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Why the Pre-Shot Routine Matters (from a Tour Pro)


Pre-Shot Routine  

18 members have voted

  1. 1. Do you have AND use a pre-shot routine?

    • Always.
      14
    • Never.
      1
    • Sometimes.
      3


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While doing some research on the Whoop fitness band, I decided to take a listen to the Whoop podcast. Specifically, I listened to an interview with Scott Stallings (Season 1, Episode 30. Posted July 8, 2019). There's a lot of interesting information in the podcast both about Scott and about Whoop, but I wanted to share something with my fellow spies that I thought was of particular interest.

Towards the end of the podcast, the interviewer (Will Ahmed) asks Scott about how he mentally approaches each shot on the golf course. I've transcribed some of the conversation below:

Will: "...will you ever like try to hit the reset button too, when you're on the golf course?"

Scott: "Every single shot... the one shot cannot effect the next."

Will: "What if your last shot's a great one though? That's not gonna make you feel good? Are you gonna reset?"

Scott: "You definitely feel good, but like just because I hit a good one on the last one doesn't give me the right not to go through my routine; not to pick a shot; not to pick a club."

Will: "So your point is to make sure you're going through that routine every time?"

Scott: "Yeah, try to re-create good habits... Just 'cause you had a PR deadlift doesn't mean the very next time you're just going to start there. You're gonna reset. You're gonna warmup. You're gonna get your body ready. You're not just gonna go to that... you know, start ripping 405 off the ground."

 

I realize many of you may already have a pre-shot routine and are religious about it, but I also know (from previous personal experience) that many of you may not. We often hear that we should approach every round one-golf-shot-at-a-time, but we often fail at doing so. I really liked hearing Scott break it down; especially since he was explaining it to someone with a seemingly very low golf IQ. Just some food for thought. 🙂 

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
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Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
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Ball: Maxfli Tour

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I always have the same routine - place ball on tee, back up to make sure aim point is ok, exactly two practice swings, and address. Last night, I started to address the ball after only one swing and I had to stop and do a second swing.

Driver:  :callaway-small:Epic Speed 9* (set -1) MMT 70X
3W:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES
3H, 4H: :bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR 19*, 23* Recoil 780ES
4-AW:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105
SW: :cleveland-small: RTX Zipcore Black Satin 54*
LW:Sub70: TAIII Black 58*
Putter:ping-small: Scottsdale TR Senita
Bag: BigMax Dri Active Lite
Ball:taylormade-small: TP5x or :titleist-small: AVX (yellow)
Pushcart: BigMax iQ+

Testing Complete, Final Review PostedSub70 TAIII Forged Wedges

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I think @MaxEntropy copied mine. Tee up the ball, get behind ball for aim point, take 2 practice swings and address the ball...then proceed to hit it nowhere near my aim point. The last bit's all mine. 😄

In the bag:
Driver: :titelist-small: TSR2 Project X HZRDUS Black 5.5
Fairway: :callaway-small: Apex UW 19° & 21° Project X HZRDUS Smoke RDX Black 5.5

Irons: :mizuno-small: JPX 923 HMP 5-PW UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Wedges: :mizuno-small: T-22 Denim Copper 48°, 52° & 56° UST Mamiya Recoil 95 F4
Putter :Sub70: Sycamore 005 Wide Blade
Bag: 
:Ogio: Alpha Convoy 514
Balls: :callaway-small: Chrome Soft X

Cart: :CaddyTek: CaddyLite ONE Ver. 8


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There’s having a pre shot routine to have one and then there’s having an effective pre shot routine

many ams take practice swings to take a swing and get loose with no objective to the swing. Where pros practice swing has a purpose which is usually to get a feel for the shot they are trying to execute and these a bunch who don’t even take an actual swing as their pre shot.

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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1 hour ago, RickyBobby_PR said:

Where pros practice swing has a purpose which is usually to get a feel for the shot they are trying to execute and these a bunch who don’t even take an actual swing as their pre shot.

Since I generally suck at golf, most of the time my practice swings are trying to remind myself of decent tempo. Occasionally, when I put a bad swing on the previous shot and happen to know (or think I know) what I did, it may be focused on that.

Driver:  :callaway-small:Epic Speed 9* (set -1) MMT 70X
3W:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR Recoil 760ES
3H, 4H: :bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR 19*, 23* Recoil 780ES
4-AW:bridgestone-small: Tour B JGR HF2 Modus3 Tour 105
SW: :cleveland-small: RTX Zipcore Black Satin 54*
LW:Sub70: TAIII Black 58*
Putter:ping-small: Scottsdale TR Senita
Bag: BigMax Dri Active Lite
Ball:taylormade-small: TP5x or :titleist-small: AVX (yellow)
Pushcart: BigMax iQ+

Testing Complete, Final Review PostedSub70 TAIII Forged Wedges

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16 hours ago, MaxEntropy said:

Since I generally suck at golf, most of the time my practice swings are trying to remind myself of decent tempo. Occasionally, when I put a bad swing on the previous shot and happen to know (or think I know) what I did, it may be focused on that.

