Conference 7.286::golf

    
    I stand behind the ball, line up something between the ball and 
    the target, this something is usually 5-15 feet from the ball.
    Then line up the club head 90 deg to that, then set my feet and
    hands.  Then double check the line to the target.
    
    I find that tee boxes that are at an angle give me problems, I tend
    to still line up more towards the tee box direction than the line
    I want.
    
    --Bob
    

    
    This guy is spot on thats the way to do it all the pros do it lining up
    is one thing all us hackers can do correctly, but it does feel weird.
    
    Note one 'Your the Man'
    
    
    Joe Hacker

    Without trying to get too scientific, this was explained to me by
    imagining the parralel line extending into the distance. 
    
    In other words, if you start off by accepting your head and shoulders
    are probably about 3 feet away from the ball at address, then you
    should be lining yourself up with THAT line and NOT the flight-of-ball line.
    
    The extension of this line over a distace of (say) 150 yards will put
    you about 20 or 30 yards to the left of the target. So you aim your
    EYES about 20 or 30 yards left and the ball goes parralel with this
    line - bang on target !
    
    Does this help ??
    
    Michael.
    

    It took me a while to figure out how to line up consistantly. I have
    noticed that a lot of the pro's step up to the ball with the back foot
    first, line up the clubface and then put the front foot down
    perpendicular to the clubface. This may sound like the guy is hobbling
    on one foot, but next time you watch the pro's keep it in mind. Then
    I would line up the ball with the toe of the club. My reasoning for
    this is that if you can just reach out that far, then when you swing
    full speed your going to get a little stretch. One last thing that has
    helped me tremendously. I used to bring the club into the ball about
    1/4 to 1/2 inch away for lining up my shots. What a big mistake! If you 
    want better accuracy you have to bring the club right up to the ball in
    order to see where and how the ball will really take off on impact. I
    don't know why I was afraid to get up real close to the ball. Maybe
    because it would be a penalty if I moved it? I went to the GHO in
    Hartford and I was about 3 feet away from Estes. He was in some thick
    grass and he put the club sooo close to the ball it may have even
    moved. Well if the pro's do it, it's good for us hackers too. The worst
    thing that could happen is your buddy sees you move the ball and you
    loose at the end of the day, resulting in you having to buy the BEER!
    
    Mark

    JB - 
    
    You are not alone.  We all went through this "lining up" problem.
    
    So, disregarding the rules of golf for a while, try this....
    ...it worked for me and many others.
    
    Stand behind your ball ( whether your in the tee box or fairway 
    {or rough} ) and pick out your target line.  Now, take the club you
    are going to hit and draw a line in the grass next to your ball that
    follows your target line.
    
    Step up to that line and you will be aligned properly, even though it
    won't feel that way for a while.  The more you do this and the more you
    play....you'll find that you won't have to draw that line anymore.
    
    And stop thinking so much;  grip it and rip it.
    
    Enjoy.
    
    tt
    
    

However, you line up before hitting, always go through a routine, 
and follow it religiously.  By concentrating on the sequence of 
events, first tee nerves disappear.

On line-up, what is it we are lining up ?  I read Mike's 
comments, and while I agree about the parallel line between the 
ball path and the feet alignment, I don't think it is quite 20-30 
yards left of target.  To me its more like 5-10 yards.  But Mike 
is spot on.  If you lay a club along the line of your feet, it 
should point left of the target.  If your feet point straight at 
the target, the ball path will be right.  Not only that, your 
stance is actually closed, your left shoulder will get in the way 
of your downswing, and you'll block the shot even further right.

As part of your set-up routine, not only check your feet are 
aligned correctly, check your knees are in line with your feet, 
your hips are in line with your knees and your shoulders are in 
line with your hips.  Its a bit like that old song, " your knee 
bone's connected to your thigh bone, your thigh bone's connected 
to your hip bone, you hip bone's.....".  Checking each part in 
turn, calms me down and sets me up for the old grip-it-n-rip-it.

For what its worth, my routine is; address the ball roughly on 
line; practice swing; walk away behind the ball about 4 paces ; 
look through the ball to a specific target; walk up to the ball; 
holding the club in the right hand square the club head to 
target; build the full grip, left hand then right hand; align 
feet 90 degrees to club face; check knees to feet; check hips to 
knees; check shoulders to hips; waggle the club to relax; turn 
body round back heel; curse excessively after follow through.

    
    The alignment theorys sound good i have not heard any one say you
    should be closed with a driver and open with a wedge and square with a 5
    iron watch the pros.
    Tell Lee Trevino he is lining up wrong,its about being square it impact
    time after time that is the answer whats the point of being square
    in the stance position if by the time you get to the ball you are open
    ,closed or all over the shop
    
    Watch Fuzzy Zoeller at stance the ball is just on the toe.
    
    
    Its a funny game not meant to be if it works use it we are all differnt
    shapes sizes and strenghs so what is good for one is not another.
    
    Hit with no fear that is the best advice i can offer, based on the
    inner game of golf.
    
    Play well the weekend readers.
    
    
    
    
    Joe

  Thanks for all the suggestions guys.  I'll see what sort of results I can get
by playing with the various approaches.

  For what it's worth, I rip 'em.  But they're all ripped towards other fair-
ways  :)

JB

    re. .7
    
    Joe,
    	I think you are a fan of Mr. Pickwick.  I kept reading that run on
    style you are using and was trying to place it.  I believe the
    character who talked like that was Jinks.  Have I got it right.
    
    	Ol Jinks got one of Pickwick's foursome in a jam with Dr Slammer
    of the ??? regiment.
    
    	Must get my Pickwick out again it has been years
    
    btb - If I am right in my guess Mr Antell is a humorist not an agitator
    
    bb

    Bill i am serious you know like MCEnroe used to be ,
    
    I thought it made sense, i little tongue in cheek perhaps
    but not a lot.
    
    
    
    regards  Joe

    I am serious; your run on style reminded me of the pickwick character
    but perhaps dickens was copying a style he oft heard around England.
    
    must start carrying my portable pickwick again though the sport he
    lampoons is cricket (and politics)
    
    bb

    Bill, as a Dickens/Golf fan, you ought to read Bernard Darwin (if you
    haven't already) on golf. His works have been published in part by The
    Classics of Golf in Norwalk, Ct. A grandson of Charles Darwin, he was a
    fine amateur player at Oxford, a Dickens scholar asnd a Walker Cupper.
    His articles are liberally laced with references to Dickensian
    characters. To me, Darwin and Herbert Warren Wind are the finest golf
    writers - ever !
    
    Jack 

    I played a tight course this weekend, Stone Mountain, in Georgia.  I
    was ripping it, but the problem was my line was right of target.
    The ball went straight, but right.  I figured that if I put a tee about
    2 ft in front of the ball, with a line left of the target, I would have
    my swing path go down that line.  It worked pretty good, keeping me in
    the fairway.
    
    One thing I really noticed this weekend, tempo was the factor.  I can
    never hit a 1 iron, but I teed up with it all day.  Crushing it.
    
    I firmly believe in grip it and rip it.  Golf is a 98%mind game.
    
    Bob
    

    Harvey Penick suggests in his little Red Book that you lay your club
    across your thighs a few inches above your knees and that will tell
    you where your hips and shoulders are pointed. He believes your feet
    tell you very little...I've tried it and it works..
    
    Chris