[Mike O]

Bendet2,
In the book- 3-F-5 and 7-2 are good places to look to cover this area. Tongzilla had some great thoughts and as he mentioned others may add to this section. But make sure you buy the book first- as you mentioned you didn't have the book.

The first thing that I would do to set-up to the ball is to establish your plane line. If the plane is the heart and soul of the golfswing, then you better line it up correctly. I would use the spot system of alignment to properly align the plane line. Stand behind the ball and pick a spot out in front of the ball to determine the plane line. That line between your ball and the spot in front of it determines your plane line and can help you align your clubface properly(strictly speaking - this doesn't necessarily mean that the clubface will be square- but the plane line gives you a visual reference point to determine square, closed, open), help you have a consistent stance to the ball, etc. Once you go through all the other items to properly set-up to the ball (not covered here), and before the takeaway- draw an imaginary line from the spot you picked in front of the ball - back through the ball to a corresponding spot 12 inches or so behind the ball- on the plane line- you can use that spot or that line between the ball and that spot to trace the plane line going back and control the consistency of movement of the club going back.
Mike O.