When we discuss target we are talking about alignment, which is one of the four fundamentals of setup along with grip, stance and posture. Alignment is critical because even a perfect swing will not hit the ball to the target if the alignment is incorrect. I have a Surgism for alignment: “Alignment, alignment, alignment…don’t play golf without it.” Another Surgism I preach is: “90 to 95% of all swing problems arise out of alignment. “ So alignment is absolutely as important as having a good setup and swing, and maybe more important because as I said above, good swings with poor alignment don’t go to the target.

One of the big problems to alignment is getting good target orientation in walking into the ball in your setup, then remembering it, especially to the point where you swing up to the T Finish facing square to your target. This becomes difficult or at the least inconsistent if you cannot remember exactly in your mind’s eye where your target is. This happens in the setup because at address we are facing 90 degrees right or left of your target depending on which side of the ball you stand.

Once you finally settle into your setup and have taken your last look at the target, you must paint a picture in your mind to know exactly where it is so when you swing through impact and stand up to the T-finish your rotation stops when you are directly facing your target. From the finish square to the target, you then recoil and relax (R&R), pulling your arms and club down to your waist, with the club pointing at the target. This R&R helps control over turning past the target and, most importantly, pulling the arms and club down to the waist, the center of gravity of the body, which conserves energy and relieves the stress of holding your arms and club above your shoulder. Pointing the club at the target is your final checkpoint that you’ve finished square to your target.

When I have students having problems finishing square to the target I give them the “Target Orientation Test.” I stand directly behind them on their shoulder line, facing their target, and I ask them to address the ball and take one last look at their target. Then they return their head and eyes to looking at the ball. I wait a few seconds and then I ask them to take their target side hand off the club and lift it and point at the target, keeping their eyes on the ball. This is where remembering in your mind’s eye where your target comes into play. Then I have them turn their head and see where they are pointing. Being behind them in line with their shoulders and pointing arm I get a good view of their aim. Very few ever nail it pointing directly at the target. I usually have them point 2 or 3 times to see if they can orient better to it after they realize they are so far off.

Over the years of doing the “Target Orientation Test,” I would estimate that 80% or more of the players didn’t even sniff pointing at their target. Most were 20 or more yards right or left. Very few ever pointed within 5 yards of the target all 3 times. This points out that few golfers have good target presence and this is the cause of finishing way past your target and adding to errant shots.

I always mention that baseball players, when diving for a ball and tumble and roll, always seem to jump up facing the base they need to throw the ball to. Basketball players put a head fake on their defender then spin and jump and shoot the ball. They, like the baseball players, always jump and shoot with tremendous precision and target orientation. They don’t make every shot, but they are real close and rarely ever throw up the embarrassing brick. The question to ask here is, “Why can these players, while in motion, have such a good sense of their target, and golfers standing still and swinging in place don’t?”

I think it is because a golfer’s target is further away, wider and small. In both cases the golf target, the cup and flagstick is much smaller, but in the big scheme the golf fairway and green on long shots is way larger. I think that the larger area for long shots causes golfers to loose their zeroing in senses on the target. For many golfers just hitting the fairway and green is a good shot. This could be because of laziness or just lack of comprehending how important target presence and orientation is. Sports psychologists preach that the smaller you make your target the more accurate your shots become. But to do this, you have to have target presence or target orientation.

A drill I have them do is actually the “Target Orientation Test.” They need to keep doing it until they can develop that seventh sense of remembering where their target is so they can finish their swing square to it. This will really help in tightening up your ball flight pattern from the width of a baseball park closer to a bowling alley. Remember, “Straight is Great.” Know and remember where your target is so you can swing at it and finish square to it.

The Surge!

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