Anyone Can Groove A Great Golf Pre Shot Routine

Having played golf for a number of years and getting down to a single digit handicap, one area of golf that eluded me for many years is the Pre shot routine. This is one area that we can control as amateurs as well perhaps as the professionals. Practicing the routine every single time you hit a shot, whether in practice or on the course can be done by everyone but it does take practice

The first part of the process is deciding on which sort of shot you are going to hit. Take account of the lie of the ball, the intended target area, the climactic conditions, etc. Wind is often the biggest factor that will make a difference to the ball flight. The professional golfer is meticulous when looking at wind strength and direction and so should we be

Visualising and committing to a golf shot is absolutely vital. Some people actually see the result of the shot in their heads, some people (myself included) feel that the ball will go to the intended target. It does not matter whether you can actually see the shot in your mind, what matters is that you absolutely believe that the ball will go to the target using the club that you have selected

Starting the actual shot part of the process should commence as soon after you have made a positive decision on the shot choice as possible. It may help to use a mental trigger to this part of the shot. For example, pulling on or fastening your glove or actually taking the club out of the bag will be a good start point to the process. The important thing to remember is that the decision is now made, no time for second guessing

The physical part of shot execution is best approached by starting to approach the ball from behind. All the time re-inforcing your commitment to the outcome of the shot, set up to the ball taking great care over your grip and ball position. Settle into a comfortable address position whilst setting the club face on line with the target line

You’re ready to go when all the elements of the Pre shot routine have been completed. Going through this process allows your mind to focus on the task in hand and not to dwell on past failures. One final look at the target and you can pull the trigger. For some, a forward press will get the swing going, for others, they are strong enough mentally to go when they are ready. The total time taken for the whole routine should not vary by more than a couple of seconds

Getting a Pre shot routine down is something that almost any golfer can do. This is definitely one area where amateurs are pretty awful yet it is the one area that can be mastered with some patience and commitment to a process. Something that will stand you in good shape no matter what you want to achieve in life, let alone golf

About the author: Mr. Hughes is a director at Southerndown Golf Club. Wales is hosting the Ryder Cup in 2010, Southerndown is a links golf course in Wales Get a totally unique version of this article from our article submission service