Aim the clubface at your intended starting target, then arrange your stance alongside that line. Your feet are on a parallel line; they are not standing on the ball-to-target line.

Give the face and feet different jobs

PGA coach Keith Stewart recommends establishing a target line and aiming the clubface before completing address. PGA: Understanding the Clubface.

For a straight-shot setup, a pair of parallel references can make the relationship easier to see. They are practice aids, not a requirement to make every shot curve-free or to adopt one stance for every lie.

Parallel Alignment Practice: Face toward target, Feet on a parallel line, Check from behind.

A ten-minute setup practice

  1. Pick a clear range target and a nearby spot on its line from the ball.
  2. Lay a reference on the ground along the ball-to-target direction, outside the hitting area.
  3. Place a second reference parallel to it by your toes. Keep both clear of the club and remove them if they could be struck.
  4. Aim the face first, settle your feet, then step behind the ball to check the relationship. Repeat five setups.
  5. Remove the references and hit a few comfortable shots, rebuilding your aim from behind each time.

Judge setup and flight separately

A correctly aimed setup does not guarantee a straight shot: the delivered face, path and contact still matter. Record whether you aimed where intended separately from whether the ball started there. That distinction helps avoid fixing your stance for a delivery problem.

Use slice start-line practice when curve is the recurring issue. If the setup looks different on every attempt, show a clear address photo to Stubbs. The session timing is an SLGP practice suggestion.