Alignment Sticks in Golf

What are alignment sticks in golf?

The alignment sticks (in English alignment sticks, (sometimes called alignment poles or sticks) are very simple training accessories: straight, flexible, and lightweight poles, usually made of fiberglass, ranging from about one meter to one meter twenty in length. They are often brightly colored so they are easy to see on the ground, and are generally sold in pairs.

Their value lies in a single idea: making visible what you can't see when you're standing in front of the ball. The body can easily deceive your senses; a line drawn on the ground, however, doesn't lie.

What are alignment rods used for?

• Check the body alignment: feet, hips, and shoulders parallel to the line of play.
• Check the alignment of the clubface, perpendicular to the line of play.
• Locate the ball's position: A rod held perpendicular to your feet shows where the ball is positioned in your stance, depending on the club.
• Practice the club's routine and the swing plane, serving as a reference point in the takeaway or as a “boundary” not to be crossed.
• Practicing putting: Aligning the putter, your eyes, and the ball's starting line.

How do you use alignment rods?

The Basic Setup: The Rails

This is the most common exercise. Place the first stick on the ground just past the ball, pointing toward the target: this is the line of play. Place the second stick parallel to the first, along the tips of your feet. You’ll have two rails, like a railroad track: your clubface points toward the target, and your body remains parallel to the line of play.

The ball position

Add a stick perpendicular to the line of your feet, pointing toward the ball. You'll immediately see whether the ball is in the center of your stance, toward your front foot, or toward your back foot, and you can position it the same way on every shot.

The swing plane

A stick planted in the ground, angled to match the angle of the shaft at address, marks the plane. Other exercises involve sliding a stick through the grip hole to extend the shaft and see where it points during the backswing and downswing.

Putting

Two sticks placed parallel to each other on either side of the putter head form a corridor: the putter must move back and forth without touching them. A single stick placed on the putting line also helps you check where the ball starts rolling.

Alignment sticks or clubs on the ground?

Two clubs placed on the ground serve the same purpose and come in handy. The poles have a few advantages: they’re longer, so they’re easier to read; they don’t get damaged if you step on them; they can be stuck into the ground; and they leave all the clubs in the bag available for use.

Can they be used on the course?

Not during a stroke. Rule 10.2b of the Rules of Golf prohibits placing an object on the ground to help aim or set up for a shot; a player who plays with a club placed on the ground to align himself is penalized. Alignment sticks are therefore intended for use on the driving range and putting green only and should be put away before heading out to play.

A Few Tips for Use

• Don't just aim at the driving range target: Change your aim regularly, since the target changes with every shot on the course.
• Alternate between strokes with and without drumsticks, to verify that the alignment remains correct when the reference mark disappears.
• One exercise at a time: Having too many sticks on the floor eventually makes it hard to follow along.
• Check the rod itself: If the wand is held at an angle, it will cause you to misalign. Check its position from behind, keeping it aligned with the target.