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How do you aim?

C-Tech

C-Tech

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I played another lackluster round of golf this afternoon. 85 on a course I should have broken 80 on. Looking back on it this evening, I realized something that has been going on lately. I have stopped using a preshot routine with my irons. I am hitting the driver great, I missed two fairways and most of them left me in good position, even when I missed. My putting was fair and my chipping was good. My biggest problem was missed greens. Pondering why, it dawned on me that I have completely stopped using a preshot routine that used to include standing behind the ball, imagining the shot I wanted, finding an aimpoint a yard or two in front of the ball and getting myself lined up on that target.

I am going to the range in the next couple of days and re-establish my preshot routine, especially getting aimed properly.

How do you aim your approach shots? Do you vary your routine for tee shots and/or chips around the green?
 
Every shot takes the same preshot,including putting.Always visualize the result you are looking for.Take a few light swings feeling how you want your body to move into the ball.

Pick your target and follow back to the tee box and find that spot in front of the ball to use as youe aiming guide.
 
You know, C-Tech, I played 9 holes this morning, and have been thinking the same thing as you. Driving was fine (except for the first hole, see "worst hole" thread, putting was fine (no 3 putts), chipping was on, but irons were everywhere 15 yards left or right. I still follow my pre-shot routine, but I seemed to be hitting more left as of late. About at address of hole #8 (par 3), I took extra time to look at my stance. Then I realized that my stance was open, and at that moment, realized I was hitting straight... straight to where I was aligning myself. Somehow, when I was hitting more of a fade with my irons, I developed the bad habit of aligning left of the target. Now that my swing has gotten more consistent, I'm having to re-aim. So I did, and sure enough, stuck it 10 ft from the pin. Hole #9 confirmed my suspicions, as my 9i approach was dead straight at the pin, about 15 ft over. After that hole, I immediately headed to the range, where I worked on this stance adjustment.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, figure out if there's a pattern to your shots. That might give you a clue as to why you are missing. I thought I had developed a bad pull, but rather, found out I worked out my push/fade.

And to answer your questions, I do stand behind the ball, visualize the shot, pick a reference in the distance, then align it with something a yard infront of the ball, set-up, double check my feet (now), practice swing at 50%, settle in, and smile as the ball screams away...
 
I always do the same thing the same routine. I walk up behind my ball look at the target get my number check the wind pick where I want to hit my shot visualize my shot then I address the ball. I don't take a practice swing sometimes around the green I'll feel out the shot but that's about it. but it's always the same routine. it's good to have a routine to rely back on. when your nervous your routine is always the same u can talk yourself through it and reassure yourself.
 
I just walk up and hit em
 
C-Tech said:
How do you aim your approach shots? Do you vary your routine for tee shots and/or chips around the green?
Click to expand...

No I don't. I use the same routine and spot aiming method for every shot I play, from tee to 3 foot putt. :D
 
Same thing every time. I'm trying to take a divot, so I pick a spot 6" in front of my ball on the path of the shot I picked out.
 
Re: How do you aim?

You guys actually aim? I'm happy to just make contact with the ball.

All kidding aside i've been working on my preshot routine and have started picking a spot 3-4 ft in front of the ball to aim. Just take a quick look at the pin as I'm lining up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
I do the same routine as most of you Pick my target,stand behind ball picking a spot in front of ball to use , small practice swing hit the ball which normally goes towards target except lately I've been hitting all my irons fat.
 
pick my spot, aim the club, aim my feet to a target left of my spot.

i have a tendancy to be closed at set up so i pick 2 targets, the one for the ball and one for my feet which is parallel left of my main target line..
 
I stand behind the ball, look at the target where I want the ball to wind up, take a few practice swings (just to keep myself tension free), and visualize how the ball will get there.

Then I step up to the ball, address it, (target always in my mind), and once alligned, look up once more to the target, back down, trigger, and swing.

It's a rather fast routine I have. Never thought of mechanics until maybe after the shot in evaulating why it did what it did.

Similar to what someone once said to me, when you shoot a basketball, do you think about how your hands are on the ball, how your arms will bend back, how your wrists will flick? Or do you just allign your body to the basket, and shoot the ball (where the thought of the ball going into the basket is always the only thing on your mind).
 
dzdncfsd said:
You guys actually aim? I'm happy to just make contact with the ball.

All kidding aside i've been working on my preshot routine and have started picking a spot 3-4 ft in front of the ball to aim. Just take a quick look at the pin as I'm lining up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Click to expand...

