Page 40 - Golf Champion Magazine - April 2023

[ GOLF LESSON ]

Right Alignment

올바른 얼라인먼트

hat do you think is the No.1 motion to which a Tour golfer looks at and the direction that his/her body is aligned
Wpro pays the most attention and for which a Tour to. A problem can be caused by an optical illusion where
pro is helped by a caddy? You may think of various swing the target direction differs even when eyes and the body are
motions important for an accurate swing; however, lots of aligned to the same direction.
Tour pros do not hesitate to count alignment as No.1. If Beginners who are not accustomed to the basics suffer
alignment is unstable, it is hard to fly a ball to the expected from inaccurate shots due to wrong alignments. In order
spots no matter how far a golfer can fly a ball. to fly a ball destined to deviate from a target due to wrong
Golf is a target game in which a golfer is supposed to swing path, for example, one has to set the alignment toward
deliver a ball to aimed targets. So it can be said that the other direction or change the ball placement. The opposite
difficulty of a shot depends on how accurately one flies a situation is also possible; when an alignment is wrong, a
ball to the intended spots. Alignment can vary drastically wrong swing is inevitable in order to fly a ball to a target.
depending on golfer’s daily condition, course’s level of If this continues to happen to a beginner, he/she will be
difficulty, sudden weather changes, or golfer’s familiarity practicing a wrong swing and cannot expect to increase
with course. Unintended breakdown of alignment leads to scores.
change in swing, because the golfer tries to fly a ball to a Generally speaking, the principle of alignment can be
target by all means. This often leads to unexpected errors, simply compared to railroad. The line linking a target to a
in compensation for which the golfer changes swing and ball is that linking the right wheels of a train while the line
alignment; breakdown of a swing. linking the left to the right of a body is that linking the left
To intermediate and higher level golfers, however, the wheels of the train. That is, in order to fly a ball accurately
difficulties related to alignment do not last long. That is to a target, the line linking the target to the ball and the
why the alignment issue is often compared to flu. If a golfer lines drawn by shoulders, hips, and feet should be parallel.
does not have any specific, fatal problems in basics, it can be In order words, the golf club’s leading edge is aligned
naturally cured by other’s advices or exercises. It is simply perpendicular to the target line, while the body is paralleled
an issue that can be cured within one week or one month with the target line. Feet, knees, and hips are aligned parallel
at most and can trouble careless golfers. The importance with the target line with two eyes paralleled. If eyebrows are
of alignment in driver, iron shot, and putting cannot be not parallel with the target line, you may begin your back
exaggerated. swing according to a wrong swing trajectory, because you
The terms alignment, address, and set up refer to getting cannot look at the target line accurately.
prepared to aim at the target. This is one of the most difficult In contrast, shoulders should be slightly open toward
parts in golf since it includes lots of sensory factors. Aiming the left so that the address could have the right arm slightly
motion is more difficult than others, because an address which more open than the left one. The reason the right shoulder
aims the target can change each day and even for each shot. is slightly open is because of the body position that a golfer
One reason why it is difficulty is because a golfer aims the feels at the time of impact. Because the motion of placing the
target while standing beside a ball. So, it can cause problems club face perpendicularly should be done by the body turns
in shots because there is difference between the direction a rather than by arms rolling, the shoulder is to be slightly

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