Odd Golf Alignment and Vision Question

[bisonbison]

Right handed. Left-eye dominant.

WHY GOD WHY

[JTrout]

[ QUOTE ]
Right handed. Left-eye dominant.

WHY GOD WHY

[/ QUOTE ]

so is Nicklaus!

[beerbandit]

i have similar problems

putting -- using the name or marking a line on the ball -- and the aligning the putts with that

other shots -- picking a point in front of the ball and aiming at that



cheers

[JTrout]

You've gotten alot of good advice.
My 2c:

[ QUOTE ]
I line up for a put or a shot and often I am dead left of the aim line, by maybe 20-30 degrees

[/ QUOTE ]

Do some alignment practice indoors. It's often helpful with squared walls to assist. Make use of a mirror.

At the range, pick an intermediate target. Maybe 3-5 ft. in front of you (full shots), and imagine a colorful line(railroad track) connecting the intermediate tgt. and your golfball. Set the club on that line, and then put yourself on the parallel (railroad) track.

When you go to the range, always go to the far left side. This will make it more uncomfortable to line up way left.

Notice your head tilt at address. Are your eyes lined up way left? (this is very common) Check it indoors with a mirror, or outdoors putting the golfshaft acroos the bridge of your nose. Experiment a little with slightly different positions. (this is most crucial on putting alignment)

[ QUOTE ]
When I am standing over the ball I am often uncomfortable and can't figure out how to get square

[/ QUOTE ]
If you set up to the ball, then fidget with alignment or setup in any major way, you need to start over.
Though difficult, it is crucial that your first setup is good. The clubs on the ground are useful in this manner; however, at some point they become a crutch and need to be picked up.
When you work on alignment indoors, include the whole preshot routine of standing behind the ball, and walking into a great setup.


[ QUOTE ]
my short putting within 5-6 feet is fantastic

[/ QUOTE ]
Can you help me with this?! [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]


[ QUOTE ]
my long puts are disgusting and my chipping is putrid.


[/ QUOTE ]

Proper pace! Always pay attention to your pace.
When on the practice green, lag putt (or chip) to the fringe across the green. Close your eyes at the moment of impact and guess if you are short or long. This develops touch as well as anything I've found.

Best of luck!
JTrout

[La Brujita]

Thanks to all, JTrout I will try these suggestions. I think you provided some excellent advice sir.

And I agree lessons are probably my best bet. I spoke with the pro today and he told me I was fixable.

I know you were joking with the 5-6 footers but my trick is/was practice a ton of 3 footers, just over and over until I got the rhythm. I just tell myself with those length puts hit it solid and you are good. I then just move out to four feet and so on.

My problem with long puts is my pace control is shockingly bad. I know some people put for length with feel and some can kind of gauge swing length to distance length but my (not very succesful) method is sometimes vary swing speed sometimes swing length and then hit and hope.

I really like your idea of starting at the left side of the dr.

BTW the eye closing thing is a fantastic idea!

I read the Rotella book a long time ago, I will pick it up again. I am currently reading Pelz's Short Game Bible, for anyone looking for a book on the short game it is really good.

[groo]

Nicklaus is left handed.....but plays right.

[groo]

[ QUOTE ]
I am currently reading Pelz's Short Game Bible, for anyone looking for a book on the short game it is really good.


[/ QUOTE ]

Pelz is good when followed with a larger dose of Rotella. Golf is full of players that know and practice sound mechanics in all parts of their games but can't shoot the scores that they should. For the most part these people are overly focused on mechanics. Unfortunately Pelz (and almost all teaching pro's) focuses his students too much on mechanics. This typically has the effect of creating a stiff, cumbersome movement in all aspects of the game. While mechanics are important, a golfer that is able to trust his bad mechanics will score better than a golfer that doesn't trust his good mechanics. Rotella is all about learning to trust what you have. Sure go ahead and improve what you have, but when you're on the course quit working and start trusting.

Read Rotella twice (or more) every time you read Pelz. And actually, until your handicap gets down to about 5, you shouldn't read Pelz unless you have some one to interpret him and help you decide what parts of his advice will work with your game.

I've long believed that a lobotomy would save most golfers 5-10 shots per round. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[i wanna be me]

[ QUOTE ]
Many alignment problems start from the presumption that our feet control alignment. It is the shoulders that determine alignment. I would guess that you are lining up with your feet square, but your shoulders open.

[/ QUOTE ]

this is the problem

[JTrout]

[ QUOTE ]
Nicklaus is left handed.....but plays right.

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm almost certain Nicklaus is right handed.
Johnny Miller is left handed. So was Ben Hogan. Mickelson is right handed.

[NoTalent]

Play with your weaknesses. If you know you hit it 20 or 30 degrees off, aim 20-30 degrees to the right.

When I get drunk and play I get a wicked hook. So I aim appropriatley.