How to Use Golf Alignment Sticks: 5 Drills That Fix Your Aim

If your shots keep missing in the same direction, your swing might not be the problem. More often than not, it's your aim. That's exactly what alignment sticks are for — they're one of the simplest ways to train your setup, and every golfer from beginners to low handicappers should have a pair in the bag.

An alignment stick is just a long, straight rod you lay on the ground to give your eyes a true reference line. Your eyes lie to you on a golf course. Fairways slope, trees lean, and tee boxes aren't always square to the fairway. Sticks take the guesswork out. Here are five drills I use with mine.

1. The Feet Line

Lay one stick on the ground parallel to your target line, just outside your toes. Set up to it like you normally would, then step back and look. Most golfers are shocked at how far left or right their feet actually point. Practice setting up square to the stick until it starts to feel normal — that's the feeling you want to take to the course.

2. The Clubface Check

Place a second stick perpendicular to the first, pointing straight at your target, with the ball sitting on it. Now you can check two things at once: your feet are parallel to the target line, and your clubface is square to it.

3. The Swing Path Gate

Stick two alignment sticks in the ground to form a narrow gate just wider than your clubhead — one a few inches behind the ball, one a few inches in front. Hit balls through the gate. If you're coming over the top or swinging too far from the inside, you'll clip a stick. Instant feedback, no coach required.

4. The Putting Line

On the practice green, lay a stick on the ground on your intended putting line, a few feet from the hole. Putt along it. You'll quickly see whether your putter face is starting the ball where you think it is.

5. The Shoulder Check

Hold a stick across your shoulders at address and have a buddy tell you where it points. Your feet can be perfect while your shoulders aim somewhere else entirely — and your ball follows your shoulders.

Why Wooden Sticks Beat the Cheap Ones

Most alignment sticks are flimsy fibreglass rods that snap, bend, and blow around. I prefer something with a bit of substance. The Loft and Grain Custom Maple Alignment Sticks are precision-made from solid maple, cut to a full 48 inches, and finished with brass end caps. They're fully weatherproofed and sealed, so they'll handle a wet range session without warping or losing their look.

They come in rich cherry, natural cedar, or deep mahogany stains, and you can customize them with colours to match your bag or your personal style. At $70 CAD, they're a training aid you'll actually enjoy pulling out of the bag — and after your order is confirmed, Loft and Grain will email you for your custom order details.

Alignment is the one part of your game you can fix without changing your swing. Grab a pair of sticks, run these five drills for ten minutes before your next round, and watch how many more greens you start hitting.