Correct Alignment Leads To Correct Finish

Sat, 02/15/2014 - 12:00 -- Don Trahan

Today's video is all about alignment and the direct correlation it has with your finish. If you are having any sort of trouble getting to a correct finish, the problem may be rooted in your setup. 

Alignment is about being parallel to your target line. Your finish is all about standing up as fast as possible with perfect dynamic balance. If you have bad alignment, your balance is probably something you struggle with. You just may not see the connection.

One of our recent PPGS Golf School students wrote in to say that, at first, he had difficulty changing the way he set up to the ball. He fought the tempation to revert to his old feelings of being properly aligned and is now finding a lot of success on the golf course, especially in the middle of the fairway!

Dear Donald, 

Many thanks for the lesson you gave Sonia and myself at Harbour Hills. We had a great time and learnt a lot. Your enthusiasm and skill to help us along with the other course members was greatly appreciated.

Since the lesson I have been coming to terms with correct alignment. My mind certainly, to begin with, fought the change. I have seen a huge improvement and recently started to strike the ball completely differently, straight and long and the shot weak right has gone with a solid contact. Being aligned correctly seems to allow the correct finish to happen.

Sonia is the same and after an hour with Joseph is looking forward to receiving a new set of clubs shortly. We will endeavour to catch up with yourself and Malcom near London.

Kind regards,
John Roe

Just remember, your setup determines the motion. That means your entire swing is affected by your alignment and setup, so it HAS to be correct.

Keep it vertical!

The Surge 

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Comments

malcomrawle@gmail.com's picture

Submitted by malcomrawle@gma... on

Hi John
Loved the swing comments from Don, so rushed and checked the video I took in Spain, it covers both and it was nice to see the answers, as they shoud be, are the same
It just shows that after a course things are great but bad habits reappear quicker than you think, that is why you have the video from the schools
I am down in Spain and Just had someone with me who had been before and I asked him when was the last time he looked at the video I sent
Answer about 6 mths ago, quess what we had to work on, it was on the videos
Love to Sonia looking forward to seeing you in May
Regards
Malcom Director of Golf Europe

jonzeeboy@icloud.com's picture

Submitted by jonzeeboy@icloud.com on

Lydia KO the New Zealand golfer,

Have you noticed her swing good alignment with perfect dynamic balance and Vertical Vertical Vertical
"It should remind you of the Peak Performance Golf swing"
Bernard Sheridan breaks down the swing saying that she had the most amazing swing.

by Trevor Jones
New Zealand

Robert Meade's picture

Submitted by Robert Meade on

Alignment is ever important. It is so true that many recreational golfers could benefit from the UAV Surge recommends. On recent outings I hit two of my best shots when making sure the last thing I did before stepping in was picturing my flight and how I would need to align to accommodate. With my irons I have a natural slight fade and that left to right spin also kicks the ball left to right after landing. It was two holes in a row where it all went as planned. The par 4 6th I had 140 left. The pin was on the right just over the bunker. A comfortable 8 iron. Aimed at the center of the green. Ball landed just 10 feet short and left of the pin and spun right to 4 feet. Made the putt:)
Next hole was the 155 par 3 7th. Pin in the middle back of the green. Needed to land just over the left trap, left of the hole to get it close. Lined up accordingly. As soon as I completed my swing I knew it was just what I planned on. Landed just over the sand bunker and rolled right to 2 feet.
Of course it rarely goes this well but point is that we need to know our natural flight shape and which way the ball normally spins after hitting the Earth.
Alignment, alignment, alignment.
BTW, did you all see Jim Furyk's amazing chip? Only had about 25 feet straight at the cup. landed it like 40 feet above right and it rolled on a big curve down left and into the hole. Crazy.

MikefromKy's picture

Submitted by MikefromKy on

From all the video available on YouTube and the golf channel swing analysis she is far from vertical.

She definitely has the ability to be a great player let's see what stardom and money does to her. Those 2 things have screwed up some careers on the LPGA.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

Yep. Very good swing but nothing PPGS about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KR3oIZIzjAo

It's a classic Jim Hardy one plane swing like this.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Izp9Jrirk1Q

BTW. If the upper plane in this video is ignored and changed to a vertical plane the lower plane visual is what is necessary no matter whether a person is using a one plane swing or a two plane swing...The lower plane looks the same.

jonzeeboy@icloud.com's picture

Submitted by jonzeeboy@icloud.com on

Yes well you picked a driver most people cant lift a driver vertical and most people have a driver too long for them,Try getting a video and looking at her iron play mostly her wedges.and at her age?what is she capable when she gets older.
if you copied her swing you to could be a great player
And I think the Don could could get some good tips from her playing swing.

Steve Smith's picture

Submitted by Steve Smith on

I couldn't "copy her swing" if I wanted to. But if I could it wouldn't be a PPGS.
(Which I also can't "copy").

MikefromKy's picture

Submitted by MikefromKy on

jonzeeboy

Lydia has a classic one plane swing meaning she swings on her shoulder line/ plane and makes a full shoulder turn. David Ledbetter her new coach does not teach a upright swing like the ppgs. Yes if I could swing Like Lydia or any number of Pro golfers I would be a great player. My rounds are usually between 71 - 75 for 18 holes. I can play a little with a vertical swing which I have had forever which I originally learned the game from Jack N and golf my way. Now I have added a lot of Surges techniques to my swing not a perfect PPGS swing but It works.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdU3bPTGWgY