Golf Tip: Use Intermediate Targets in Alignment

Today’s golf tip will help you hit the ball exactly where you want to hit it.

Getting the ball to go where you want it to go can be one of the toughest parts of the game, but today’s golf tip will make that task a little easier for you.

You can use intermediate targets in your alignment for any shot. As part of your pre-shot routine, always go behind the ball and extend an imaginary line to your end target. Alternatively, you can extend a line from your end target back to your ball. This is a necessity for every shot you hit! It is from behind the ball that you visualize the shape of the shot you are planning to hit.

I like my students to point their clubface to a spot about one foot in front of the ball. Note that you can find a spot just off your line and point the clubface just to the right or left of it — intermediate spots are not always exactly on your target line.

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The intermediate spot can be as subtle as a piece of grass leaning in a noticeable way or as obvious as a large divot. It is always nice to find a spot directly on your target line, but be willing to work with ones that aren’t.

Once you have your spot, you can imagine that short line from your ball to that intermediate spot. Set your feet on an imaginary line parallel to that spot. You now have the railroad track necessary to hit your shot correctly, as your feet are parallel left of your target line.

Don’t make the mistake of addressing your ball from the side. Always look from behind your ball to the target line. Please note that the target line is not always the flagstick. If the high ground is on one side, your target line will often be on a line on that side of the flagstick. The wind can also influence your ideal target line (here’s another golf tip to help you with that).

Always set the clubface directly at your intermediate target with confidence that it extends down your target line. Always set your feet parallel to that line after the clubface is set on the intermediate target. Most high handicappers set their feet before the clubface, which jeopardizes the correct aim.

Utilize this golf tip in your pre-shot routine and rule out bad alignment as a reason for a bad shot! Remember to square the shoulders to your feet as well. I often correct golfers that have their shoulders way left of their feet. This mistake invites an out-to-in attack which usually ends up as a weak slice.

The shoulders are a very critical part of the alignment process, so remember to square them up! It may feel different at first, but often in golf, the things that naturally feel easy at first often lead to trouble! Following this golf tip will do wonders for your game.

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