The 10 Best Golf Alignment Stick Drills You Should Be Doing

Alignment sticks are helpful coaching aids that allow you to work on all sides of your sport. 

From ball place to swing aircraft to hip rotation drills, you should utilize it for many components of your sport. My mission is to supply the ten finest golf alignment stick drills to assist extract most worth out of your coaching assist.

However first…

Should you don’t but have a set of alignment sticks, I’ve discovered this one from Callaway presents wonderful worth for cash. Plus, they’re sturdy, versatile, and can run you lower than $20.

 

1. Fundamental Alignment

Let me begin with a primary drill for a newbie, to make sure that you’re aiming alongside your goal line. 

If you end up in your hitting bay on the driving vary, select a goal and level at it with one alignment stick. Subsequent, place the stick on the bottom, and be certain that it’s aimed toward your goal. Lastly, place the ball not more than 2 inches behind the rod.

Subsequently, your ball is now set as much as launch in the direction of your goal. As soon as that’s full, get into your stance place, and ensure that your toes purpose parallel to your goal. 

At this level, you need to be able to execute your golf swing. Your ball ought to land close to the goal in case you execute the shot accurately. Nevertheless, an incorrect swing path or off-center strike can ship your ball off line, even when your alignment was on level.

 

2. Ball Place

Preserve the coaching assist in the identical place you had it for the primary drill, and place a second alignment follow face you. 

It’s essential to relocate the second stick in accordance with the membership you’ve in hand. For instance, in case you use a driver off the tee, the second alignment stick ought to stay aligned together with your entrance heel.

Conversely, in case you are enjoying a protracted iron shot, you’ll place the stick within the entrance heart of your stance. As well as, the ball must be in the midst of your toes for brief iron or wedges.

You possibly can good this component of your sport by studying our information on the 5 easy steps to an ideal stance.

 

3. Swing Airplane Drill

The swing aircraft drill is a typical and easy train that helps beginner golfers and professionals enhance their swing aircraft. Preserve one in every of your golf alignment sticks pointed at your goal. Stick the opposite rod into the bottom and angle it parallel to your membership shaft.

The second stick ought to stand 12 inches again of the alignment rod and 2-inches inside. Michigan-based teacher Stephanie Wagemann gives a dependable visible assist to information you thru this drill:

Begin your takeaway after you might be setup and aiming at your goal space. Your clubhead and hosel ought to collide with the highest of the angled rod midway by way of your backswing. It then follows the road as much as the highest of your swing. 

Because the membership comes down in the direction of the ball, it follows the angle of the leaning follow information your membership on the aircraft.

When your membership is on aircraft, you stand the next likelihood of squaring your face up at affect. That reduces facet spin and promotes straighter photographs. This drill will make it easier to get pleasure from consistency in your swing and accuracy.

 

4. Placing Alignment

Here’s a drill to optimize your accuracy with a putter. Earlier than you arrange, it’s good to learn the break and pace the inexperienced’s pace. I recommend that you simply stroke 10 putts to determine the road and tempo of your putt. 

If the putt breaks, level the alignment rod at that spot. Comply with that up by inserting your ball a most of two inches in entrance of the stick. Be sure that your toes purpose parallel to the breakpoint, and begin placing. 

The placing alignment train helps you grasp your setup on the follow inexperienced to begin your golf ball on its meant line.

 

5. Placing Tempo

One other drill that you should utilize golf alignment sticks for is to enhance your placing tempo on lengthy putts. Amateurs usually implode when tackling a putt past 20 toes. We both depart it too quick or ram it properly previous the outlet, leaving little likelihood to empty the return putt.

This drill pushes you to be extra aggressive in your putts in order that they cross the outlet. Nevertheless, it helps you management your miss and leaves the ball no additional than two toes previous the cup.

Place a golf alignment stick two toes behind the outlet, and begin placing from 20 toes away. Hit 10 putts, and ensure that they cross the flag by not more than 2 toes. Should you depart any putts in need of the cup, they don’t rely, and neither do photographs which might be additional than 2 toes after the outlet.

Once you get 6 balls into the zone or cup, you’ve handed the drill and may proceed to the following degree.

