What's Your Pre-Shot Routine?

[jamo]

I am doing much better about removing the "don't" thoughts. Don't slice, look up, keep weight on right foot, hit fat, hit thin, and so on. Grab, aim, and slowly let it rip has worked wonders so far...

 

That's like what caddies do, they say where to hit it not where not to hit it.

[JohnBarry]

I take 2, evenly paced practice swings, mainly to find the "bottom" of my swing and assure I am aligned correctly, so I can adjust. I hate long pre-shot routines, throws me off.

[GolfSpy Dave]

That sounds almost exactly like what I do, plus one swing, and it doesn't need to take long at all.

 

One place I see a lot of people get "stuck" is after they set the club behind the ball and step in. Seems like they get there and are frozen with swing thoughts.

I have done this. Finally I have gotten in the habit of walking away from the ball, regrouping, then hitting. If I just stay over it and hit, the results are a disaster...

[Matt Saternus]

I have done this. Finally I have gotten in the habit of walking away from the ball, regrouping, then hitting. If I just stay over it and hit, the results are a disaster...

 

Being able to walk away from a shot is a tremendous discipline that I'm trying to develop. There's a lot of social pressure to just hit the ball already, but as you said, if you're not comfortable and you get "stuck," the result is going to be a mess. I feel like, ultimately, I save time by stepping off and hitting a good shot versus having to hit two quick bad ones.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Being able to walk away from a shot is a tremendous discipline that I'm trying to develop. There's a lot of social pressure to just hit the ball already, but as you said, if you're not comfortable and you get "stuck," the result is going to be a mess. I feel like, ultimately, I save time by stepping off and hitting a good shot versus having to hit two quick bad ones.

Hadn't thought about the 1 good vs. 2 bad time factor

I am using that when my buddies give me grief for readdressing

I will still say "Come on Sergio" to them when necessary though

[jamo]

That sounds almost exactly like what I do, plus one swing, and it doesn't need to take long at all.

 

One place I see a lot of people get "stuck" is after they set the club behind the ball and step in. Seems like they get there and are frozen with swing thoughts.

 

I see that a lot in putting, and it is probably more detrimental to putting than almost everything.

[Matt Saternus]

I see that a lot in putting, and it is probably more detrimental to putting than almost everything.

 

Really? That's interesting, I see it more with full shots, especially driver. I think that thinking is probably equally detrimental to all shots.

 

"Don't think, Meat. When you think, you hurt the ballclub."

[GolfSpy Dave]

Putting seems like people take forever to line it up and then rush through the stroke, missing out of haste.

[buttmuncher]

I play very quickly. I just take one practice swing behind the ball, check my alignment, and hit my shot. Pretty much the same regardless of what type of shot I'm hitting.

[Addicted2Golf]

I always tell my students to think as little as possible over the ball, most of the time they tell me that they think about not thinking, but if they can get to that point they usually have pretty solid results. I know that I hit some awful shots when I start with even one swing thought in my head.

 

I'm not to the point where the golf swing is so second nature that the act can be performed without any conscious thought. But, I do try to limit my swing thoughts to one or two at the most.

[Addicted2Golf]

Here is a question. Do you guys hover the club slightly above or ground the club at address behind the ball? I usually ground the club, but I'm curious what others do...

[Matt Saternus]

Here is a question. Do you guys hover the club slightly above or ground the club at address behind the ball? I usually ground the club, but I'm curious what others do...

 

I'm a grounder. My dad, from time to time, gets the notion that he should hover the club. After 10 or 15 skulled shots, he goes back to grounding it. My dad aside, I appreciate the idea of not letting yourself freeze up with the club on the ground, and also possibly avoid penalty strokes if the ball moves, I just don't do it.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Briefly ground it, I think. Will have to check.

[Addicted2Golf]

Briefly ground it, I think. Will have to check.

 

LOL. You don't know?

[GolfSpy Dave]

LOL. You don't know?

I think that I ground it, but for some reason I think that the club is off the ground just a little. Never paid attention.

thanks, now I have one more GD swing thought

[Addicted2Golf]

I think that I ground it, but for some reason I think that the club is off the ground just a little. Never paid attention.

thanks, now I have one more GD swing thought

 

No problem... what are friends for? BTW, once you hover, you might want to add a couple of waggles too.

