How long do you stand over the ball?

[BMC]

From tee in the ground to picking up the tee...10 seconds for me.

 

I've gotten the yardage and selected a club before I get to the tee box. We have daily pin sheets and accurate markings for yardage.

 

I don't mind if people take longer.

[jmkenn0]

I will actually mentally force myself to slow down when in tournaments big $ matches, because I may not even have my feet set before I start swinging.

 

But I have a buddy that will freeze over the ball - good guy so we constantly give him $hit about it and he speeds up for a few rounds. I once asked him what he was thinking about, he told me "thinking about not thinking!"

[gatorpedsMD]

too long.

[fallline]

Somewhere between Count Yogi and Herr Sundial.

[Obee]

My swing is almost always the same with every club. One waggle with one hand, two with both hands on club, then swing. Probably takes 5-6 seconds

 

Edit just watched my swing videos. Yes about 6 seconds

 

You had 3 waggles Sir...the funky one with your right hand and then 2 waggles with both hands. Timed it out at 8.5 seconds. You have the opportunity here based on 36 swings per round to pick up the pace of play by approximately 1.5 minutes here by dropping 1 waggle.

 

You're welcome.

 

LOLZ

[MtlJeff]

My swing is almost always the same with every club. One waggle with one hand, two with both hands on club, then swing. Probably takes 5-6 seconds

 

Edit just watched my swing videos. Yes about 6 seconds

 

You had 3 waggles Sir...the funky one with your right hand and then 2 waggles with both hands. Timed it out at 8.5 seconds. You have the opportunity here based on 36 swings per round to pick up the pace of play by approximately 1.5 minutes here by dropping 1 waggle.

 

You're welcome.

 

LOLZ

 

From the time the right hand is on the club fully (0:12) to the time the ball is hit (0:18) that's 6 seconds muchacho!

 

 

I checked a few of them, which one did you look at?

[bblack_91240]

Behind the ball I pick a target and take a couple swings to feel the shot. By the time I’m over the ball I double check my aim and give it two maybe three waggles to get “comfortable” and then execute. Probably no more than 5 seconds. If I’m working on something on the range I might have a little different pre-swing checklist.

[BB28403]

Till the starter pistol sounds

[DavePelz4]

My swing is almost always the same with every club. One waggle with one hand, two with both hands on club, then swing. Probably takes 5-6 seconds

 

Edit just watched my swing videos. Yes about 6 seconds

 

You had 3 waggles Sir...the funky one with your right hand and then 2 waggles with both hands. Timed it out at 8.5 seconds. You have the opportunity here based on 36 swings per round to pick up the pace of play by approximately 1.5 minutes here by dropping 1 waggle.

 

You're welcome.

 

LOLZ

 

From the time the right hand is on the club fully (0:12) to the time the ball is hit (0:18) that's 6 seconds muchacho!

 

 

I checked a few of them, which one did you look at?

 

First of all, hopefully you know I'm kidding...but this is the one I looked at. Maybe you don't count the first little move?

 

[MtlJeff]

Of course I know you're kidding!!!! LoL

[OffTheDole]

According to some recent on-course videos, from the time I start to set my feet to the swing itself is right at 10 seconds.

 

I don't think I could hit the ball any faster and any longer would give my brain time to inject some negative thoughts.

[BB28403]

I think Annika Sorenstam took 24 seconds on average . And she was a machine.

[David C]

Below is a video of my routine, and a quick explanation:

 

1) I decide what SHAPE of shot I'm going to hit first, based on the hole/pin I'm playing: Low runner? I little higher? Right-to-left? Left-to-right? Depends on the hole/pin. On this hole, I'm hitting a pretty straight tee ball and my desired starting point is just right of the center of the fairway.

 

2) I pick out something about 3 to 10 feet in front of my ball that is on (or near) my desired STARTING line for the ball. I hit driver fairly straight, but some tee shots on par 3's or hard dogleg holes, I might be working the ball considerably, or the wind might be strong, so my starting line might be well to the right or left of a pin (or even the green), for instance. In those cases, the spot I picked would have to line up well right or left of the green/pin also.

 

I started doing this about two years ago, and it has decreased any anxiety I feel over a tee shot considerably (just like using the line on my ball helped me commit to my line with my putting). KNOWING that I'm aimed well is one less thing I have to worry about. It also makes for a very quick routine once you step into the ball, if you allow yourself to just go.

