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AlignmentClub Position Relative to the BallPre-shot routine All clubs Beginner / Intermediate ⏱ 4 min 🇬🇧 Video in English, summarized

Aiming Too Far to the Right: The Setup Command That Corrects It

Even on the PGA Tour, Sean Foley sees players aiming too far to the right without realizing it. He explains why our eyes can deceive us when we stand next to the ball, and suggests a specific order for setting up: the clubface, the eyes, then the feet.

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Sean Foley
Sean Foley · his YouTube channelFree lesson selected by Fred P.

To be continued

4 minNext Level UpReading Greens with Your Feet, Justin Rose's WayJustin Rose · Intermediate10 minNext Level UpBrooks Koepka's Fairway Finder: The Safe FadeBrooks Koepka · Intermediate / Expert1 minFrom the same proHit the ball with a fairway wood with precisionSean Foley · Intermediate

What the lesson shows

Sean Foley points out that the clubface is responsible for 75 to 85 percent of the initial direction the ball. Yet the trend he's observing—even among the pros—is to aim too far to the right. The result: the body tries to pull the ball to the left, which sometimes works and sometimes doesn't. The cause is optical: you’re standing next to the ball, and the target appears further to the right than it actually is. This is typical in Pro-Am: the player approaches from a distance, positions their feet, then the club, and looks up. The closer they get to the ball, the more the target shifts to the right.

The sequence: first the clubhead toward an intermediate point (a blade of brown grass in front of the ball), aimed “with surgical precision.” Then the eyes follow the line toward the target, tilting the head with the ear toward the ground, rather than lifting the chin. Keep your focus on the flag while positioning your feet. At the driving range, he lines up three balls and a stick toward the flag to train his eye.

The Exercise, Step by Step

  1. Stand behind the ball, choose the target, and pick a point just in front of the ball.
  2. Step closer and first place the clubhead so that it faces the midpoint.
  3. Adjust your stance carefully before moving your feet.
  4. Follow the line of sight up to the target by tilting your head so that your ear is facing the ground.
  5. Keep your focus on the target while you position your feet.
  6. At the driving range, line up three balls and a club toward the flag to train your eye.

Key Takeaways

The face determines 75 to 85 percent of the initial direction.
A common tendency, even among pros, is to aim too far to the right.
When standing next to the ball, the target appears farther to the right than it actually is.
Face forward, with your feet pointing toward a point in between.
Look at the target by tilting your head, without lifting your chin.
Aiming too far to the right causes you to compensate by moving to the left.

Mistakes to Avoid

  • Put your feet down first, then the club.
  • Approaching the ball from a distance without any intermediate reference points.
  • Lift your chin to look at the target.
  • Correcting a shot that goes over the target without first checking your aim.
  • Not knowing exactly who the target is.

Driving Range Mode

Keep it in plain sight, on the rug.

  1. Three balls and a club lined up toward the flag
  2. Fixed order: face, eyes, feet
  3. Look at the target by turning your head, without lifting it
  4. The same sequence for every shot on the course

Your Questions

Why do we tend to aim to the right?

For Sean Foley, it's an optical illusion: when you stand next to the ball, the target appears to be further to the right than it actually is, especially when you're approaching the ball from a distance and plant your feet first.

In what order should you start playing ball?

First, turn your face toward an intermediate point; then, look at the target; finally, move your feet, keeping your focus on the target.

How can you look at the target without throwing off your aim?

By tilting your head, with your ear toward the ground, to follow the line. Lifting your chin changes your perception of what’s in front of you.

Learn More

All “Alignment” videos →Find the lesson that's right for youAll videos on “Club Position Relative to the Ball” →Find the lesson that's right for youAll “Pre-shot routine” videos →Find the lesson that's right for you Justin Rose's putting session with Phil KenyonBefore a tournament, Rose and his coach check his setup, the ball's line matched to the top of the putter, a start-line gate and the slope in percent. Reading Greens with Your Feet, Justin Rose's WayRose walks in a semicircle to feel where the slope changes direction, then adjusts his stance until a stick on the ground points to the center of the hole. Brooks Koepka's Fairway Finder: The Safe FadeKoepka breaks down the drive into alignment and ball position, then demonstrates his “fairway finder”: ball set back, open stance, and a downward swing. Sean FoleyAll of his lessons

Video posted on YouTube by its creator (Sean Foley). Best Golf Tips selects and summarizes the best free lessons, without hosting them.

* Amateur competitions with guidance from the pros