[Dave]

Mine takes about 14 seconds. 1 practice semi swing, align clubhead, align feet to the line, stance, look at the target, pull the trigger. If I'm over the ball longer than that, the odds increase that I will do something dumb. Fairly common occurance today....

[jamo]

Here is a question. Do you guys hover the club slightly above or ground the club at address behind the ball? I usually ground the club, but I'm curious what others do...

 

I ground the club, I don't like the hovering encourages me to lift the club too much.

[lmh3]

I ground the club at address, unless it is an odd condition that grounding the club may cause the ball to move, or in a hazard (obviously).

[GolfSpy Dave]

No problem... what are friends for? BTW, once you hover, you might want to add a couple of waggles too.

Thanks for the tip. Maybe add a little regripping and looking at the hole a couple of more times?

[Matt Saternus]

Thanks for the tip. Maybe add a little regripping and looking at the hole a couple of more times?

 

Call for time, step off, readjust the gloves, check the wind...

[jamo]

Call for time, step off, readjust the gloves, check the wind...

 

Go all Nomar Garciaparra on those gloves if you have to.

[GolfSpy Dave]

Call for time, step off, readjust the gloves, check the wind...

adjust package, spit tobacky...

[NGage]

Just add some Sergio style regripping and a long pause for visualization and you'd be Ben Crane..

 

It's not so bad, I do some of it while other's are hitting or getting ready. I play "you're away-ready golf".

[GolfGurl]

Your routine echoes my own.

 

Only one thing to add.... figuring out which club to use, especially on chip shots... practicing a new process... same stroke for all chip shots but change the club depending on distance from ball to hole... taking the time to choose the right club is now a part of my chip routine.

 

What is your pre-shot routine for a full swing, a short game shot, or a putt? Why? What other routines/parts of a routine have you tried and discarded?

 

My routines

 

Full shot: get behind the ball, use the club to draw a line from the ball to the target and pick a spot a few inches in front of the ball to allign with. Allign the club face, then my feet. Look at the target, take a full practice swing, envision the result, then step in and swing.

 

Short game: Same alignment process, put after that I take some practice swings looking at the hole to get a feel for the shot. Visualize, step in, hit it.

 

Putting: Same alignment, 1-2 practice strokes looking at the cup, then visualize, step in and go.

[mainuh]

With every club I stand behind my line and pick a spot just in front of the ball to aim at. I take a practice swing or two, and step up and swing away.

 

Jamo - about the identical setup. Step behind the ball, pick / visualize where I want the ball to go, dbl. check my feet alignment, take a swing or two - step up and hope that my real swing is as good as my practice -

 

rob

[Nasty Canasta]

When I drive or with my iron shots my feet are always moving up and down with my club. When my feet settle my club still moves and then settles and then "WHACK". I do not like to think about my swing and that works for me. (No practice swings).

 

When putting I take probably too much time. I am studying and trying to make sure that I get it to the spot on the green I want it to reach. I take a couple of looks and practice strokes and hope for the best. Again, I do not like to think about to much when swinging.

[Addicted2Golf]

What is your pre-shot routine for a full swing, a short game shot, or a putt? Why? What other routines/parts of a routine have you tried and discarded?

 

My routines

 

Full shot: get behind the ball, use the club to draw a line from the ball to the target and pick a spot a few inches in front of the ball to allign with. Allign the club face, then my feet. Look at the target, take a full practice swing, envision the result, then step in and swing.

 

Short game: Same alignment process, put after that I take some practice swings looking at the hole to get a feel for the shot. Visualize, step in, hit it.

 

Putting: Same alignment, 1-2 practice strokes looking at the cup, then visualize, step in and go.

 

Matt, you forgot your post shot routine...

 

Matt's Post Shot Routine - the Reenactment

[Matt Saternus]

That's one of those things that never stops being funny to me.

 

The post-shot routine with my irons was more like, "F&^%!" "G&^DA(&^!" "S*& of a B(*&$".

[Addicted2Golf]

That's one of those things that never stops being funny to me.

 

The post-shot routine with my irons was more like, "F&^%!" "G&^DA(&^!" "S*& of a B(*&$".

 

Well, I didn't hear much of that. I was too busy pitching out from the woods on the other side of the fairway...