills in all of golf. And best yet, it can be employed during any pre-round warmup session.
Improper alignment is often to blame for slices and hooks. Yet, amateur golfers so rarely work on alignment, often misdiagnosing the root issue as a swing problem.
“Your stance should always be perfectly parallel to the target line,” said Jeff Fought, Black Butte Ranch’s director of instruction. “The reason is obvious, of course: consistent accuracy depends so much on alignment. But amateurs tend to amplify swing flaws by having improper alignment.”
Thankfully, fixing alignment is easy: needing simply two alignment sticks and a commitment to use them.
Point one alignment stick directly at the target. Then line the other stick perfectly parallel to the first stick at the point where you would align your feet.
Use the stick to square your shoulders, hips and feet toward the desired target. It really is that simple.
The key is to use the alignment sticks — or use two golf clubs as a substitute — in each and every practice session on the driving range. Over time, your alignment will improve once on the golf course.
“It’s always useful on the driving range to make sure that your alignment is right,” Fought said. “To get the most out of a practice session, golfers should ALWAYS use alignment sticks or an adequate substitute. Once you know that you are accurately lined up to the target, you can then hit a good golf shot.”
For more information on how to take a lesson from George or any of our Black Butte Ranch instructors, visit blackbutteranch.com/golf/lessons-and-instructions.