what is your golf routine, superstition or lucky charm?

[sillywilly]

1. Routine - something you do before every shot (good or bad)
2. Something you do because you feel you will not play well if you don't (not the same as routine.. something that actually shouldn't make a dif if you do or don't do)
3. Lucky ball marker? Lucky tee? Lucky ball???


ME??

1. I stand behind my ball, stand square to where I want to hit my ball. I then take one really slow swing there while my FC takes his shot. Then I put my club down square to where I want to hit the ball, set my feet and take two swings. The whole time I'm humming to keep me relaxed. THEN i take my swing

2. See above, before I hit the ball I pull my left sleeve up from the seem exposing more of my arm. Don't know why I do this but I can't play without doing it now.

3. I have no lucky charms as of yet but I do want one. Maybe a lucky ball marker? I'm not sure what to you or how I'm going to find something that is lucky for me but maybe after hearing some stories I will figure out how to pick one for myself?

[golfisforfun]

Have not tied my golf shoes in 3 full seasons...

I take no practice swings during a round. (except when chipping...)

[smithers40]

I line up...step back...practise swing... step back up...tug on my right sleeve like u said...then one quick look up...smack away!

I always use an american quarter from the year 1969.(still workin on breaking 70 in tourny...reason for 69) always mark the ball between the 2 eagle wings. I also have a little stress bag thing that i give a squeeze before each round. Then there is also the golf ball marking but we wont even go into that!!

god after reading that im weird

[sillywilly]

Then there is also the golf ball marking but we wont even go into that!!

god after reading that im weird

Please continue... can't be as crazy as what I'm doing...

I have two friends who are very artistic and I'm getting both of them to pick up a dozen golf balls for me from golftown. I'm getting them to draw designs on them. Every ball must have a solid line aroud the middle for putting and then each one of them can pretty much design the rest of the ball however they want. I want each one of them to do one INDIAN ball. When an india girl get married they get Mendhi put on their hands (brown stuff that stains the skin) and when they wash it off the pattern is on their hands for a month or so. I want that pattern on one of my golf balls Both girls are very artistic... can't wait to see what they do to my balls

[jonf]

On most shots, my routine is to step up beside the ball, take a look at the target, take a practise swing, then have another look at the target, set up to the ball, look at the target and move the head around a bit until I feel comfortable (no Sergio waggle...just a couple of adjustments). Then, once I'm comfortable, I take one last look at the target, and fire away.

As for putting, here I have a more defined routine. Read the putt. Once I'm comfortable with the read, I stand about 10 feet behind the ball, facing the hole, and take 3 practise swings will looking at the line/hole. Once that's done, I walk up to my ball, and twirl my putter counter-clockwise with my right hand one time. I then take one more practise stroke right beside my ball (this time looking at the ball), then fire away.

[smithers40]

well silly for my ball im just VERY picky when it comes to how i mark them...Ill usually grab 2 dozen before a tourny...ill mark them all up with what i put on them (line, initials on my family on each corner of the titleist logo) If i make a little fudge on one of them i wont use it for the tourny ill jus throw it aside and use it for regular rounds. my line consists of 2 colours...1 colour on the PROV1 thing and then another colour to go out either side...its not crazy as much as im just real picky.

[sillywilly]

its not crazy as much as im just real picky.

nah, thats nothing. Making someone draw on a ball for you for 30min is nuts

I like the double color thing.. maybe I will try that but don't you use the link to putt with??? with the double color mess you up??? Or do you not line up your putts with the line on teh ball?

[PEI Golfing]

Both girls are very artistic... can't wait to see what they do to my balls

That was just too easy.................

[smithers40]

it doesn't screw me up...its all the same line just diff colours!! yeh i would never make someone spend time on my golf ball...specially for tournies!! i use em for 3 holes and they are ditched!!

[sillywilly]

That was just too easy.................

I always leave a little something for indio in my posts.. looks like oyu beat him to it LOL

[PEI Golfing]

I have been practicing J.B. Holmes preshot routine............
Think I will give it a try this year.

(i) Stand behind ball and make 5 practice swings
(ii) Step forward as if to address the ball........stop and step back
(iii) Still behind the ball make another 5 practice swings
(iv) Take one step forward..........Stop one more time and step back
(v) Make one final practice swing and then step forward to address the ball
(vi) Proceed to hit the ball 360 yards..........

I may not be able hit the ball 360 yds, but I will sure as heck frustrate my skins opponents with 11 practice swings before every shot...............

[PEI Golfing]

I always leave a little something for indio in my posts.. looks like oyu beat him to it LOL

Yeah I think Indio must have been the script writer for those 1960s British Comedy "Carry On" movies which specialized in "double entendres".............but starting to think it might have been you................

[sillywilly]

Yeah I think Indio must have been the script writer for those 1960s British Comedy "Carry On" movies which specialized in "double entendres".............but starting to think it might have been you................

I think indio and I, together, could write a great script for will ferrel

[Baxter]

The big question..DO you think it helps??? or just scared not to do it. You know what I mean...

