If you study professional golfers closely enough, you will discover they each have a very specific pre-shot routine. It’s very rare for any of them to be the same but the differences of some will be so small, it is impossible to spot. However, before every shot, especially on the tee, players on the PGA and European Tour have a pre-shot routine and you should also be employing one before your shots.
You aim to go around the golf course in the least number of shots possible but whatever the number of shots you take, you will spend most of your time not playing shots. Much of this time will be spent preparing to play shots, thinking about what you want to do and where you want the ball to land. Therefore, it would be very beneficial if you got into the same routine before playing each shot. This routine may differ slightly depending where you are on the course but it’s important to ensure you have one in place.
Having a pre-shot routine encourages clear thinking before every shot you play. Your mind and body already knows what it needs to do to get ready to play the shot. You just need to concentrate on the execution.
As mentioned above, every player will be different when it comes to their pre-shot routine but there are some common principles you can follow, when developing your own routine.
Firstly, you want to get aligned. For example, you could life up the club you are going to use to play the shot and with one eye closed, line it up with the ball and your intended target. By doing this, you are immediately giving yourself a position by the ball where you can set-up for the shot.
Having got into position for the shot, you need to run through a mental check-list of key elements to the shot and their position. Is the club face positioned in the way you need to it to be for the shot you want to play? Are your feet in the right place and is your stance solid? Is your body positioned in a way which will allow you to play the shot comfortably? This three-step mental check-list will only take a few seconds but it’s a great way to ensure these components of your shot are in place, before starting your swing.
Make a note of how many times you look up at the target area and back down at the ball before you play the shot. For some players, this could be once but for others it could be three times. Whatever it is for you, make sure it is consistent. You do not want to be shuffling about in the set-up position while you look up at the target and down at the ball for ten seconds on one shot and four seconds on the next. Find an average number and stick to it each time you play a shot.
With a consistent pre-shot routine in place, you can play your shot with confidence, knowing you have prepared for it effectively and without second guessing yourself.
