The Pre-Shot Routine

The Pre-Shot Routine is a short golf blog post that looks at what to do before you attempt to hit your next shot.

Before I start, let me explain what a Pre-Shot Routine is.

The Perfect Recipe

A Pre-Shot Routine is a list that a golfer should complete before hitting their next shot. In my opinion, is just like a Chef’s recipe on how to bake the perfect cake.

The Chef will take a recipe book and find a great-looking recipe. They will often see the result first and then they will attempt to make it by following simple steps.

They will use that book repeatedly until they have learned every step of the recipe. Eventually, the steps will become easier and the result will become more consistent.

A Pre-Shot Routine

The golfer’s recipe for becoming a more consistent player is how I would describe what a Pre-Shot Routine is.

Approaching Your Ball

On approaching their ball, a golfer should already be starting their Pre-Shot Routine by looking at their surroundings.
How is the lie of the land? Is it downhill/uphill to the green? This will help to judge what club to take.
Is the ground hard/soft? This will determine where the ball should land.
What direction is the wind coming from? This will help you decide which side of the flag to start the ball. Or how high/low to hit the ball.

Reaching Your Ball

Once you have reached the ball. The main list of ingredients will be chosen to help you bake the perfect cake.

Lie of the Ball

The first thing to do is to see how the ball is lying. Is the ball sitting up/down?
The lie of your ball will determine where in the stance the ball position will be on your next shot.
It will also help you decide on what club to take.
The lie will also determine the shot type, shape, height, spin etc.

Distance to the next target

This could be the required distance to the flag. It could also be the distance to your next target. I mean a distance to the largest part of the fairway, on a Par 5, for your second shot, for example.
How far do you want the next shot to fly?

Wind Calculation

Whilst approaching your ball, you will have already gotten a good idea of the direction of the wind.
You should now check how strong the wind is.
Think about the trajectory of the next shot. What club would help with the desired trajectory?

Calculate the Danger

Check out your GPS unit or your yardage book to see where the danger lies.
Let’s say that the flag is on the front edge of the green at 130 yards from your ball. Your ball is not sitting up but it is also not sitting down, an average lie.
The front of the green is guarded by deep pot bunkers. The bunker lip is 121 yards away from your ball.
The green is quite deep/long and there is no trouble at the back of the green.
Do you take a 9 iron that you know you can consistently carry 126 yards and try to hit it harder?
Or do you take an 8 iron that you consistently carry 138 yards?
Now ask yourself this… Am I a strong Pot Bunker player or would I prefer a longer putt? I know what I would choose!

Club Decision

The decision on which club to take will be directly influenced by what you have now seen and calculated.
It should also be a club that you have confidence in. How has your game been up to this point? Are you on form or not?
Sometimes this decision is simple… but often it can be a tricky decision.
It is often the first club that comes to mind that is the better choice. Doubting your first decision is often a downfall.

Visualise the Perfect Shot

A really important part of the pre-shot routine is to see the perfect shot in your mind.
Try to increase the sharpness of this thought.
Feel how well the ball leaves your clubhead. See the perfect divot flying after the ball.
See how low the ball starts and then how quickly the ball rises. Remember how high, in flight, the ball reached or what the flight curvature was.
Now watch how the ball lands on the green and comes to rest a few feet from the hole.
The more detail you can create, the better your chances will be of recreating that exact shot.

Practice Swings

Note that I have stated Practice Swings! One is often not enough.
You will need to have a few practice swings to try and develope a swing that will match your vision of the perfect shot.
See and feel the swing. Whatever happens, only approach the ball after what feels like a good practice swing.

Shot Commitment

Once you have all of your ingredients and you have followed the exact steps of the recipe, it is time to commit.
Approach your ball with the exact vision of the perfect ball flight and feel of the perfect swing.
Keep the rhythm exactly as you had during your practice swings.
You should be telling yourself to commit to the shot.

Congratulations

As long as you have followed the recipe exactly, you should now be looking at the perfect shot as it flies through the air to your target.
Congratulations, you are now becoming a more consistent player.

What are your thoughts on The Pre-Shot Routine?

Please leave a comment by filling out a Contact Form.

To read more of my golf blog posts, click here.

The main image is from Wolf Blur