Instruction
When lining up square is wrong
From the time I first picked up a golf club, I was taught to align my body square to my target line to help me hit the ball with as little curvature as possible. The only time I was taught to alter that relationship was when I wanted to hit a big draw or fade. With the advances of club and ball flight monitors such as FlightScope and Trackman, I’ve come to understand understand that a golfer’s body alignments must be altered in order to “zero” out path. That allows a golfer to hit shots that have the minimal amount of curvature that you see from golfers on the professional tours.
Interestingly enough, the only information I’ve found written on the topic is from Ben Hogan’s book, “Five Lessons: The Modern Fundamentals of Golf.” The book illustrates the different stance arrangements Hogan employed, which were based on what club he was using. While Hogan didn’t know much (or anything) about the D-plane, he figured it out on his own. He aligned his feet more left with his shorter irons and aimed his body more right with his driver (more about why he had to do that in a second).
Here is a screenshot of a sample player showing his path (the blue line) coupled with the data of that particular swing. You can see that his path is a touch right of his target line at 5.9 degrees from in to out. For that reason, the ball started a touch right and then curved back to the target — the classic push draw that most players desire. However, if you look closely you can see that this player’s alignment is a touch LEFT of the target line. Why, you may ask? If you are swinging the club 6 degrees from in to out and line up square, then you would have to produce a face angle that is well left of your path in order to move the ball back to the target. This would also produce a curvature amount that is hard to consistently reproduce; thus, this player lines up a touch left in order to balance out the 6-degree in-to-out path.
Imagine if we could measure his alignment at address with the same numbers as above. If he aligned himself 3 degrees left of his target line and made the same swing, then his resultant path would not be 6 degrees from in to out. It would only be 3 degrees from in to out, which is a more manageable number to play from in a “perfect” world. Obviously humans are not robots, and I don’t expect them to deliver the club on the same path each time. But I will say that we all have tendencies and by using our alignment to buffer these tendencies we can play better golf.
Using alignment to make up for exaggerated paths is very easy and can be done by players of all levels. All you have to do is chart your true path on Flightscope or Trackman and you will have an idea of just how much you need to alter your alignment at address in order to make up for the path you have at the current moment.
Here’s a good rule of thumb with short irons: Try aiming your body more left than you currently do to give yourself the best chance to hit a perfectly straight shot. Why? With short irons, you likely hit more down on the ball, which moves your true path to the right. Aiming more left helps cancel out the “rightness” of the path, helping you hit the ball straighter.
With your driver, the relationship is the exact opposite. Try aiming a touch right to help you hit the straightest drives you can. Experiment with your body alignments relative to the path of your swing to help you dial in your ideal trajectory.
There may be no more painful affliction in golf than the “yips” – those uncontrollable and maddening little nervous twitches that prevent you from making a decent stroke on short putts. If you’ve never had them, consider yourself very fortunate (or possibly just very young). But I can assure you that when your most treacherous and feared golf shot is not the 195 yard approach over water with a quartering headwind…not the extra tight fairway with water left and sand right…not the soft bunker shot to a downhill pin with water on the other side…No, when your most feared shot is the remaining 2- 4-foot putt after hitting a great approach, recovery or lag putt, it makes the game almost painful.
And I’ve been fighting the yips (again) for a while now. It’s a recurring nightmare that has haunted me most of my adult life. I even had the yips when I was in my 20s, but I’ve beat them into submission off and on most of my adult life. But just recently, that nasty virus came to life once again. My lag putting has been very good, but when I get over one of those “you should make this” length putts, the entire nervous system seems to go haywire. I make great practice strokes, and then the most pitiful short-stroke or jab at the ball you can imagine. Sheesh.
But I’m a traditionalist, and do not look toward the long putter, belly putter, cross-hand, claw or other variation as the solution. My approach is to beat those damn yips into submission some other way. Here’s what I’m doing that is working pretty well, and I offer it to all of you who might have a similar affliction on the greens.
When you are over a short putt, forget the practice strokes…you want your natural eye-hand coordination to be unhindered by mechanics. Address your putt and take a good look at the hole, and back to the putter to ensure good alignment. Lighten your right hand grip on the putter and make sure that only the fingertips are in contact with the grip, to prevent you from getting to tight.
Then, take a long, long look at the hole to fill your entire mind and senses with the target. When you bring your head/eyes back to the ball, try to make a smooth, immediate move right into your backstroke — not even a second pause — and then let your hands and putter track right back together right back to where you were looking — the HOLE! Seeing the putter make contact with the ball, preferably even the forward edge of the ball – the side near the hole.
For me, this is working, but I am asking all of you to chime in with your own “home remedies” for the most aggravating and senseless of all golf maladies. It never hurts to have more to fall back on!
