Pre-Shot Routine |
Three Elements to Improve Your Routine
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| by Jeff Troesch |
 Probably one of the most fundamental elements
of a player’s mental game is the development
of a pre-shot routine. I have been providing
mental training services for golfers for more
than 20 years, and I’m still amazed by how
misunderstood the pre-shot routine is by most
players. “Should I take a practice swing or
not?” “How many times should I look at the
hole when I’m putting?” “When is the best
time to take my deep breath in my routine?”
The answer to these questions is going to
differ with each player, and the answers to
these questions for you, while important, are
only important as long as the address the
real purpose of the routine.
The entire purpose of a pre-shot routine is
to create a consistent, purposeful ritual so
that one is optimally prepared to execute a
golf shot. There is no “right” or “wrong”
about the type of pre-shot to employ, as long
it meets these criteria. Let’s look at each
of these elements.
1. Consistent. Consistency has to
do with making sure the routine does not vary
from situation to situation. While I believe
it is acceptable to have a slightly different
routine for shots off the tee vs. shots from
the fairway vs. chips, what I would suggest
is that there is consistency within each of
these golf elements. In other words, if you
find it helpful to take a full rehearsal
swing before tee shots and on approach shots,
but you find that when chipping you’d like to
stand next to the ball and make little passes
next to the ball, that’s great! However, if
you find yourself changing your chipping
routine or your full swing routine because
there are college coaches watching or you
have a lead in the tournament or because you
are so far over par you don’t have a chance,
than you are allowing circumstances to
dictate your routine, rather than having your
routine influence your circumstances.
2. Purposeful. Being purposeful
simply means making sure that there is a
reason for all that you do in the routine.
If you like a full-tempo rehearsal swing
because you like to feel the shot you’re
going to hit, great. If you prefer a waggle
similar to Mike Weir on the PGA Tour, fine.
If you like to get behind the ball and see
the shot in your mind, OK! Whatever you do,
make sure there is a reason for why you do
it. This increases the likelihood that you
will have efficiency in your routine and that
it benefits you for all the reasons that
routine assists players.
3. Optimally Prepared. This
refers to making sure that the internal
environment that you create before each shot
is the atmosphere that works best for you to
execute your golf shot as well as you are
capable. If this isn’t happening on a
consistent enough basis, then one place to
look for the answer is in your routine.
To conclude, it is not as important whether
you swing the club once or twice, look at the
target two or three times, take a full
rehearsal swing or a shorter slower swing.
What is important is to make sure that the
routine meets the standards outlined above:
consistency, purposefulness, and creation of
an optimal internal environment!
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