# Set-up for Success: Alignment & Foot Position



## geline (Apr 23, 2006)

*Alignment*
At address your body (feet, knees, hips, forearms, shoulders and eyes) should be positioned parallel to the target line. When viewed from behind, a right-handed golfer will appear aimed slightly left of the target. This optical illusion is created because the ball is on the target line and the body is not.

The easiest way to conceptualize this is the image of a railroad track. The body is on the inside rail and the ball is on the outside rail. For right-handers, at 100 yards your body will appear aligned approximately 3 to 5 yards left, at 150 yards approximately 8 to 10 yards left and at 200 yards 12 to 15 yards left.

*Foot Placement*
The feet should be shoulder width (outside of the shoulders to the inside of the heels) for the middle irons. The short iron stance will be two inches narrower and the stance for long irons and woods should be two inches wider. The target-side foot should be flared toward the target from 20 to 40 degrees to allow the body to rotate toward the target on the downswing. The back foot should be square (90 degrees to the target line) to slightly open to create the proper hip turn on the back swing. Your flexibility and body rotation speed determine the proper foot placement.

(www.about.com)


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## GolfCoach (May 12, 2006)

nice read, thanks


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## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

Nice post, Geline! :thumbsup: 

Now, how do you know if your alignment is off? If you think your alignment might be causing you problems, this should help put things in perspective. First, I'll hit balls with radically open, closed, wide or narrow stances. I'll mess around with my grip, shoulder and hip postition, etc. Even if you don't consiously compensate for it, you can still hit very good shots from an awkward set up position. Now go back to a regular set up, and normal shots start to feel really easy.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

another good read sorry i'm thread dig at the moment


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

geline said:


> *Alignment*
> At address your body (feet, knees, hips, forearms, shoulders and eyes) should be positioned parallel to the target line. When viewed from behind, a right-handed golfer will appear aimed slightly left of the target. This optical illusion is created because the ball is on the target line and the body is not.
> 
> The easiest way to conceptualize this is the image of a railroad track. The body is on the inside rail and the ball is on the outside rail. For right-handers, at 100 yards your body will appear aligned approximately 3 to 5 yards left, at 150 yards approximately 8 to 10 yards left and at 200 yards 12 to 15 yards left.
> ...


I want to reopen this discussion, but throw in set up routines, this last round I played in Colorado I was hitting right, not slicing, even compensating it went right. one of these paragraphs is the answer or I'm in the water hazard with my thinking.( I just left myself open here for a shot from down under)give me your opinions.


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## Trigger (Jul 2, 2008)

broken tee said:


> I want to reopen this discussion, but throw in set up routines, this last round I played in Colorado I was hitting right, not slicing, even compensating it went right. one of these paragraphs is the answer or I'm in the water hazard with my thinking.( I just left myself open here for a shot from down under)give me your opinions.


A couple of things. On the range, take 2 clubs and line them up on the ground. They should look like railroad tracks, parallel to each other. Use one to align your feet, and one on the outside of the ball. Make sure it is far enough away from the ball that you don't hit the club. Point the club next to the ball at your target and ensure the inside club is parallel. This drill will help you know where you need to ACTUALLY be aligned. 
Since you are never actually facing your target, it is natural to line up to the right of your target for a right hander, left for a wrong hander. 

Additionally, ball position is very important. Improper position can lead to a push or pull or worse. Alot of people like to base their ball position off of their left foot. This has problems for a number of reasons. The feet are rarely in the same place, and different clubs call for a slightly different position.
Base your ball position off of your shoulders, as they never get wider or more narrow. I like to use the logo on my shirt as a reference point. Think of your farthest forward position as that of the driver, and work a half a ball back for each club as you go shorter.


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## Trigger (Jul 2, 2008)

*set up and consistent iron play*

Additionally, setup is one of the most important parts of your swing, and it is one of the easiest things to master, since it doesn't involve any movement. 