Over the last couple of decades, golf has become much more science-based. We measure swing speed, smash factor, angle of attack, strokes gained, and many other metrics that can really help golfers improve. But I often wonder if the advancement of golf’s “hard” sciences comes at the expense of the “soft” sciences.
Take, for example, golf instruction. Good golf instruction requires understanding swing mechanics and ball flight. But let’s take that as a given for PGA instructors. The other factors that make an instructor effective can be evaluated by social science, rather than launch monitors.
If you are a recreational golfer looking for a golf instructor, here are my top three points to consider.
1. Cultural mindset
What is “cultural mindset? To social scientists, it means whether a culture of genius or a culture of learning exists. In a golf instruction context, that may mean whether the teacher communicates a message that golf ability is something innate (you either have it or you don’t), or whether golf ability is something that can be learned. You want the latter!
It may sound obvious to suggest that you find a golf instructor who thinks you can improve, but my research suggests that it isn’t a given. In a large sample study of golf instructors, I found that when it came to recreational golfers, there was a wide range of belief systems. Some instructors strongly believed recreational golfers could improve through lessons. while others strongly believed they could not. And those beliefs manifested in the instructor’s feedback given to a student and the culture created for players.
2. Coping and self-modeling can beat role-modeling
Swing analysis technology is often preloaded with swings of PGA and LPGA Tour players. The swings of elite players are intended to be used for comparative purposes with golfers taking lessons. What social science tells us is that for novice and non-expert golfers, comparing swings to tour professionals can have the opposite effect of that intended. If you fit into the novice or non-expert category of golfer, you will learn more and be more motivated to change if you see yourself making a ‘better’ swing (self-modeling) or seeing your swing compared to a similar other (a coping model). Stay away from instructors who want to compare your swing with that of a tour player.
3. Learning theory basics
It is not a sexy selling point, but learning is a process, and that process is incremental – particularly for recreational adult players. Social science helps us understand this element of golf instruction. A good instructor will take learning slowly. He or she will give you just about enough information that challenges you, but is still manageable. The artful instructor will take time to decide what that one or two learning points are before jumping in to make full-scale swing changes. If the instructor moves too fast, you will probably leave the lesson with an arm’s length of swing thoughts and not really know which to focus on.
As an instructor, I develop a priority list of changes I want to make in a player’s technique. We then patiently and gradually work through that list. Beware of instructors who give you more than you can chew.
So if you are in the market for golf instruction, I encourage you to look beyond the X’s and O’s to find the right match!
Most pros take months, even years, to win their first tournament. Lottie Woad needed exactly four days.
The 21-year-old from Surrey shot 21-under 267 at Dundonald Links to win the ISPS Handa Women’s Scottish Open by three shots — in her very first event as a professional. She’s only the third player in LPGA history to accomplish this feat, joining Rose Zhang (2023) and Beverly Hanson (1951).
But here’s what caught my attention as a coach: Woad didn’t win through miraculous putting or bombing 300-yard drives. She won through relentless precision and unshakeable composure. After watching her performance unfold, I’m convinced every golfer — from weekend warriors to scratch players — can steal pages from her playbook.
Precision Beats Power (And It’s Not Even Close)
Forget the driving contests. Woad proved that finding greens matters more than finding distance.
What Woad did:
• Hit it straight, hit it solid, give yourself chances
• Aimed for the fat parts of greens instead of chasing pins
• Let her putting do the talking after hitting safe targets
• As she said, “Everyone was chasing me today, and managed to maintain the lead and played really nicely down the stretch and hit a lot of good shots”
Why most golfers mess this up:
• They see a pin tucked behind a bunker and grab one more club to “go right at it”
• Distance becomes more important than accuracy
• They try to be heroic instead of smart
ACTION ITEM: For your next 10 rounds, aim for the center of every green regardless of pin position. Track your greens in regulation and watch your scores drop before your swing changes.
The Putter That Stayed Cool Under Fire
Woad started the final round two shots clear and immediately applied pressure with birdies at the 2nd and 3rd holes. When South Korea’s Hyo Joo Kim mounted a charge and reached 20-under with a birdie at the 14th, Woad didn’t panic.
How she responded to pressure:
• Fired back with consecutive birdies at the 13th and 14th
• Watched Kim stumble with back-to-back bogeys
• Capped it with her fifth birdie of the day at the par-5 18th
• Stayed patient when others pressed, pressed when others cracked
What amateurs do wrong:
• Get conservative when they should be aggressive
• Try to force magic when steady play would win
• Panic when someone else makes a move
ACTION ITEM: Practice your 3-6 foot putts for 15 minutes after every range session. Woad’s putting wasn’t spectacular—it was reliable. Make the putts you should make.
Course Management 101: Play Your Game, Not the Course’s Game
Woad admitted she couldn’t see many scoreboards during the final round, but it didn’t matter. She stuck to her game plan regardless of what others were doing.