[sillywilly]

tugging the left sleeve for my shirt doesn't help for my swing but it makes me relax more and gives me more confidence when swinging so in that sense it works

[jsttaylor]

I used to think some of my preshot routine was maybe a little too long. It's really not that long but after reading some of this stuff, man I am so normal. LOL.

[Indio]

I walk up behind the ball, take a last puff of my smoke, take a quick sip of my 'drink', hit the ball (I never take a practice swing), walk the 120 yards to my ball and do it over again. I do this between 75 and 95 times each round so I guess you can call it a routine

Oh ya, and I use my favorite casino 'hubcap' slot coin for a ball marker

[Kilroy]

A couple of superstitions;

• Never say "shank" on the course. "One eyed hozzel rocket" or calling it the "'S word" is acceptable.
• I won't putt into an occupied hole so go get your damn ball please.
• I won't wear my "St Duffer's" golf shirt to the course anymore.
• Agent 99 likes me to wear a red shirt when I play on Sunday.
• Say NO to mpare's presses, double for birdies etc.

[jeffc]

no superstitions here. my pre shot routine is fairly consistent, though not exact every time.

[larry]

Won't use a ball with a 3 on it.

[sillywilly]

A couple of superstitions;

• Agent 99 likes me to wear a red shirt when I play on Sunday.

So cute, you are her tiger LOL

[Kilroy]

Growl for me... let me know you still care.

[Indio]

So cute, you are her tiger LOL

Actually I think he is her 'Tigger'

[sharkshooter]

On most shots, my routine is to step up beside the ball, take a look at the target, take a practise swing, then have another look at the target, set up to the ball, look at the target and move the head around a bit until I feel comfortable (no Sergio waggle...just a couple of adjustments). Then, once I'm comfortable, I take one last look at the target, and fire away.

...

That sounds more like foreplay than a pre-shot routine.

[Section Thirty One]

I have my basic routine, but it's nothing special. (and neither is my swing )

I do however have one superstition, and that is to always use one of the "poppy" quarters as my ball marker on the green.

[Kiwi]

Grip the club, raise it in front of me to make sure lines pointing straight up;
Step up to ball, align feet to target line and ball just forward of centre;
Semi back swing, keeping left arm straight, back to waist level;
Check club face, insure club face/lines perpindicular to ground, toe pointing straight up;
Return club to back of ball, look at target, begin swing...

Last year I was using the line I mark on the ball for putting as an alignment for the tee as well. This year I will try the pro option of picking a target about a foot or so in front of my ball to aim at. I always felt that the line helped but as the year went on I began to notice the difference between lining it up from behind and what I saw from the side, and it kind of raised doubts about the alighment in my head.

[mberube]

-Make a couple of slow practice swings while visualizing the ball flight.
-From behind the ball I grip the club, the clubface head high making sure the face points up and square.
-With the shaft I make a straight line from the ball to the target and I pick a spot 2-3 feet in front of the ball in line to the target.
-Step into the ball, align the clubface to the spot I picked earlier, set right foot then left.
-Completely ignore the target.
-Visualize the shot and pull the trigger.

[Golfbum]

I have been practicing J.B. Holmes preshot routine............
Think I will give it a try this year.

(i) Stand behind ball and make 5 practice swings
(ii) Step forward as if to address the ball........stop and step back
(iii) Still behind the ball make another 5 practice swings
(iv) Take one step forward..........Stop one more time and step back
(v) Make one final practice swing and then step forward to address the ball
(vi) Proceed to hit the ball 360 yards..........

I may not be able hit the ball 360 yds, but I will sure as heck frustrate my skins opponents with 11 practice swings before every shot...............

Thank God I do not have to golf behind you

Sillywilly, you just pull your sleeve up because Woods does it and you are a WANNA BE

Indio has the best routine I have read in this thread so far! Atta Boy Bob, play fast, have fun and don't hold anyone up behind you! Who cares if you hit it 120 yards each time as long as you get to your ball quickly and do not waste others time

I usually take a couple of swings, and then pull the trigger. I find if I waste too much time thinking about a shot I usually mess it up. The less thoughts that go through my brain the better

On the greens I rarely walk around much. I check my line from behind. line it up and pull the trigger.

I hate slow play, I like to get around the course as quickly as possible. I find I play better when I play quicker.

[kerisb]

Ok well I agree with the sleeve thing cus I prefer sleeveless shirts, otherwise the right arm sleeve bothers me when I swing always seems I am pulling it up. Other than that I just clear my head of all the preshot routine things. I will take one practice swing and if it felt good I hit the ball next, if it didn't feel good then I adjust myself and take another practice swing. Other than that any kind of long preshot routine drives me crazy!! Prefer no time to start thinking about all the things that I should be doing, cus what I start thinking about is what I could be doing wrong. Oh yeah and I prefer a pinnacle golf long distance ball on the tee box after the tee box it doesn't matter so much what kind of pinnacle I use just has to be a gold long distance off the tee. Basically the only thing I tell myself it decide on the shot and then commit to it. Also for some reason I have to tell myself to sweep through the ball, if I forget that step then for some reason things go wrong!!

[Indio]

Now that is a long explanation for someone who says just clear my head of thoughts