Too far away.Aim point should be no more then 12" away
 
I have always had an ability to draw imaginary lines off in the distance so lining up becomes pretty easy. Like most, I will stand behind the ball and figure out the target line and try and find a good spot a foot or two in front of the ball to help the aiming. I will place the club behind the ball and get that lined up at the target, then set my feet. That is all pretty normal.

One thing about me, and it just comes from practice and feel, I will rarely line up my feet wrong. I just know right away if they are off because it will feel wrong. One thing I will do to maintain that feel is to line up a mock golf shot anytime I see parallel line around the house. Part of my house has hardwood floors so I will pick a quick target and line up my feet parallel to that target. After a while, it becomes second nature to line up a shot and then line up the feet parallel.

I don't know that there is a method of lining up that is exactly right or wrong. I think our brain's want us to line up our feet to the target, which obviously is wrong. When you hit balls on the range, line up a club parallel to a specific target so that you can feel the right way. It will feel wrong at first, but it is right. After a while you will probably know if your stance feels open or closed. The big thing is you have to know what is right before you can figure out what is wrong.
 
i squint my left eye. center the hash over the heart. pull the trigger.


oh wait. you meant golf. yeah...not so much. no aiming.
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Too far away.Aim point should be no more then 12" away
Click to expand...

For you maybe, but that doesn't make it automatically right for everyone. :rolleyes:

I prefer it to be about 3 feet for full shots. Usually about a foot for chips and putts. I have better results using a longer line for longer shots, for the same reason that you can accurately aim a rifle at a distant target easier than you can a pistol.
 
Fourputt said:
For you maybe, but that doesn't make it automatically right for everyone. :rolleyes:

I prefer it to be about 3 feet for full shots. Usually about a foot for chips and putts. I have better results using a longer line for longer shots, for the same reason that you can accurately aim a rifle at a distant target easier than you can a pistol.
Click to expand...

Your correct. I just go off what 99% of tour players quote.Even the legend jack nicklaus
 
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I have pre-shots and practice swings for all of my shots. Putting is different, but with putts, I see the lines better and the slopes better when I'm right over the ball, so I'll line up that way, step back take a practice swing to figure out the distance and set back up again over the ball and just trust my swing.

For approach shots, I try to line the club face to my target, it doesn't work for me, so I need to figure something out. I'll line it up and then take my practice swings, line it up again and then it will go completely in the wrong direction. I have a hard time with angled shots and they just seem to go straight ahead (I guess I hit it on the head of the club?) :confused2:
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Your correct. I just go off what 99% of tour players quote.Even the legend jack nicklaus
Click to expand...

So I take it you putt with your glove on too? :D :eyepoke:
 
waggle?

waggle?

I have a preshot routine that I go through before every stroke. Over the last couple of years I have incorporated a waggle into my routine just before I swing the club. I never used to have a waggle but when I would get into pressure situations I would tend to hook the ball and after some time trying to figure it out one of my buddies suggested that i was tightening up and needed to do something to get my muscles more fluid before I would pull the trigger. I have found this really works for me...plus it helps me to just swing and not stand over the ball to long.
My waggle involves me cocking my wrist and moving the club about two inches and then moving it into position behind the ball. In this last year I have also added a release of pressure from my grip and then resetting it so that I can just feel the grip in my hand before I swing.
 
I do the spot thing 2 or 3 feet in front of the ball. I do this from about 6 feet in back of the ball finding my ball target line, then walk at an angle to along side of the ball, keeping my eye on that spot I previously had chosen. I align the club face with the spot, then my feet parallel with the ball target line. My problem is I sometimes do not align my hips, and shoulders with my feet. :banghead: When that happens, my shoulders are usually closed to the ball target line even though my feet are correct. Since the shoulders pretty much control the swing path, when compared to my feet, I get all kinds of inaccurate ball flights.
 
BigLeftyinAZ said:
Your correct. I just go off what 99% of tour players quote.Even the legend jack nicklaus
Click to expand...

Here's a quote from "Golf My Way" by Jack Nicklaus:

I would find a leaf or some sort of mark on the grass on the target line a few feet ahead of the ball...
Click to expand...

A few feet is farther than "no more then 12" away".

I've patterned as much of my game as is reasonable from this book, which I first read in the early 80's. My method of spot aiming came directly from this book, and I've been doing it that way for more than 25 years. :D
 
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