Her mental approach:
• Focused on her process, not the competition
• Drew on past pressure situations (Augusta National Women’s Amateur win)
• As she said, “That was the biggest tournament I played in at the time and was kind of my big win. So definitely felt the pressure of it more there, and I felt like all those experiences helped me with this”
Her physical execution:
• 270-yard drives (nothing flashy)
• Methodical iron play
• Steady putting
• Everything effective, nothing spectacular
ACTION ITEM: Create a yardage book for your home course. Know your distances to every pin, every hazard, every landing area. Stick to your plan no matter what your playing partners are doing.
Mental Toughness Isn’t Born, It’s Built
The most impressive part of Woad’s win? She genuinely didn’t expect it: “I definitely wasn’t expecting to win my first event as a pro, but I knew I was playing well, and I was hoping to contend.”
Her winning mindset:
• Didn’t put winning pressure on herself
• Focused on playing well and contending
• Made winning a byproduct of a good process
• Built confidence through recent experiences:
- Won the Women’s Irish Open as an amateur
- Missed a playoff by one shot at the Evian Championship
- Each experience prepared her for the next
What this means for you:
• Stop trying to shoot career rounds every time you tee up
• Focus on executing your pre-shot routine
• Commit to every shot
• Stay present in the moment
ACTION ITEM: Before each round, set process goals instead of score goals. Example: “I will take three practice swings before every shot” or “I will pick a specific target for every shot.” Let your score be the result, not the focus.
The Real Lesson
Woad collected $300,000 for her first professional victory, but the real prize was proving that fundamentals still work at golf’s highest level. She didn’t reinvent the game — she simply executed the basics better than everyone else that week.
The fundamentals that won:
• Hit more fairways
• Find more greens
• Make the putts you should make
• Stay patient under pressure
That’s something every golfer can do, regardless of handicap. Lottie Woad just showed us it’s still the winning formula.
FINAL ACTION ITEM: Pick one of the four action items above and commit to it for the next month. Master one fundamental before moving to the next. That’s how champions are built.
PGA Professional Brendon Elliott is an award-winning coach and golf writer. You can check out his writing work and learn more about him by visiting BEAGOLFER.golf and OneMoreRollGolf.com. Also, check out “The Starter” on RG.org each Monday.
Editor’s note: Brendon shares his nearly 30 years of experience in the game with GolfWRX readers through his ongoing tip series. He looks forward to providing valuable insights and advice to help golfers improve their game. Stay tuned for more Tips!
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tlmck
May 15, 2014 at 3:33 am
Doesn’t everybody line up slightly open? I have been doing it for 35 years now with every club in the bag including the putter. I hit draw, fade, high, low, etc. Just feels natural to me. Lee Trevino made a few million with an open stance as I recall.
Ben
May 14, 2014 at 10:52 am
I have no idea what any of this means
Art
Dec 30, 2013 at 3:49 pm
I don’t see any consideration given to ball position. Since the club moves on an arc, the position of the feet in terms of the body’s orientation, as well as relative to how far forward/back the ball is placed within the framework of the club’s arc are relevant.
Intention also plays an important role. Was the player’s intention to swing in-to-out to impart a draw?
Ben
Jan 5, 2014 at 12:52 am
I haven’t read everyone’s comments but did anyone notice his ball finished over 8 feet left of his target? And that was with his club path going 5.9 degrees from in to out??
Ruddy
Nov 30, 2013 at 8:36 pm
Tom, according to Trackman, I swing in to out. I can only hit hooks with my irons, due to inconsistent, mostly toe contact and early release , according to GolfTec. This puts hook spin on the ball. Therefore I compensate by aiming 15-20 yards to the right. If I follow your advice above and align to the left instead, I’ll probably hit it into the Pacific. My other fix has been to try to hit a big slice by cutting out to in on my downswing, dropping my hands straight down from the top. Any pointers you have will be dutifully tried and much appreciated. Thank you.
tom stickney
Nov 30, 2013 at 11:27 pm
It sounds like a pivot issue to me…causing you to stand up on the downswing thus hitting the ball on the toe invoking the club’s gear-effect. I would suggest fixing your pivot before you try and adjust your aiming.
Dave
Nov 28, 2013 at 4:35 pm
I think that most people that play often and are relatively athletic will subconsciously adjust to their miss. We all know the guy that we play with whose setup is garbage and his swing looks like a seizure, but he stripes it down the middle with regularity.
Joe Golfer
Nov 27, 2013 at 5:34 pm
Besides the Hogan book mentioned, an old book by Tommy Armour called
How To Play Your Best Golf All The Time is also a book that recommends those same stance changes.
As for me, I really don’t follow those directions, but that’s because of a bad back.
If I line up slightly closed, my hips don’t slide like they should.