Tempo issues for many come from bad sequencing. 

As for the previous shot and using what went wrong on that shot as part of your pre shot routine for the next shot imo doesn’t make sense. If you previous shot was your tee shot and you hit a pull hook then you get to your next shot and it’s a ball below the feet that’s a completely different shot and to an extent a different swing, so trying to fix a pull hook from what was a relatively flat lie while attempting to hit a shot from an awkward stance isn’t going to help. This is where having a pre shot routine that involves the feel for the shot you have helps. Part of the routine can be the same as how many waggles, how many times you check your target or intermediate target, what you do to get the feel. Think of Rickie who takes the club back to a certain point to get the feel then resets the club and goes.

Driver: PXG 0811 X+ Proto w/UST Helium 5F4

Wood: TaylorMade M5 5W w/Accra TZ5 +1/2”, TaylorMade Sim 3W w/Aldila rogue white

Hybrid: PXG Gen2 22* w/AD hybrid

Irons: PXG Gen3 0311T w/Nippon modus 120

Wedges: TaylorMade MG2 50*, Tiger grind 56/60

Putter: Scotty Caemeron Super Rat1

Ball: Titleist Prov1

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On 8/28/2019 at 11:23 AM, TR1PTIK said:

..about how [a pro] mentally approaches each shot on the golf course...

Great post; gonna look up that interview!

So, other than the term itself, I knew *nothing* about the mental game. But I knew that it was something that I would have to learn about in order to improve my - let's call it - technical game; so back in January I'd attended a two day clinic (given by David Mackenzie of Golf State Of Mind -- I very, very strongly recommend him!).

At first I didn't get it. There was a lot of talk of "process".. and I only half-joked with David that to me it was a dirty word, having worked in the investment industry where "process" meant too many meetings and calls and not enough actual _doing_...

Without diving into details, and apropos to @RickyBobby_PR and @MaxEntropy posts above, there is a distinction between:

1. technical planning of the shot

vs

2. mental rehearsal / preparation for the next shot

To me, #1 comprises things like shot + club selection based on distance, (trajectory and shot shape for advanced players), elevation changes, wind, upcoming hazards, etc etc. - much of which can be tentatively planned before you get to the shot .. on your way to the ball.

For #2 the mental coaches talk about things like... "Connect with the intention of the shot" or "Recall the memory .. the sound and feel .. of a good shot with the club in your hand" ... ie. visualization and mental prep for that next shot. 

They also make a distinction between practice swings - eg. loosening up, getting a rhythm/tempo - vs. rehearsal swings where .. subsequent to your pre-shot planning .. you're now "dry" executing that specific shot at hand. 

Once I started to understand some of that - my game started to improve!

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

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On 8/28/2019 at 6:40 PM, RickyBobby_PR said:

There’s having a pre shot routine to have one and then there’s having an effective pre shot routine

many ams take practice swings to take a swing and get loose with no objective to the swing. Where pros practice swing has a purpose which is usually to get a feel for the shot they are trying to execute and these a bunch who don’t even take an actual swing as their pre shot.

The key word here is effective. I watch some guys on the tee acting like they're Jason Day and haven't got a clue what they are doing the routine for. They take 30 seconds then top the ball 20 yds and then it starts all over again.

For me it is all abut get a consistent set up

1. Club selection including target

2. Grip check

3. One practise swing 

4. stance and body alignment

5. I address the ball and do a mini take away to ensure my weight is transferring 

6. Tempo, bang

Time less than 10 secs.

Personally I think we can over think, especially at my level!

 

WIMB

Driver Callaway Epic 10.5' Fujikura Stiff

3W Callaway Epic 15' Fujikura Stiff

3-AW Srixon Z565 Nippon Stiff

52', 56' Cleveland RTX 585 Wedges

Putter Taylormade Rosa Daytona

Bags 2017 Callaway Org14 Cart bag or 2018 Srixon Z start Carry bag 

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On 8/30/2019 at 2:03 PM, Alf. S said:

 

The key word here is effective. I watch some guys on the tee acting like they're Jason Day and haven't got a clue what they are doing the routine for. They take 30 seconds then top the ball 20 yds and then it starts all over again.

 

I don't disagree with the premise of your statement - I've seen those guys too, but I will note that appearances aren't always what they seem. I've been that "that guy" before. 

I'd say it happened 3-4 years ago, but I was once paired with a threesome I did not know. I had recently began studying some of the mental aspects of the game and had developed a fairly solid pre-shot routine. Off the first tee, a grounder to the left. Second shot, never left the ground. Third shot, more of the same. I don't think it was until sometime around the 4th or 5th hole that I started to make solid contact with the golf ball. I don't know why I was off so bad, but I stuck to my routine on every shot and turned what should have been a score of 100+ into an 87 or 89 (some sub-90 score like that). I was only 2 strokes behind the best score in the group, and had one of the guys approach me afterward and remark how impressed he was with the way I stuck to my routine and turned things around.

