Another Alignment technique -

First establish the ball-target line by standing directly behind the ball. Second, locate an object (eg. tuft of grass or divot mark) about 6 feet away on the ball-target line - red dot, labelled "X". Third, stand alongside the ball, and place the clubhead behind the ball so that the clubface (short blue line) faces point "X". Fourth, make sure that your foot stance line is perpendicular to the clubface, which means that the stance line is parallel to the ball-target line - yellow line. Fifth, make sure that an extension of the stance line (yellow line) points well left of the target (double-headed red arrow) - as viewed when glancing out of the corner of the left eye at the left shoulder. As a rough approximation, the width of the double-headed red arrow at the target should be about 7 feet for every 100 yards of distance.

Aligment Problems?

Misalignment causes the most common swing problems - slicing the ball... an "over the top" swing... the "pop-up" shot... "throwing" the hands (which strips away most of your power)... and the plain ol' inaccurate "into the weeds" shot -- All these problems can almost all be boiled down to poor alignment.

Standing sideways to the target is creating an "Alignment Illusion" that's forcing you to line up wrong.

I learned a couple ways you can train yourself to align properly while actually playing the game (you should also perform this routine on EVERY practice shot at the range).

1. Approach every shot from behind, looking down the target line.
2. Use a visual reference - like a divot, a leaf, or something else lying on the ground, to line up your ball to the target. It's illegal (though technically not stated in the U.S. Constitution), to drop your own reference point into place. You've got to use something that's already on the ground.
3. While lined up and in your stance, check your target by rolling your head, not picking it up.
   
   4. Point your hip bone right at your target....fairway---flag--or where ever your want the ball to land...imagine a pointer or laser shooting out of this spot and pointing right to your target. Address the ball then stand straight up point your hip bone at the target and adjust your feet.