Pre-Shot Routine

[ajschn06]

For my pre-shot routine, what I like to do is stand behind the ball and take a swing and then come back and through and back and through without stopping to help set up my tempo. It amounts to three swings I guess, but I don't stop between them or anything. After my last round I was told by my dad and brother(whom I beat handily every time) that I take to many practice swings. Any thoughts on this?

[alomar123]

To each their own, I never take practice swings unless I am bored waiting. Or chips

[nuck81]

I take a few loose swings and really concentrate on where the club is bottoming out through the swing. Then I set up to the ball as close to that point as possible, check my alignment, and fire. About a 15 second process....

[zeg]

I stand behind the ball and take my grip, holding the club up aligned so it feels vertical and connects the ball with the target. Think sort of like plumb bobbing, but with the club pointing up and out from a grip. I think through the shot, then walk up to the ball and align the club to the target, then my feet to the club. Then check my grip, waggle, look at the target, then back to the ball, then swing.

If I'm chipping or having trouble with my swing, I'll sometimes take a practice swing or two. Usually this is while behind the ball, and I swing 90 degrees left of the target line. Usually it's not a full practice swing, just the bottom of the arc, exaggerating the lag to keep the feeling of not flipping.

[Paz]

Standing 3 paces behind the ball I assess my shot. I figure distance to where I want to land the ball on the fly taking into consideration the release of the ball depending on the trajectory of the club I'm using. I look at my lie and see how that will dictate pushes and pulls (from being below/above feet). Factor in the wind and that's basically it.

I pick a spot on the ground that matches up well to my target. Take a few semi slow motion swings. I then proceed to grip with the club directly in front of my face while staring down the target. A quick loosening of the grip moves the club downward now pointing directly at my target parallel to the ground. Then I prime the club by moving the shaft to 45 degrees in between vertical and horizontal and back down down to horizontal a couple times. This gets my body more into it and helps get me into "the zone" where it's no thoughts, just pure swing. I square my club face to the spot on the ground that is parallel to my target line, then square myself to the club face. Waggle a few times (how many really depends on how smooth the waggle feels) while glancing through the spot on the ground, the target, and the ball. These quick glances help my subconscious mind to deliver the most accurate swing path in accordance to the ball to spot to target line.

After a confident waggle, I swing.

I slightly react to the feel of the club face through impact but is probably not noticeable to others unless I really miss hit it. I then watch the shot. I then try to not react for no more than 10 seconds after the shot lands. I feel and maybe even express the emotions and then get "out of the zone" and back into a more relaxed state as quick as possible. Doing this makes it easier to get back into the zone once I approach the next shot.

That's the end of my full shot routine.

For those who don't have a post-shot routine you should really take the time to implement it. It's actually very important.

[Paz]

I stand behind the ball and take my grip, holding the club up aligned so it feels vertical and connects the ball with the target. Think sort of like plumb bobbing, but with the club pointing up and out from a grip. I think through the shot, then walk up to the ball and align the club to the target, then my feet to the club. Then check my grip, waggle, look at the target, then back to the ball, then swing.

Nice we do the same thing with the priming of the club. I don't take practice swings while approached to my ball unless it is a feel shot. Anything from 100y in is probably considered a feel shot.

[ElWagonne]

If its a full shot, 1 full swing behind the ball. Then I grip the club, line my shoulders up to the target and address. 2 or 3 waggles, then I let'er rip.

[The Recreational Golfer]

It's not what you do, it's how long it takes to do it. If you get your routine done in the same time it takes them to finish theirs, what's the squawk? Besides, if your routine helps you hit good shots, then it saves time overall, because you'll be hitting fewer shots!

[martytilma]

For my pre-shot routine, what I like to do is stand behind the ball and take a swing and then come back and through and back and through without stopping to help set up my tempo. It amounts to three swings I guess, but I don't stop between them or anything. After my last round I was told by my dad and brother(whom I beat handily every time) that I take to many practice swings. Any thoughts on this?

If that's what your comfortable with, stay with it! Don't let someone else change your routine. Some of the guys in my league give me a hard time about my putting routine. I like to pace off my distance which they say takes too much time. BS! Pro's take 10 times more time reading thier putts than I do.