Looking to get better at golf?
One of the most important keys in all of golf is to get the golf ball started on the proper start line and to control the curve of the ball. Most of this starts with the proper aim and setup through your stance.
Have you ever stood over the ball and have no idea where it is going to end up?
Don’t worry, the majority of golfers have all been there. Even the professionals!
There are some basic tips that can help you master your start line and the curve of the ball, but it all starts with ensuring that you are aiming properly.
Over the years, there have been great golfers that have aimed slightly right or left of their target.
I think of Lee Trevino and Fred Couples who often appeared to have a stance line that was well to the left of their target or Arnold Palmer and Sam Snead who appeared to have a stance line that was well to the right of their target.
So where does a golfer start with making sure they are properly aimed in their golf swing?
How To Aim A Golf Shot
The golfer should pick both an intermediate target (2-3 feet in front of ball) and a long distance target. The golfer should set up the club aiming at these targets and then swing in the direction of the target.
Below, I will dive into the 5 tips to help with how to aim a golf shot:
- Pick an intermediate target
- Pick a long distance target
- Set up stance
- Swing the club song your stance line
- Swing out at the target, not at the ball
The 5 tips above will help you with two major fundamentals of the golf swing. These include:
- Mastering your start line in golf
- Controlling the curve of your golf ball
Tip #1: Pick An Intermediate Target
Over the years, many people have thought they were aiming at a certain point, when in reality they may have been 20-30 yards off from where they thought they were aiming. The best way to assess your ability to aim is to have a friend take a video from behind.
Go ahead and announce where you are trying to aim and then set up as if you were going to hit the shot. Review the video that your friend took and see if you are anywhere close.
If you are struggling with your aim, next pick your target off in a distance and then follow that all the way back to what can serve as your intermediate target. This might be a divot, mark on the ground, leaf, blade of grass or anything that is about 2-3 feet in front of your ball.
Repeat the similar process as above with the video and see if you have improved at all. The short, intermediate target will help you stay more in line with your intentions.
Shawn Clement on Alignment and Intermediate Targets
Tip #2: Pick A Long Distance Target
This would actually be the first step, but I wanted to start with the intermediate target because of its close proximity to your ball. However, when arriving at a shot, the first thing you want to do is determine your aim point for the shot. Where do you need to start the ball to have it end up in the final destination that you need to hit a successful shot.
I will often use a long distance target that might be 100-200 yards even past where the ball will land. This keeps your focus out and beyond the target, which can help your swing.
I have used everything from houses, to trees, to light poles that happen to be out there. You might hear the pros talk about hitting a shot towards a television tower. Either way, pick your long distance target, draw a line back towards your intermediate target in your mind and commit to your shot.
Resource: How to hit a draw with your driver!
Tip #3: Set Up Your Stance
Did you know that not everything in golf has to be perfectly square. Once you have picked your two targets, you can set up your stance line based on the type of shot that you intended to hit. If you are seeking to hit a draw, you might set up with a slightly closed stance.
If you are seeking to hit a fade, you might set up with a slightly open stance. This is one reason Lee Trevino appeared to be aimed so far left, he was often hitting a push fade and his open stance allowed him to control his start line and curve of the ball.
The clubface, for the most part, will be aimed down your target line. Go ahead and set up your stance for the shape that you want to hit the ball. I prefer to play a stock shot draw on 90% of my swings. This often results in a slightly closed stance in my setup.
Resource: How to hit a fade in golf
Tip #4: Swing the Club Along Your Stance Line
To maximize your ability to hit a draw or a fade in these situations, the next tip is to swing along your stance line. Go ahead and make sure the clubhead is aimed at your target and then swing along your stance line.
What this does is it helps control your swing path to be more in to out (draw) or out to in (fade). The best instructor for this method that I have come across is Shawn Clement.
He is an expert at keeping golfers focused on the target and then utilizing the setup to take the golfer to his or her full potential based on swing out at the target and freeing the body up to make a tension free golf swing that has plenty of speed and clear intention.
Resource: Golf draw vs fade
Tip #5: Swing Out At The Target, Not At The Ball
Too many golfers become ball bound and are swinging at the ball and not out at the target. You will free up your body and mind by swinging out at a target in the distance. This helps many maintain the proper lag and actually make quality contact.
Shawn Clement talks about coming up with your “flight pla” which is the direction and curve of the ball, setting up your stance line properly and then allowing the arm and club unit to swing the club back and through with the intention of “throwing the club” down the fairway. This frees up the golfer to make a quality swing.
If you are swinging at the blal, you will often cast the club and lose all of the important angles. The intent of the mind is powerful and the body will react to the task that it has been given.
Next Steps: How To Aim A Golf Shot
Head to the driving range and work on these 5 steps. You will want to experiment and test out the different stance lines and the ability to control the curve of the ball. The key here is to swing along your target line and to ensure that you have precision in your aim and the stance lines that you create.
Make sure you set up a video behind you to check your stance lines, aim points and the final destination of the ball.
I would highly recommend checking out the portable launch monitors that can give you the important data needed. Pick a target for your final desitaiton of the golf ball, setup your launch monitor and have the following key data points:
- Carry and Total Distance
- Ball Speed
- Spin Rate
- Launch Angle
- Spin Axis
The spin axis is key. The higher or lower the number the more spin you are putting on the ball from a side spin perspective. They key is to have some side spin, but not excessive side spin. I went with the SkyTrak Launch Monitor and it has been a game changer.
I am able to see my start lines and the spin axis numbers to know what is happening in my swing. I am then able to adjust my stance lines, targets and other key factors influencing the start line of my golf ball and the curve of the golf ball.
While not everyone can afford the Trackman used on the PGA Tour by many players, there are some quality budget level launch monitors that range between 500 and 2000 dollars. More golfers are making the investment to improve their game and are relying on the technology tools of today’s game for the feedback needed to make a difference and finally get better!
Here are the top 3 options to check out:
Final Thoughts: How To Aim A Golf Shot
When a golfer can get to the point where they are playing golf vs golf swing, the game becomes a lot more enjoyable. If you are spending time on the course worrying about where you are at p3, p4, p5, p6 you will drive yourself crazy.
I really appreciate the Shawn Clement approach of picking a target, creating your flight plan and following the task. It frees the golfer up to play golf and not golf swing. Stop trying to hit positions in your golf swing and instead let it go. You will find you have less tension and can start to build the shots you need to be successful!
Take Action – What You Can Do Today to Get Better
What does this mean for you? I believe in the following recipe to get better:
1 – Improve your motion in the golf swing by identifying a golf instructor. Here are some options:
Here is a list of golf instructors that we have reviewed:
2 – Train to swing faster and improve your swing speed. Here are some options:
Looking to gain more Speed and Distance in your swing. Two Options:
3 – Understand course strategy and work to break through your next barrier. Here is a series on breaking through:
We have provided guides on how to break 100, 90, 80 and 70. Check out more below, if interested.
4 – Practice Frequently
Did you know that I build a golf simulator in my garage and have played over 500 rounds of golf on my SkyTrak system? It has been a game changer and one worth checking out. Here are some of my other posts on golf simulators frequently asked questions:
- Is a Golf Simulator Worth It?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator?
- What is the Best Golf Simulator?
- Golf Simulator Accessories?
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for under $7000
- Top 11 Reasons to Buy a SkyTrak
- How to Build a Golf Simulator for Under $1000
- Why Build A Golf Simulator?
- What Space is Needed?
- Can A Golf Simulator Improve My Game?
- How Much Does A Golf Simulator Cost?
- Don’t Forget to Check out our 15 best golf swings of all time.
