The pre-shot routine is one of the most valuable and under-utilized skills that a golfer can have. By getting organized and improving your pre-shot routine, you can clear your mind of useless clutter, and be more focused on the task at hand. Unfortunately, most weekend golfers either do not have a pre-shot routine at all, or the routine that they do have does not contain all three of the necessary pillars.
Let’s start by understanding what a pre-shot routine is, and why it is important.
Simply put, a pre-shot routine is the physical and mental steps that happen before you hit a golf shot. It is important because it provides a level of consistency in what the golfer is doing from shot to shot, and more importantly, provides a platform for mental clarity before executing a golf shot. The foundation of a successful pre-shot routine should be built with the following three pillars: Clear Decision Making, A Consistent Process and 100% Focus.
Clear Decision Making
Whether you are about to hit a drive, a chip or a putt, you need to have a plan as to what you are trying to accomplish with that shot. As you are looking at your golf bag, and the shot in front of you there is large amount of data to consider: How is the lie? Where is the wind coming from? Where is the trouble? How aggressive do I want to be? Etc., etc….. Taking all of this information into account, the golfer needs to decide what club they are going to use, what kind of shot they are going to hit, and where they are going to aim. And, this all needs happen within about 30 seconds.
To have success, your decision needs to be so specific that it paints a picture in your mind. Make a clear, specific decision. Example: I am going to hit a low hooking 7 iron that is going to land just short of the green and then run forward and break left towards the flagstick. While even tour pros will not pull off the exact shot that they have in their mind every single time, the point is that you have a specific game plan for that shot.
This entire process should take place BEFORE you take a club out of your bag.
Consistent Process
A successful pre-shot routine should be a well organized process that is consistent. This means that the physical and mental steps of your pre-shot routine should always be the same. If you have ever watched a basketball player approach a free throw, you may have noticed the same amount of dribbles, the same spin of the ball, the same knee flex before they shoot everytime that they take a free throw. Each golfer needs to develop their own routine around the three pillars that are laid out in this article. This means that not all routines will look the same….. Some golfers will take a practice swibng behind the ball, some will take one next to the ball, and some may not take a practice swing at all. But, whatever your pre-shot routine consists of, make sure that each piece serves a specific purpose, and that you have consistent steps that you follow every single time
100% Focus
A golfer must be entirely focused on executing the shot that is in front of them. Many golfers that do have a decent “looking” pre-shot routine, are missing this key element of being 100% focused on the task at hand. You could also describe this as not being 100% committed to their shot. For the thirty or so seconds that your routine and golf shot take, you need to be focused 100% on that shot….without any other distractions! One of the many reasons that golf is really hard is that a round of golf takes about four hours to play. It is difficult to stay focused for that long. Train yourself to enter a zone of complete focus during your pre-shot routine. By doing this, you can eliminate, or at least manage, negative thoughts that enter your mind that can be a distraction to the shot that is in front of you.
Pre-shot routines come in all shapes and sizes. As you build your routine, make sure that each part of it serves a purpose. Make sure that you make clear decisions about what you are trying to accomplish before you take a club out of your bag. Make sure that you have a process that you always follow and that does not change from shot to shot, or day to day. Make sure that during your routine you are 100% focused on the shot that is in front of you. An organized and well designed routine will help you play better golf, and ultimately have more fun.
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