Preshot routine

[Chieflongtee]

Do you have a preshot routine? Do you follow it regiously? If so why. What does it do for you?

[pvs1313]

i have a mental pre shot routine, i alwsays follow the same thoughts, and mental set up

for a physical one i try to have the same routine, but soemtimes it is longer or shorter, but mentally alsway the same thoughts and routine

[mberube]

What is you mental and physical routine?

I have a physical routine: First I make sure of the distance I need to hit. When that is done the distance is decided and I’m committed to it. I select the appropriate club for that distance and I take the lie in consideration. I take one or two practice swings over the ball at a very smooth pace and in balance. I backup behind the ball. Grip the club. I use the shaft to pick a straight line from the ball to my target. Pick a spot a few inches in front of my ball and then set up to it using that spot to line-up. I look at my target once and then back to my ball. Then I pull the trigger thinking of my very small target.

I don’t have a mental routing and I have no clue what that would be…. The only thing I have in my head is tempo tempo tempo.

[pvs1313]

for me is is mental thoughts.

Think of my arm speed on take awaay, then on the space between my right elbow and ribs, and then "slow and steady" I then set up and take 2 deep breatsh, visualize target and one slow breath in and then swing.

my physical routine varies a nit still but main part is to set up behind the ball, one step to the left side, and grip the club in ledt hand while holding it out front and up in the air with right habnd.

I trhen step to my stance, place club in poisition, and take my right hand grip, littlew waglle and then the breathing

this just helps me to focus

from what i can tell, you can have any routine, just try to make it routine, this takes away a lot os bad thoughts and gives me soemthign to focus ondurring each and every shot

for now i am still working on getting it to be "routine" as sometimes i rush my self and forget about it and then i certainly notice a poor shot results

as well i have a specific reoutine for putting

this is were i will line oup my put, athen take my satnce 2 inches from where i wanrt to be, 3 practices strokes for feel, step in and place the putter, then stand up and look once at line again, then settle , and here i always adjust my shorts, and then the same 2 breaths and putt

[mberube]

I try and want to block out any mechanical thoughts during a round. Tempo and rhythm is the only thing I think of. Technical thoughts like yours during a practice is a killer for me.

Putting: I have a black line on my ball. I line up the line to where I want to start it. One practice swing while looking at the hole. Set-up, look at the hole, look at the spot where the line starts on my ball and pull the trigger.

[pvs1313]

i need to think of somethign technical, otherwise i stray tro thinking about the after shot, and that is not what i want, this keeps me focused in the here and now mostly

[Hacker]

I'd be mentally exhausted if I went through all of that.........I'm not dissing routines as I certainly see their benefit, but pvs sure has a detailed one.........maybe it just sounds long when it is written out

[mberube]

It does not take long. Only a few seconds. It keeps bad thoughts out. Sometimes!!!

[Hacker]

It does not take long. Only a few seconds. It keeps bad thoughts out. Sometimes!!!

I really like your approach of NOT thinking technical thoughts............if only I could do that life on the golf course would be sooooo much better.

[mberube]

I was a very mechanical golfer until I started believing in my swing. Since then I do my routine and execute the shot. I’m a better player since.

[jeffc]

I think little about anything mechanical as well and really just swing the club. there is a bit of a routine to grip, alignment, take my stance, etc. but once I address the ball I set the hands and then think about tempo and then swing the club.

for chipping, my only thought is to accellerate through the chip.

for putting I get aligned properly. Once I have done that the only thing I think about is speed.

[mberube]

Chipping: I pick a spot on the green where I want the ball to land. For selecting the spot I try to estimate how it will release. Then I forget about everything including the pin and what I need to carry to get to that spot. The landing area is all I’m seeing and thinking. No mechanical thoughts. Just like if there was a bucket at the spot. My only goal is to land the ball in the “bucket”. From there I have done what I can. It works great.

[pvs1313]

it does sound long when written out
but for me all that takes about 20-25 seconds per shot really, maybe even a little less

and tgrying to make it routine and the same for each is what then makes it ewasier to make the shot you want

I'd be mentally exhausted if I went through all of that.........I'm not dissing routines as I certainly see their benefit, but pvs sure has a detailed one.........maybe it just sounds long when it is written out

[K D]

My routine is try to get a read on the green, pick out a spot to hit towards, take a few practice swings to guess how strongly or softly to swing, and then let fly. Gotta keep focused on the game though, cause random thoughts always result in a push or a pull.