ALIGNMENT is the foundation from which the swing is built. Without proper alignment we must alter our swing to get the club on line with the target which leads to inconsistency. To build a consistent swing we must start with good alignment every time. Steps to proper alignment: The first step is to align the clubface square to the target. Draw a line from the ball to the target. This is called the target line. Now place a club in front of your feet running parallel to the target line. Important: Notice that the club is not pointing at the target. It is pointing parallel left of the target line. Picture yourself standing on a railroad track. Your club is on one rail, the target line, and your feet are on the other rail. (Parallel left of the target line) Make sure your shoulders, hips, knees and feet are all parallel to the club. Recognize the feeling of square alignment by looking at your target. [ top ] alignment | ball position | posture BALL POSITION: Correct ball position is critical for making solid contact. With a short iron the ball needs to be centered in the stance so the club will contact the ball at the bottom the swing arc. As the club gets longer, the ball position moves forward toward the left heel. With the driver play the ball off the left heel guaranteeing that the club will be traveling on the upswing. Notice: With the driver the ball is further forward in the stance or more toward the left heel. Also, the stance becomes wider as the clubs get longer. Equally important is the distance the ball is away from the body. This is determined by our posture. If the ball is the correct distance away from the body, the spine will be nice and straight, the knees will be slightly flexed, and the arms will hang down naturally. [ top ] alignment | ball position | posture POSTURE Keys to good posture: Knees slightly flexed. The kneecaps should be directly over the insteps of your feet. Weight equal (50% of weight on each foot) Spine angle straight. Do not slump over. (Bend at the waist, not at the shoulders.) Let arms hang until the club-head rests on the ground. (Notice that with an iron the arms are hanging straight down from the shoulders.)