Your Pre-Shot Routine

So, what's your preshot routine before you hit every shot?

Me:

Tee: Stand behind the ball and look where I want to hit it. Step up, take one practice swing, and waggle a few times. Make sure my feet are comfortable. Look up one more time, then hit.

Fairway: One practice swing, step up to the ball, and swing. Not near as much time as my drives.

Green: Get as far away behind my ball (or in front) as I can, crouch down to read the break. One practice stroke, step up to the ball. Look up once, then putt.

My pre-shot routine is:

1) decide what club to hit and how to hit it. straight, fade, high or low.
2) with the club in my right hand stand behind the ball and draw a line with my club between the ball and the target.
3) walk closer to the ball from behind and place my club down behind the ball
4) walk around the ball with the club still behind the ball and reposition the club perpendicular to the target.
5) I check my feet position and place them parallal with the target line.
6) my right hand is already on the club and I place my left hand on the club making sure it is not too strong a grip.
7) I take a practice backswing making sure my right elbow is tuck against my side.
8) I check my distance to the ball and make sure my hands are hanging freely.
9) I start my backswing with a smooth tempo
10) I repeat the above each time I hit my irons or driver.

I have a routine for my putting also that I alway use even on short putts.

Drive:

Stand behind the ball
Align the driver first to the ball to aim, with my feet together
Spread my feet
Practise swing
hit

Irons:

decide where i want the ball to go
step up
hit

I like to do 1 little waggle like mike weir, then i just hit the ball.

Stand behind the ball and visualize the shot. If Im on the tee box I take 1 practice swing.
Then I set up the the ball, waggle the club once and I hit my shot.

The two most important things, IMO, are to:

(1) Focus on the smallest possible target and keep that mental picture in your head (instead of the trees, bunkers, etc.)
(2) Be TOTALLY COMMITTED to the shot by the time you step into the ball to take your stance.

The point of a pre-shot routine, I believe, is not mechanical as much as it is mental, so it's important that the rhythm of your routine helps you to focus on your target and clear your head of everything else.

Tee/Fairway

Standing behind the ball I visualize the type of shot I'm trying to hit, then take two practice swings promoting that shot.

Walk a half moon, while flipping the club twice on the way in my left hand. Ground my club selecting my finish line, select my starting target and set my feet.

Make sure my hands and arms are as loose as possible, waggle a few times... But I always key my swing w/ a deep breath.

Green:

I usually read my putts from the front first and if it's a tricky putt, I'll take a little longer while reading it.

Once I get my line, I'll put my ball down w/ the little line pointing on the line of my putt... Step behind the ball about 5 feet, and take 3 practice strokes for speed. Half moon to the ball flipping my club, take 2 more practice strokes for speed next to ball... Step up, two looks at the cup/target, big deep breath and go.

Pretty much same as everyone else as posted but I'll take as many practice swings (2-3) as I need to get the rhythm I want and then take my shot; very important for the clubs I happen to be struggling with.

Tee:

Stand behind the with the club in my right hand, pick out my target, visualize my shot, take two practice swings facing perpendicular to the target, walk up to the ball while looking at the target, look down at the ball, waggle, look at my target, waggle/set my feet/ address the ball, look at the target, look at the ball, count to three in my head and then hit the shot.

^^^ I know that seems like it takes a long time but trust me it really doesn't

Fairway:

Pick out my target while standing behind the ball with the club in my right hand, visualize the shot, approach the ball, take two practice swing, address the ball, waggle/set my feet, look at the target, look at the ball, count to three in my head, hit the shot

Putts:

After I get my read and pick my line, stand beside the ball, take two practice strokes, step up to the ball, get my feet set, look down my line while picture the ball following it into the cup, look back at the ball, count to three in my head, hit the putt.


My Dad really was the one who got me going with a pre-shot routine, it has really helped out my game. I know that no matter what the shot, no matter the situation, they all start the same... 1-2-3-Swing

I usually just line myself up, take a quick waggle or two and let her fly.

Then get angered at the fact that I sliced it way right.

My preshot routine is a copy of Greg Norman's. With the exception of the way I tee up the ball.

I tee up the ball with the words/line(s) on the ball pointed at my intended target. From behind the ball look at my target and pick out a spot on the ground (in line with my target) to use as an intermediate target, and then pick out a spot in the sky (a tree branch, apex of a mountain, section of a cloud, etc) that is the highest point I want my ball to reach (which makes it more likely to get my shoulders tilted correctly and my weight distributed as needed). I walk up to the ball with an open body (to give me a straight forward view of the target), step close to the ball with my right foot (establishing my distance from the ball and posture). I then set the clubhead behind the ball with my right hand (aiming at my intermediate target). I step in with my left foot and then back with my right (establishing my alignment and stance width). I waggle twice (while glancing at the ball, and looking at my target), and then start my swing.