To this day I know when things start off poorly, I can always salvage a round by simply sticking to my routine.

Driver: :mizuno-small: ST190 9.5* Fujikura Atmos Blue 5S
Fairway Wood: :mizuno-small: ST190 15* Fujikura Atmos Blue 6S
Hybrid: :mizuno-small: CLK 17* Fujikura Speeder EVO HB
Irons: :bridgestone-small: J40 CB (3-PW) Dynamic Gold Tour Issue X100
Wedges: :taylormade-small: Milled Grind 2 54* & 58* Dynamic Gold S200
Putter: :odyssey-small: Tri-Hot 5k Two 34"
Bag: :titleist-small: Players 5 Stand Bag
Ball: Maxfli Tour

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1 hour ago, TR1PTIK said:

To this day I know when things start off poorly, I can always salvage a round by simply sticking to my routine.

Nice! That's good mental discipline.

I'm getting better at staying patient - and calm! - during a round (despite slow play, maintenance crew or other distractions, etc.) and applying my pre-shot routine to each and every shot (without delaying the overall pace of the group).

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

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These are some great posts in this thread. Pre shot routine will save you shots without a doubt. The pre shot routine needs to be the same each time. Mike Bender has a great book about the eight second pre shot routine. The pre shot routine helps me eliminate fear and second guessing. I always likened it to free throws in basketball. Back in the day....it would be the same for each free throw....three bounces of the ball....give it a little spin in my hands...and go. I feel the more robotic you are in this pre shot routine....the more it can save you because it becomes something more automatic and you just let your body take over the swing instead of overthinking the shot and your mechanics. I feel this routine is especially helpful when the pressure is turned up a notch. 

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Right Handed. 

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My prr-shot routine isn't good. Definitely something I need to work on. I usually get up there... Soon the club head and let it go. Really fire. Need to establish something a little more concrete.

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Driver:  :ping-small: G400 (8*) with Diamana Kai'li X-stiff

Fairway:   :ping-small: G400 (14.5*) with Diamana Kai'li X-stiff

Irons: :ping-small: Crossover 3 iron (19*) with TT Dynamic Gold 120 S400 shaft

            :titelist-small: AP3 (4/5) and AP2 (6-PW) with TT Dynamic Gold 120 S400 shafts

Wedges: Scor 50*, 54*, and 58* with TT Dynamic Gold 120 S400 shafts

Putter:  :cameron-small: Pro Platinum Newport 2 Midslant

Handicap: 3

Location: Illinois...until i can get my wife to move to a warmer climate

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One addition to the pre-shot should be “commitment”. If you aren’t committed to the shot you have chosen it is likely destined to fail, regardless of the physical part of the routine. The confidence in your decision and visualization can help take away some of the negative thoughts that go through your mind. If your only thought when going through your routine is, “Don’t hit it in the bunker.” 9 times out of 10 you will be going straight at the bunker.


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WITB:
pxg-small.jpg 0811 Prototype Driver: (10.5 / s-flex)
image.png.cb4b01bb138fdc7ddf4f5e9396a76d82.png   Sub 70 Pro Tour Fairway 3W (15 / s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0341 Prototype, 5W (18, s-flex)
pxg-small.jpg 0311, 4-PW, (+1/2" / +2 up) ProjX LZ 6.0
pxg-small.jpg 0311 wedges, 52, 56, 60 degree
TommyArmour.jpg.d3c9da7d74a401e95b625f92af834200.jpg Impact No.3, Putter 35"

Dexterity: Right-handed

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20 minutes ago, Tap In said:

One addition to the pre-shot should be “commitment”.  [my emphasis added]

Great point!! Good follow-up post.

I'm learning that a good visualization .. followed by a solid commitment to that intended shot .. can increase your chance of good shot execution.

 

20 minutes ago, Tap In said:

If you aren’t committed to the shot you have chosen it is likely destined to fail, regardless of the physical part of the routine.

Yep ..... learning that, too...!

WITB of an "aspiring"  😉 play-ah ...
Driver...Callaway Paradym (Aldila Ascent PL Blue 40/A)
5W...Callaway Great Big Bertha (MCA Kai'Li Red 50/R)
7W...Tour Edge Exotics EXS (Tensei CK Blue 50/R)

4H...Callaway Epic Super Hybrid (Recoil ZT9 F3)
5H...Callaway Big Bertha ('19) (Recoil 460 ESX F3)
6i-GW...Sub 70 699 V2 (Recoil 660 F3) 
54°, 60°...Cleveland CBX2, CBX 60 (Rotex graphite)
Putter...Ev
nRoll ER5 or MLA Tour XDream (P2 Reflex grip on both)
...all in a Datrek bag on an MGI Zip Navigator electric cart. Ball often, not always, MaxFli Tour.

Forum Member tester for the Paradym X driver (2023)
Forum Member tester for the ExPutt Putting Simulator (2020)

followthrough.jpg

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