Thus, I just use a slightly open stance, play the ball a tad forward, and play a fade all the time, but only because it’s the best I can do with health limitations.
The advice given in the article does seem like sound advice.
Thanks for the info, Tom Stickney, and try to ignore comments from guys like JBro, who just want to say something snarky rather than positive and encouraging.
Tom Stickney
Nov 27, 2013 at 9:33 pm
You must always do what works best for you in the end as YOU are the player and thus has the last say. Thx for your note and comments
BS
Nov 26, 2013 at 7:28 pm
So If I swung with a path that is is 3 degrees out with a face angle that is 1 degree open while setting up square to the target it would start right and produce a draw ending up somewhere close to the target. If I swung the same way but set up 3 degrees left wouldn’t that produce the same shot just ending up farther to the left than where the original shot went? I’m confused on this. Tom, if you could clear this up for me I would appreciate that.
tom stickney
Nov 27, 2013 at 3:58 pm
It would all depend on your angle of attack and how much your swing direction differs from your true path. The more your swing direction moves one way or the other the more you must alter your plane line in efforts to zero out the true path for straight-away ball flight
paul
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:43 pm
So does this mean we should only set up square with long irons and woods when we are sweeping the ball?
paul
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:54 pm
Ha. figured it out, we just aim straight when we are trying to zero out angle and path and face for any club as long as the ball isn’t teed up. I think that is correct anyway…
tinytim
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:01 pm
well, with the driver only do, if you hit upwards!
Angus
Nov 26, 2013 at 12:02 pm
Quick question. Do you line the clubface up sqare to your stance when you open/close it or do you alter your grip and keep the clubface pointing at the intended target? Thanks
oneputz
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:47 pm
I am curious about this as well, i figured i would just go to the range and try to work it out through experimentation. Im very excited to try this setup as I have noticed my tendency is to push my short irons while my longer clubs draw/hook more than I would like. Thanks for the article.
Craig
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:48 am
That is amazing and exactly what I have found myself doing lately and striking the ball better, feeling slightly open with short clubs and closed aligning to the right to promote draw with longer clubs.
david
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:35 am
ty, great article. I’m not saying its a mistype, but im asking….in paragraph 4…when you say “It would only be 3 degrees out to in.” I am confused. Am I just not getting it completely, or did you mean to say “in to out”
am i not quite getting it…… or is there a mistype starting with the guy swing “in to out”, then finishing with him “out to in”?
Zak Kozuchowski
Nov 26, 2013 at 9:30 am
You’re right. It has been corrected.
Zachary yaz
Nov 26, 2013 at 1:26 am
thank you! give me a new insight on my swing!
FlyFish
Nov 26, 2013 at 12:43 am
I’ve been waiting for somebody to finally write something on this topic.
If you study the D-plane, you will realize that a stance adjustment is necessary when the ball is teed up and forward. A lot of pros setup closed with the driver.
JBro
Nov 26, 2013 at 12:23 am
Thanks for this information that is as old as golf, you just added numbers and buzzwords like “Flightscope” and “Trackman”. I want the 4 minutes it took to read this back into my life span, but alas, I get a lot of information from GolfWRX so we will call it even boring pointless article. Just hit the ball.
JMD
Nov 26, 2013 at 9:49 am
Nobody forced you to read the article Richard!!
Tom Stickney
Nov 26, 2013 at 10:26 am
We often criticize what we don’t truly understand…aoa shifting swing direction altering aiming based on spin-loft.
Take the next four minutes and remember to thank those of us whom write for this forum for FREE so that you can learn to become a better player.
CB
Nov 26, 2013 at 12:09 pm
Tom, you shouldnt have given the guy the time of day. Good article. Thanks for writing it.
CB
Nov 26, 2013 at 11:35 am
How embarrassing you wrote that.
TJ
Nov 26, 2013 at 3:18 pm
maybe it took him a while to read it?
TonyK
May 13, 2014 at 11:32 pm
Your confidence is ignorance. Once you become to understand this article, you would be ashamed of yourself. But chances are probably you won’t. Enjoy your 90’s scores forever.
Pastorcam201
Nov 25, 2013 at 10:31 pm
I play a pull and since I started to play lined up to the right I’ve dropped 10 strokes off my game and have way more fun I just aim to the right side of the green and boom right down the middle every time. Now if I could only learn to put????
Jeffrey Trigger
Nov 25, 2013 at 9:43 pm
I must be a freak. My ball almost always starts where my body is square too. However, my problem is I’m not always square to where I think I’m aiming…
ryan
Nov 25, 2013 at 8:54 pm
my path is very right of the target and in to out. Do you recommend I try aligning my body to the left to straighten out my shots? I tend to hit snap hooks if I stand closed especially with my driver.
Tom Stickney
Nov 26, 2013 at 10:27 am
Would highly recommend it or alter your swing direction.