Golf Swing Alignment

1:38 pm June 3, 2009

The less lofted the face of a golf
club is, the less backspin it will add to the ball (this is the reason
why a long-iron will cause the ball to fly much lower than a
pitching-wedge will).

So, how do I know if my alignment is off?

Let’s find out.

For a true reading of your clubface’s alignment at impact, hit some
shots with your driver. Any ball curvature indicates how you may be
delivering the clubface at impact.

The shots are “looking right” of target (open) if they mostly curve to
the right & they are “looking left” of target (closed) if the shots
mostly curve to the left.

To assess your clubhead path, hit some shots with your 9 iron.
Because the strong backspin created by its steeply-pitched face
negates most of the sidespin, the shots should head toward their
starting direction. Little to no curvature should be observed.

If they start mostly to the left, your clubhead path obviously is from
“out-to-in.” If they mostly start to the right, you are probably
swinging from “in-to-out.”

http://www.pgaprofessional.com/golf_glossary/o.html

Question: But why are my driver shots finishing to the right & my
short-irons finishing to the left?

Answer: The interaction of backspin & sidespin is the answer.

The truth is that the attack on the ball – out-to-in & open-faced –
remains constant. But, as you move up into the loftier clubs, the
countering of sidespin by the increasing backspin simply disguises
the clubface error.

What it comes down to is: The ball’s flight direction will indicate
what you need to improve to become a better player. Revisit this
minireport if you get confused & read it again.

When The Clubface Faces Right

Delivering the clubface looking to the right of the target at impact
(”open” in golf terminology) may be caused by the clubhead
crossing from outside to inside across the target line in an instinctive
attempt to prevent shots from finishing to the right.

Swinging across the target line from out-to-in can create either a too
steep (downward) or too shallow (upward) hit. This incorrect angle
of attack can result in both fat & thin shots also.

And, the awkwardness resulting from incorrect angles can inhibit
free & forceful swinging & therefore reduce clubhead speed.

When The Clubface Faces Left

Delivering the clubface “looking left” of the target during impact
(”closed” in golf terms) may cause you to swing from the inside-tooutside
of the target line in an instinctive attempt to prevent shots
from finishing to the left.

Swinging the clubhead in excess from in-to-out will flatten the angle
of the clubhead’s attack. This can also lead to either fat or thin shots
like in #B above.

Looking Directly At The Target

Delivering the clubface to the ball directly on target (”square” in golf
terms) is done correctly when the clubhead moves momentarily
“along” (rather than across) the target line during impact.

When the swing path momentarily matches the target line during
impact, the clubhead should arrive at the ball at just the right angle.

Not too steep nor too shallow. This should deliver the entire force of
the blow forward in a perfect line…

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