The Pre Shot Routine is like going to Movies on Every Shot

Having a pre shot routine is the most important part of the preparation you should be doing before you play any golf shot. Most golfers don’t have any routine or idea of the benefits of having a good routine. Instead, they are too eager to stand up to the ball and play it.

This can breed a host of bad habits and inconsistency into your golf game.

First of all, it is vital to understand that a pre shot routine has both a mental and a physical side of preparation before you play a shot. Lets first discuss the mental preparation before you play..

This is where you are going to mentally prepare for the shot by visualizing the ball flight, what club you are going to use, the weather conditions, and the swing you will make.

You want to see the positive outcome of the shot you want to play. If any negative thoughts creep in during this mental process you must eliminate them by visualizing a positive outcome by staying in a present mindset.

Your thoughts should be focused in the “present” situation you have, and not on the possible negative future outcome of the shot. This is most important. We all have negative thoughts entering our minds at some stage on the golf course. The best way to eliminate these negative thoughts is to stay as present as possible during the mental stage of your pre shot routine.

The shot you are about to play is the single most important action you are going to execute, nothing else should matter.

Being mentally prepared before you swing is a definite advantage to playing better golf. It gives you the confidence to know what’s at stake and free your mind of unnecessary interferences.

Think of it as “your concentration zone.”

A key thought can be used to remind you of a visual application, self talk, and sensing a feeling. For example, one of my key thoughts is “sit down on my right knee” in the backswing. This reminds me of the feeling a stable lower body each time I play a shot.

You want to develop your own key thoughts around your tendencies that you have with your swing. For example, movements you may struggle with. You should only have one key thought and no more!

Some ideas I have to strengthen your mental routine would be to know how far you hit each club in your bag. Under clubbing is a very common fault with most amateurs. It causes rushed swings, missed greens and fairways and a negative mindset.. Make sure you take enough club for the shot and keep your swing speed as consistent as possible during the round.

What direction is the wind blowing in? Wind can have a major influence on a golf ball flight.

How far are you from your target? Can you reach it?

Are you playing uphill, down hill, are there slopes left or right?Playing uphill can mean one to three clubs difference and the opposite for down hill shots.

Where is the trouble? Left, right, in front of your target?

Where is the safe area?

Where do you want to land the ball? Are you playing safe or taking a chance?This will depend on your confidence in shot making abilities.

What kind of lie do you have? Good, or bad.

If you don’t pull the shot off, will your ball still be safe? Your confidence will tell you the answer here. It’s a good idea to be conservative if you are a beginner or high handicapper.

This may seem like it takes forever to play your shot but in actual fact most of the information is being processed through your pre shot routine before you reach your ball.

Once you have done the thinking, it is time to move into the play box and execute the shot.

There is no specific way to do this as each player has there own mannerisms. However, all good golfers align the clubface to an intermediate target first and not the body first.

This can be anything your eyes lock onto, a leaf, twig, a divot, anything lying on the path to your actual target.

All you need to do next is to spread the feet and take your stance.Here I move the left foot into place then the right foot.

You need to move your feet according to the ball position you want. Here I am setting up for a five iron shot.

I have found this procedure easy to repeat and never waiver from it.

You could start with the feet together rather than slightly apart like I have done. It is up to you.

Remember always to aim the cub face first with every shot you play and your pre shot routine will be like second nature

The common goal we should all have here is to address the ball the same way each time, and to be aligned with our bodies and club head to our chosen target.

In the pictures my grip is already taken on the club allowing me to aim the club face first to an intermediate target in front of the ball.

Once the club face is aimed at the intermediate target then the body follows by taking up the stance.

Getting into the habit of aiming your body according to the club face aim will help you to be aligned to your target correctly every time. A line across your thighs should point left of your intended target.

PS…Don’t forget to check your alignment periodically it can go off target very easily.

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