Many players seem to have trouble with accuracy. This can be caused by swing faults and a lack of confidence, but the most fundamental aspect of giving yourself the chance to hit your target, that seems to be lacking with many golfers is…alignment.
Many golfers seem to just walk to their ball, get their club, stand over the ball, and hit it. It is very hard to hit a target that you have not correctly aimed for.
In saying all that, the point that I would like to make even if your routine is correct, is making sure you have a square club face at set up. Clearly, this is a point that is important to giving a fundamental start to getting the ball to your desired target.
Many people have different views of how the club should look when it is square. If you are unsure, I am happy to assist you gain a clearer view.
Having a club with an open face or closed face at address can actually hinder your takeaway path, which then ruins the remainder of your swing, causing you to hit shots offline.
I was always taught that it is important to have a square setup for any shot, except for chip shots and any other specialty shots. When I talk about a square setup I expect, your shoulders, hips and feet being parallel to the target and your club face aimed straight at the target. This is a perfect set up to have.
The common mistake that I see people not doing when they practice, is not having something on the ground to help them align themselves correctly. A club or alignment stick, should be aimed parallel to the target, not at the target. This will help you get a feel of how your body should be aligned when you get onto the course.
This can also be a contributing factor to why golfers play better on the range than on the course. On the range, they find a way to hit the ball straight, even though this happens 1 in 5 shots. The problem there is we only get one chance on the golf course, so we have to make our shots count when we practice on the range. When you get a large bucket or even a small bucket, make each ball count, just like you have to on the course.
The common quote that hurts many golfers without them realizing they have said it, is when the golfers says, “I’m just going to hit is down there.” Golf is a target sport. Pick a specific target rather than a broad range.
As you can see, the simple thing such as a club face being square at alignment, can make all the difference to your game.