Setup & Alignment
Most 'swing flaws' are aim flaws wearing a disguise.
In plain English
Where your feet, hips and shoulders point at address largely decides where your swing travels. Aim them somewhere you don't intend, and your body will fight the whole swing to compensate.
Going deeper
Alignment errors show up as start-line errors with a straight-ish ball. If your start line is consistently off but the curve is small, check aim before touching the swing.
The advanced view
Shoulders open at address pre-sets an out-to-in path; a closed stance pre-sets in-to-out. Many chronic path 'faults' are the body brilliantly returning the club along the line the setup demanded.
Why it matters for scoring
It's the cheapest fix in golf — zero swing change, instant dispersion gains.
How it shows up in your ball flight
Mostly straight shots that start off-line, or a push/pull pattern that appears and disappears between sessions.
How it shows up in launch monitor data
A start-line (launch direction) bias with a small face-to-path number. ShotIQ flags this as Start-Line Control rather than Face Control.
Typical values: start line within ±2° of target.
Symptoms
- Straight balls that miss one side
- Great range sessions, wild course misses
- Divots pointing away from the target
Common causes
- Aiming the body at the target instead of parallel-left of it (right-hander)
- Ball position creeping off center
- No intermediate target
How to improve it
- Lay an alignment stick on your foot line every practice session
- Pick a spot 1 foot ahead of the ball and start the ball over it
- Check ball position against a stick weekly — it drifts
Drills that train this
Related concepts
- ⚪ Ball PositionMoves your low point, your launch, and your start line — without one swing change.
- 🛤 Club PathThe direction the club is travelling at impact — the engine of curve.
- ↪️ Shot ShapeOwning ONE reliable curve beats chasing straight.
- 🎯 DispersionYour REAL accuracy is a pattern, not your best shot.
Ask the ShotIQ coach
Questions this concept answers about your data, one tap away in the app:
- “Why do my shots start offline?”
- “How do I check my alignment?”