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Parallel
to the Target Line-
Master -( Changed - 22/07/2008)
The full golf swing depicted in this website is described so
that the ball will go in a straight direction.
(The method of fading
or drawing
the ball is covered in the lessons.)
At the address position, the feet, hips, shoulders and the head
should always be aligned to the Parallel to the Target Line and
all comments referring to alignment will be based on this fact.
Therefore it is important at this stage to clarify what is the
Parallel to the Target Line -- and also what is the target point
that you are aiming at.
The Parallel to the Target Line, is when
the shoulders the hips, the feet are all aligned to a target point.
The Target Point is where you initially
want the ball go towards.
For instance on a par three, in ideal conditions you will be
trying to hit a golf ball in a straight line directly onto the green.
Therefore the shoulders the hips, the feet and the head would
be aligned Parallel to the Target Line directly
to the Target Point, which in this situation
is the green.
When you intend to"Draw"
the ball, or "Fade"
the ball, the target point become more important.
Alignment of the Feet.
In order to get the correct alignment of the feet
to the Parallel to the Target Line carry out the following actions:-
Stand directly facing the target area and hold a golf club so
that it is pointing towards the target area.
Therefore look along the golf club shaft as if it was a gun
barrel and align the golf club towards the target area.
Whilst maintaining the alignment of the golf club facing the
target area, lay it carefully on the ground and align the
feet to the target area, by placing the feet against the golf club
that is on the ground.
Alignment of the Shoulders.
Most golfers inadvertently address the ball with the shoulders
slightly open to the stance which causes the golf club to swing
on an "out to in" swing path.
Therefore when it comes to aligning the shoulders it needs a
different approach to the problem, therefore place another golf
club so that it is Parallel the first golf club, but place it just
on the other side of the golf ball.
As it stands at the moment you have two golf clubs lying on
the ground that are running Parallel to the Target Line.
So at the address position, form the chest, the shoulder and
the broad back muscles into a taut condition and also hold the arms
so that the elbows
are drawn as close together as it is physically possible and
whilst the upper body is held in this condition any movement
of the shoulder/arms-unit will cause the arms to follow its movement.
Now address the golf ball in the normal way, but make sure that
the toe of the clubhead is just touching the golf club that is lying
parallel to the target area.
Therefore to check if the shoulders are Parallel to the Target
Line, simply use a combination of the muscles
of the lower back to rotate the shoulders away from the ball
and if the shoulders are correctly aligned with the Parallel
to the Target Line, as the shoulders rotate into the back swing
movement, the clubhead should immediately begin to move away from
the club head that is lying on the ground, thus moving immediately
inside the Straight to the Target Line.
However if the shoulders are in the open position, i.e.. partially
facing the target area - as the shoulders rotate, the club head
will touch the golf club which is lying on the ground and will indicate
to you that the clubhead initially moves outside the Straight to
the Target Line, before moving back inside the line.
Therefore every time you address the ball, carry out this exercise
to check the alignment of the shoulders.
Potential Problems.
If the shoulders are in an open position
as the club head makes contact with the ball, that is to say that
the shoulders have rotated beyond the original
address position, or the head is in front of the original address
position -- it is most likely that the club face will also be open
at the moment the club head makes contact with the ball.
This "open" position of the
shoulders will probably result in a sliced shot.
In contrast, if the club head is allowed
to make contact with the ball before the shoulders return to the
the original address position, the shoulders will be in the "closed"
position, the club face will
most likely be in a slightly closed position at the moment that
the club head makes contact with the ball.
This "closed" position of the
shoulders will probably result in a hooked shot.
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