Another thing that will help you to gain consistency, especially with irons, is to focus on the position of your left hand at impact. Try to work on having the logo of your glove facing the target at impact. Hit some half shots while consciously trying to square your left hand to the target line. This will ensure that you are getting the clubface closed, and not turning it over too much.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

I found out today that my alignment is good, but some reason I using the arms rather than getting the hips to turn so I am opening the face of the club. so I think your suggestion Trigger will get the muscle memory back. Maybe its hair loss or the greying and it just might be the person using the club


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## Trigger (Jul 2, 2008)

I also forget my hips at times, especially when I get tired. I guess that is what keeps us hackers off the PGA Tour.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

The hips sounds like its a common problem I agree Trigger I think thats why were call hacks


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> The hips sounds like its a common problem I agree Trigger I think thats why were call hacks


Thats not what my bride of 38 years calls me when I go play


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## tkessel (Dec 28, 2006)

broken tee said:


> I found out today that my alignment is good, but some reason I using the arms rather than getting the hips to turn so I am opening the face of the club. so I think your suggestion Trigger will get the muscle memory back. Maybe its hair loss or the greying and it just might be the person using the club


My Pro tells me my grip, set up and backswing are all fine: it's after that that I have problems! :laugh:


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

tkessel said:


> My Pro tells me my grip, set up and backswing are all fine: it's after that that I have problems! :laugh:


Ted good to hear from you. I'm glad its not just me and the Austrailian Flash that are having problems I was feeling alone on this continent


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

broken tee said:


> Thats not what my bride of 38 years calls me when I go play



What type of golf are you playing when your wife is commenting on your hip movement??:dunno:


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

tkessel said:


> My Pro tells me my grip, set up and backswing are all fine: it's after that that I have problems! :laugh:


My question to you is what are you doing on your down swing? I was at the range the other day and the club keep moving in my hand as i was going from my backswing to forward swing. Note to everyone that doesn't end pretty but I couldn't for the life of me figuare out how/why I was doing it. could it be time to update my grips?? or was it just an off day?


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> My question to you is what are you doing on your down swing? I was at the range the other day and the club keep moving in my hand as i was going from my backswing to forward swing. Note to everyone that doesn't end pretty but I couldn't for the life of me figuare out how/why I was doing it. could it be time to update my grips?? or was it just an off day?


Luke: I think thats going to be hard to answer,for me, with out seeing your swing. they say you should have a loose grip, so do you use an interlocking grip, baseball grip or are the grips on your clubs loose?


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

I normally use an interlocking grip, sometime I overlap my right hand pinky and left hand index finger just depends on the day. The grips a tight on the clubs. It was moving in my hands turning the club head away from my body. I havent been back to the range yet I'll try and get there again in the next couple of days to see if I do it again.


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## broken tee (Jan 13, 2008)

Surtees said:


> I normally use an interlocking grip, sometime I overlap my right hand pinky and left hand index finger just depends on the day. The grips a tight on the clubs. It was moving in my hands turning the club head away from my body. I havent been back to the range yet I'll try and get there again in the next couple of days to see if I do it again.


Stay with the grip that's comfortable to you and do you wear a glove? I found it helps in two areas: the grip and it keeps blisters or hot spots off your hand. the glove shoes and clothing only make you feel like a golfer they don't improve your game.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

broken tee said:


> Stay with the grip that's comfortable to you and do you wear a glove? I found it helps in two areas: the grip and it keeps blisters or hot spots off your hand. the glove shoes and clothing only make you feel like a golfer they don't improve your game.


Most of the time I don't wear a glove I try it sometimes but it feels uncomffy I think I might get a different glove and see if the feels any better I just dont like the seem lines off my current one along my fingers.


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## Trigger (Jul 2, 2008)

Surtees said:


> Most of the time I don't wear a glove I try it sometimes but it feels uncomffy I think I might get a different glove and see if the feels any better I just dont like the seem lines off my current one along my fingers.


I've used alot of different gloves, from expensive to really cheap. The most comfortable to me are the Taylormade gloves, and some really cheap glove that they sell at Wal Mart. I think they go for something like 5.99USD. They don't last very long but you can't even tell you are wearing it. I bought 10 of them last time I bought stuff there. Sorry I can't remember the brand. You might be able to find them online.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

I think gloves are like most things in this game you have to try a few unlike you find one that you really like and are comfy with. We don't have walmart over here but I think I heard something the other day that they were going to come to Australia soon. so that should be interesting


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## Trigger (Jul 2, 2008)

Huh. I figured there would be walmart over there by now. There is one on every street corner in the US.


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## Surtees (Sep 11, 2007)

Nah we have Kmarts and Big W's which are pretty much the same things though. I think we're meant to be getting a walmart soon though.


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