Hello Everyone. I read the comments after yesterday's article on answering a question about timing that I felt was caused by bad alignment. This led to a number of questions and comments, with a few helpful hints and suggestions about alignment, like how far left (for a right handed golfer) the toe line should be from the aiming/target line. Many of these are correct to a point, but need clarification.
I copied and pasted three comments that I think are very good and I will use them to help add clarity to this parallel point. The first is from Dale Weaver who took a lesson and, on the first shot, the pro pointed out his alignment was wrong.
Dale Weaver says:
October 30, 2009 at 9:14 pm
Hi Don, hehehe. I Love this Issue!! The dreaded slice, YUK!! Sooo much trouble I have had with this. I went to a local club pro, spent 25.00 on a half hour lesson. I was so sure my alignment was right I needed some pro eyes to figure out what I was doing wrong, and on the first ball he called me on it, ALIGNMENT!! Learn it! It's not hard. I promise. If you don't understand alignment, whether you're a rocket scientist, math teacher, or a plumber, go get an alignment lesson. Know what the proper alignment feels like and you'll tip your hat to the guy who said 95% of swing faults arise from alignment. Dang Don, you were right! Well golf season is pretty much to and in here in the buckeye and deer season is in. Time to hang up the collared shirts and kackies for a while and get out the camo's and bow. I'm still going to the driving range a couple times a week, between hunting. Keep up the good work!
Charles M says:
October 30, 2009 at 3:54 pm
Don, I am a bit confused by 'parallel left'. As a math teacher I think I know about parallel. Parallel left would then be line your toes up at a point 18 inches or so left of your target, which at 200 yards is indistinguishable from your target itself. In other words . . . Dead Square.
Do you advocate an open stance? If so, at what angle to the target line from ball to objective.
You had a comment today about your toes pointed at the target is too far right. Well, parallel is impossible to tell from 'straight at' on a shot of any length. Confused.
Woody says:
October 30, 2009 at 5:09 pm
To Charles M,
Stick to your math instinct, your toes WILL be 18? or so to the left of the hole(right-handed golfer) and at 200 yards or more, your toe line WILL look 'dead square' to the hole.
Charles, in his comment, states that he knows what parallel lines are. He asks if parallel left is lining up your toes 18 inches left of the target as they are 18 inches left of the aiming line at address. He adds that is difficult because 18 inches at 200 yards is indistinguishable from the target. He then asks if I advocate an open stance and if so, what the correct angle is. NO'¦NO'¦NO to Open Stance. We play from square to hit all relatively straight shots.
Charles final comment was a profound one and is correct when he says, 'Parallel is impossible to tell from 'straight at' on a shot from any length.'
And the Surge says …
OK, let's get to the bottom of this and explain the parallel lines so we all can understand the concept as it applies to alignment in the setup. Let's start with a railroad track. If you stand in the center of a RR track looking down a long straight stretch, they visually 'merge' together. We know in reality they don't, but they do visually. We are seeing an optical illusion. One of the many our eyes can play on us. This illusion also happens in trying to line your body parallel of your aiming line in the golf setup.
The key to square parallel body alignment in golf is that the 18 inches distance you are standing parallel from your aiming line at address as Charles and Woody mentioned is 'NOT VISUALLY 18 INCHES LOOKING PARALLEL TO YOUR TARGET. It is in YARDS! It is opposite of the visual of looking down the RR track seeing them merge. In golf they SEPARATE and it gets PROGRESSIVELY WIDER as the clubs get LONGER and you are standing FARTHER AWAY from you're aiming/target line. Let's look at a test you can do on the range, course or your yard to see, understand and visualize this.
Place a club or stick on the ground pointing at your target. Then take your address with a sand wedge grounded on the center of the aiming club or stick. When you are correctly setup for both posture and alignment and the correct distance from the aiming line, place the wedge on the ground touching your toes. Next, use you seven iron, then your 4 or 5 iron, a hybrid, 3 wood and lastly your driver, placing each on your toe line on the ground after you have setup ready to hit a ball.
You will now have 6 clubs on the ground. All are parallel to your aiming line and each one is farther away from the aiming line. Now, stand behind the sand wedge and look down the wedge (hold another club up in front of your eyes as a straight line of sight) and determine how far parallel left (for a right hander) of the aiming line the wedge is pointing. For me it is no more than5 yards. Continue moving on down the line of clubs and keep sighting how far left of the aiming line each is pointing. You will see each club is progressively farther left of the aiming line. The driver will be pointing as much as 20 or more yards parallel left of your aiming line and since it is still parallel, would be a square alignment setup position.
Does this happen because of math, geometry or because the earth is round? I don't think so. It is an optical illusion. Knowing and understanding this progression of standing farther away from the ball means your body must be visually farther away from your aiming line will help your alignment when you practice and play.
The Surge
Comments
I use and teach parallel left
I use and teach parallel left; but I have a left foot that is three quarters of an inch longer than my right. I play to an 8 handicap and sometimes on the course I get confused. My body often ends up looking at the target or significantly right of target. My misses are pulls or pull hooks. I try to concentrate on opening my left toe more than usual but often my feet are out of alignment with my shoulders. Any suggestions?