6 Alignment Stick Drills Every Golfer Should Know

HackMotion

Apr 22, 2024 . 6 mins read

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Having alignment sticks with you at the driving range is a great benefit. However, most golfers don’t know how to use them.

Sure, you can put one down on the ground to help you aim, but alignment sticks are great for a variety of golf drills.

If you want to make your driving range sessions more successful, start incorporating alignment sticks.

Here are 6 easy drills that you can do with alignment sticks that will quickly impact your golf game.

Key Takeaways

If you don’t have time to read through all of these alignment stick drills right now, here are a few key takeaways that you will want to take with you.

• Using more than one alignment stick at a time can help with both the feel and visualization of a shot.
• Not all alignment stick drills need to be done at the driving range, it’s possible to do many of these at home and just work on positions and feedback.
• Use alignment sticks to help you with your alignment and pre shot routine; when you get to the course, you’ll be much more accurate.
• Gripping an alignment stick and a golf club at the same time extends the length of the club, making it easier to see the proper impact position and swing plane.
• Don’t forget to use alignment sticks in the short game, they are helpful for both chipping and putting green practice.

6 Alignment Stick Drills for Better Golf

Shallow the Club Drill

The shallow the club drill or two stick drill is a great option if you need to work on your swing plane.

Getting the club a little too steep can cause some issues in your impact position and the direction of your golf shots.

For this drill, you will need two alignment sticks. It’s also best to have a grass driving range to work on so you can set the alignment stick in the ground at the right angle. As you work through the steps of the shallow the club drill, you’ll quickly realize the impact your takeaway has on the rest of the golf swing.

If the club starts on the inside you’ll struggle to ever get it on track. Those first few seconds of your backswing can make all the difference.

Belt Loop Coil Drill

Some golfers excel at engaging their lower body and building up additional power by doing this. However, many amateur players try to swing their arms.

If you are a golfer that does a terrible job of coiling the lower body, the belt loop coil drill is a good option. For this one you will need to be wearing pants that have a belt loop.

Simply thread the alignment stick into the pants and take your traditional setup. If you turn back and forget to incorporate the lower body, it will be very obvious. The turn will show the alignment stick is still pointed straight down the target line.

Instead, the goal is to get the alignment stick pointed more towards the ball.

Use this drill to warm up for a round of golf.

Alignment Drill

The alignment drill from Scratch Golf Academy is sort of the obvious alignment stick drill, but it still deserves a spot on this list. With the alignment drill, you will use two alignment sticks.

Set the sticks up on the ground so you have plenty of room to strike the ball between them. The key is to make sure that this alignment stick is aimed directly at your target.

You’ll step into each shot, align the clubface, and then get your body lined up. Many players try aligning their bodies first and then clubhead, but it doesn’t work. With the alignment drill, you can simply set yourself up parallel to the sticks, and you’ll be right on track.

Even if you are just hitting balls on the range, this is a good setup to have.

Keep Your Head Still when Chipping

Do you struggle with staying over the ball when you chip?

You are close to the green and excited to see what the golf ball will do when it gets near the club. However, by moving your head and taking a peak to see what happens, you don’t give the club and the ball enough time to interact.

Not only do some of these shots end up as skulls or thinned shots that run across the green, but you are also missing your full potential for spin and control.

To keep your head still when chipping, try this alignment stick drill that incorporates two sticks. The interesting thing about this one is that it’s just a visual aid, but it really works.

Keep your head over the stick, make clean contact, and you’ll finally feel what it’s like not to peak at your shots.

Hands Ahead at Impact Drill

To make solid contact with the golf ball your hands should be ahead of the ball at impact. With your hands ahead, the lead wrist should be flat or even slightly flexed, and the clubface should be square.

However, many amateur players struggle with this feeling.

Luckily, with an alignment stick in your hands, you can feel exactly what it takes to get the hands ahead at impact and make clean contact with the ball.

You can practice this one without hitting golf shots and just learn the positions and where your club should be throughout the swing.

Alignment Stick Putting Motion Drill

Most golfers know that a simple pendulum style motion is the best way to strike consistent putts. The alignment sticks can be used to help you feel this. However, golf alignment sticks are also one of the most versatile putting tools you can use to train.

For this drill, make an X with two alignment sticks. Then, get into your normal setup position and grip the alignment sticks at the X. When you practice your putting stroke, you’ll feel the way your upper body has to move and how your wrists and hands stay more controlled.

You can further enhance this learning by incorporating a HackMotion wrist analyzer into your practice routine. The HackMotion will help you pinpoint any inaccuracies in your putting stroke and the way the wrist gets to the golf ball.

Don’t hesitate to put alignment sticks down on the putting green to practice path and distance control; you’ll make your putting practice much more entertaining.

Final Thoughts

Don’t invest in alignment sticks; just put them in the golf bag. Use these helpful training aids to work on drills and make progress. Drills will help you with feedback, feel, and consistency in your golf game. We suggest having at least two alignment sticks because the number of drills you can do while having two sticks in the bag is significantly increased.