How Do You Use Golf Alignment Sticks? – Why Does Every Pro Use Them
Golf Alignment Sticks are one of the best golf training aids without questions. Golf Alignment Sticks are one of the easiest, cheapest and also most overlooked training aids. Without good alignment, your golf game will struggle, simple.
Golfers will go to the range, and try and fix swing paths, grips, ball position and so on, without even considering their alignment.
Alignment sticks are like a back basics training aid. But don’t think of them like that. Think of them as the foundation to a solid swing.
If you watch any professional out on the range, you will see the majority of them using alignment rods. If Tiger Woods is using them, I think you should be too. Pretty much every single tour pro uses alignment sticks.
Why is Alignment Important for the Golf Swing?
Alignment refers to the aim position of the golf club and your feet to the target.
Correct alignment is your club head facing down the target line and your feet parallel to left of the target or right of the target if you left handed.
Poor golf alignment will occur when the club face, golfers feet, or in many cases both are not pointed at the intended target line.
How Do Yo Use Golf Alignment Sticks?
Alignment sticks are simply a pair of slender sticks that can be placed on the ground or pushed into the ground.
Their key purpose are to provide golfers with a visual aid to align their body and club face at address.
You cant use these out on the course during competition play. At the driving range is where alignment sticks pay off. Alignment sticks will train your body to naturally set up correctly to the target. The practice at the range using the alignment sticks will pay off on the course.
Alignment sticks are commonly placed on the ground. One on the target line and one on your feet line with both sticks parallel to each other.
Golf Alignment Stick Drills
Here’s a Drill You Can try with any driver, wood, long iron or even wedge.
- Pick out a target on the range. I suggest starting with a pitching wedge and work your way down from there. By starting with a wedge, you will focus on a smooth controlled swing, whereas if you use a driver you will want to smash as hard as you can.
- Place a golf ball down on the ground and set up address it. This gives you an idea where to place the alignment sticks.
- Place 1 stick down the line of the target, and place the other stick parallel to the target line with the stick just outside your toe-line.
- Place the second stick parallel to the first so you can align your toes with it. You might need to stand in an address position to judge how far away to place the stick.
- Step back behind the ball to make sure your alignments sticks are set up correctly.
- Use the sticks and address the ball. It might be feel a little weird as if you are not aiming correctly, but trust me trust the alignment sticks.
- after hitting a few shots you will become more comfortable and wonder why you haven’t used alignment sticks before. Or in my case wondering where the hell have I been aiming my golf ball with the last few years haha.
Advanced Drills With Alignment Sticks
If you are a more advanced golfer like a single figure handicap golfer, you can use alignment sticks to help improve your ball flight skills.
It’s a great advantage if you know how to shape the golf ball. Using some quick simple drills the Alignment sticks can help you to draw and face the golf ball.
By opening the alignment stick on the toe line a little and leaving the target line stick aimed at the target should promote a little fade. The same goes for hitting a draw if you close the toe-line alignment stick a little.
Improve Swing Plane
A lot more golfers are starting to use golf alignment sticks to improve their swing plane.
You can see in the image above, the guys at meandmygolf.com are using alignment sticks to stop swinging from in to out which would cause hooks/blocks. This drill will try and promote a more neutral/out to in swing for a fade.
This drill can be done to do the opposite way to fix a slice. It helps you swing more from the inside rather than over the top or out to in.
This swing path alignment stick drill is the core thought process behind the Eyeline Speed Trap golf training aid.
Where Do I Find Golf Alignment Sticks?
Generally speaking, golf alignment sticks can be purchased through just about any golf equipment supplier. Here are just a few that I recommend:
For A Full Review Of The Best Golf Training Aids Check Out This Article Here
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