Place your self 30 toes from the cup, and repeat the method. When you putt 6 out of 10 balls into the goal zone, proceed to putt from 40 toes, then 50 toes.

By using this drill into your follow routine, you’ll cease leaving putts quick and have extra management on the inexperienced. In case your placing typically helps you to down, these 8 placing drills ought to enhance your luck.

 

6. Bunker Hanging

The alignment sticks are solely used to arrange for this lesson. Seize one rod and draw 2 strains which might be 2 inches aside. These strains ought to run in the direction of you. The entrance line is the place your golf balls will probably be positioned. Conversely, the black line highlights the place your clubface ought to strike the bottom.

With bunker photographs, it’s good to catch the sand about 1.5 inches behind the ball. That helps the clubface get underneath the ball to ship it into the air and out the lure.

Deal with placing the again line together with your clubface and let the bounce of your wedge do the remainder of the work. This drill is a game-changer for ball-striking confidence out the lure and works to enhance your up and down document.

Make sure you purpose to the left of your goal when setting as much as account in your open clubface. That approach, you will note higher distance and accuracy outcomes.

 

7. Ball Hanging

I’ve taught you enhance your ball placing within the bunker. This drill goals to optimize your lengthy and mid-game distance and accuracy. 

Place an alignment stick down going through away from you and place your ball 2 inches in entrance of the rod. The stick must be additional ahead in your stance for tee photographs than for strikes off the green or tough.

The purpose is in your low level of the swing to happen as soon as the clubhead passes the stick. In case your clubhead hits the rod, both your clubhead is off aircraft, or the ball is simply too far ahead in your stance. Take just a few follow swings and just be sure you get your membership on aircraft to strike the ball cleanly.

 

8. Shot Shaping

It is a favourite of mine. You should utilize your alignment sticks to work in your shot form. It helps freshmen hit straighter photographs, and superior golfers induce more healthy attracts and fades. 

Excessive handicappers seeking to hit straighter photographs can arrange the 2 rods 13 toes in entrance of you and three toes aside. Hit ten photographs and check out launching the ball between the poles constantly to develop constantly straight ball flight.

These gamers who’re after a draw or fade can arrange one alignment stick 13 toes in entrance of you. Should you want to follow a draw, your aim is to begin the ball to the fitting of the rod and form it again in the direction of your goal line. Conversely, begin the ball left of the rod in case you intend to fade it again in the direction of your goal. 

When you obtain 6 out of 10 photographs in your goal route, swap to training different shapes. The power to form the ball helps you escape hassle on the golf course and boosts your scrambling share.

 

9. Practice Tracks Drill

The Practice Tracks drill is one other well-liked train that helps you retain your clubhead on the trail. Merely place 2 alignment sticks down going through your goal, 18 inches aside, making a lane. 

Subsequent, set your ball down 2 inches in entrance of the again rod and place your clubface behind the ball. 

Your mission is to maintain your clubhead within the lane in your takeaway and observe by way of. Using this formulation encourages you to take care of a impartial path and a squared-up clubface. This mix helps you ship straighter photographs for superior accuracy.

Moreover your lengthy sport, the prepare tracks drill could be applied in your placing coaching. In case your putter head is shifting everywhere throughout your stroke, the lanes will help you enhance your management and consistency.

 

10. Weight Transition

The ultimate golf alignment stick drill to give attention to has to do with weight transition. Even when your alignment, ball placing, and swing aircraft are on level, you may damage your shot because of lack of rotation.

Place an alignment rod into the bottom lower than an inch alongside your lead hip. When you strike the ball and clear your hips, your weight ought to relaxation in your lead leg. The purpose for you is to generate optimum hip flip throughout your photographs in order that your lead hip brushes the rod in your follow-through.

In case your hip doesn’t contact the alignment stick, you didn’t sufficiently rotate them. That might result in a lack of distance and accuracy. 

Equally, when your hips contact the rod earlier than you’ve struck the ball, you cleared them too early. Consequently, you may hook your shot. 

We have now a complete information devoted to optimizing hip flip in your golf swing. I recommend familiarizing your self with the idea earlier than taking up this drill.