[Hanjeong-eun's Beginner Golfer Special Lecture⑥] Raising the Beginner Golfer's Head "Why Aiming Is Important in Practice"

Align ball and stance line toward target, set virtual target 30cm ahead, adjust aim according to slope

＜Photo 1＞ In practice, aiming is important. Align the ball and stance line toward the target.

"The key in real play is aiming."

[Han Jeong-eun's Beginner Golf Special Lecture] The sixth session is finally ‘Raising Your Head’. Whenever anyone steps onto the course for the first time, they inevitably fall deeply in love with the charm of nature. However, playing is not easy. Unlike the practice range, setting a target in the vast space is difficult, with uneven slopes, lakes, deep roughs, and bunkers lurking everywhere. First of all, ‘aiming’ is important. Right after address, properly aligning the target makes the next steps easier.

Aiming is like pulling the trigger in shooting. If your body shakes here, problems occur during the swing, and if the direction is off, it becomes difficult to effectively attack the fairway and green. As shown in , align the ball and stance line toward the target. Before setup, look far ahead behind the ball and create an imaginary target such as a divot or leaf about 30cm in front; this helps with alignment.

Next is the address. As learned in the second session, for a 7-iron, the stance is ‘shoulder-width’, and the ball position is centered. As the golf club lengthens with long irons, woods, or drivers, the stance width gradually widens and the ball moves slightly to the left; conversely, with shorter clubs like the 8-iron or 9-iron, the stance narrows and the ball moves to the right. Bend your waist slightly and keep your back straight. This posture allows flexible body rotation and maintains the stance throughout the swing.

On a downhill slope with the left foot, the left shoulder is lower, in other words, the setup is built according to the slope.

Beginners especially find shots on slopes difficult. This is not a practice range mat. You must make precise contact with the ball on varying slopes to secure distance. The key is the ‘height of the spine and knees’. It is instinctive to straighten up. First, consider the downhill left foot situation. See . The left shoulder is lower, in other words, set up according to the slope. Interestingly, considering a slice, you aim slightly left of the actual target. The downhill toe position is similar.

Uphill slopes are relatively easier. Whether it’s uphill left foot or uphill toe, firmly fix the lower body and keep the shoulders parallel to the ground. Since the loft increases, choose a club one length longer, but grip slightly lower. Because the lowest point of the swing arc is higher, you need to shorten the club length to strike accurately. The ball flight is opposite to downhill slopes, with a hook, and you set an imaginary target to the right of the actual target. In steep slopes, naturally, focus on escape shots.

▲ Map = Pro Han Jeong-eun jhangolf@naver.com

▲ Compiled by = Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun golfkim@asiae.co.kr

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.