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Aim and Alignment

You can make a perfect swing and still miss if you're aimed wrong. Think of standing on railroad tracks: the ball runs on the outer rail to the target, your feet on the inner rail.

Golfer at address with two alignment sticks on the ground forming railroad tracks toward a distant flag
Setup & alignment: your feet, hips, and shoulders run parallel-left of the target line — like railroad tracks. The ball sits on the target rail, your stance on the inner rail.

Step by step

  1. Stand behind the ball and pick a specific target in the distance.
  2. Find an intermediate target — a leaf or old divot — on the target line just a foot or two in front of your ball.
  3. Set the clubface square to that intermediate target first.
  4. Then build your stance so your feet, hips, and shoulders are parallel to the target line — aimed slightly left of the target (for right-handers), not at it.

Check yourself

  • Your feet line points parallel-left of the actual target, not directly at it.
  • The clubface — not your body — points at the target.
  • You set the clubface before your feet, every time.

Common mistakes

  • Aiming your feet at the target, which actually aims the clubface well right of it.
  • Skipping the intermediate target and trying to aim at something 150 yards away.
  • Checking alignment only after you've already settled in over the ball.
Go deeper: Alignment Basics form

A beginner refresher only — not professional instruction. See a PGA pro for swing changes.