 

3) I step in and align my clubface to the "spot" I have picked out and then step my feet in.

 

4) A couple quick looks and then I pull the trigger and absolutely CRUSH/STRIPE the ball 230 to 240 right down the MIDDLE! LOL ;-)

 

[media=]http://youtu.be/-InOiTV0l90i[/media]

 

Hi Obee, couple of questions if I may:

 

Why 3-10’ on your target line? What’s the logic? Or is it just the most accurate for you after trial and error?

 

First teacher I ever had said pick a point half way, *visually* between the ball and target, but always choose a more easily identifiable target of available. He said a few millimetres off at 3” in front of the ball was yards at 270 yards, and any nearer the target and you might as well aim at the target itself.

 

Second coach said 3” in front of the ball ans have no explanation, have the target itself in your mind’s eye

 

Third coach said cut your visual in half, then half again, then half again until you reach a spot directly in front of your ball, then forget the primary target (this works best for me)

 

Ben Hogan used to eye the shot up from 45 degrees which is similar to how you aim when throwing or kicking (this works hit and miss for me, good shots are great, bad ones consistently to the right).

 

What’s your logic?

 

Does it matter how you subsequently walk into your stance do you think? I notice you don’t really walk down the target line as long as possible - is this part of aiming more a ‘ritual’ to go through that raises the chances of a good shot rather than actually being precise with aiming?

[David C]

I have no idea, but if it feels longer or quicker than normal I generally hit a crap shot. Or if I consciously go through my pre shot routine like a checklist. I think you need to feel it and let the flow and rhythm instinctively have take you to the same length of time. Conscious thought seems to annoy and interrupt any innate feel for timing and reduce ‘flow’ to doing things in jerky stages, a bit like interrupting a good flow when playing an instrument.

[Obee]

Below is a video of my routine, and a quick explanation:

 

1) I decide what SHAPE of shot I'm going to hit first, based on the hole/pin I'm playing: Low runner? I little higher? Right-to-left? Left-to-right? Depends on the hole/pin. On this hole, I'm hitting a pretty straight tee ball and my desired starting point is just right of the center of the fairway.

 

2) I pick out something about 3 to 10 feet in front of my ball that is on (or near) my desired STARTING line for the ball. I hit driver fairly straight, but some tee shots on par 3's or hard dogleg holes, I might be working the ball considerably, or the wind might be strong, so my starting line might be well to the right or left of a pin (or even the green), for instance. In those cases, the spot I picked would have to line up well right or left of the green/pin also.

 

I started doing this about two years ago, and it has decreased any anxiety I feel over a tee shot considerably (just like using the line on my ball helped me commit to my line with my putting). KNOWING that I'm aimed well is one less thing I have to worry about. It also makes for a very quick routine once you step into the ball, if you allow yourself to just go.

 

3) I step in and align my clubface to the "spot" I have picked out and then step my feet in.

 

4) A couple quick looks and then I pull the trigger and absolutely CRUSH/STRIPE the ball 230 to 240 right down the MIDDLE! LOL ;-)

 

[media=]http://youtu.be/-InOiTV0l90i[/media]

 

Hi Obee, couple of questions if I may:

 

Why 3-10' on your target line? What's the logic? Or is it just the most accurate for you after trial and error?

 

First teacher I ever had said pick a point half way, *visually* between the ball and target, but always choose a more easily identifiable target of available. He said a few millimetres off at 3" in front of the ball was yards at 270 yards, and any nearer the target and you might as well aim at the target itself.

 

Second coach said 3" in front of the ball ans have no explanation, have the target itself in your mind's eye

 

Third coach said cut your visual in half, then half again, then half again until you reach a spot directly in front of your ball, then forget the primary target (this works best for me)

 

Ben Hogan used to eye the shot up from 45 degrees which is similar to how you aim when throwing or kicking (this works hit and miss for me, good shots are great, bad ones consistently to the right).

 

What's your logic?

 

Does it matter how you subsequently walk into your stance do you think? I notice you don't really walk down the target line as long as possible - is this part of aiming more a 'ritual' to go through that raises the chances of a good shot rather than actually being precise with aiming?

 

My main logic on the 3 - 10 feet thing is this:

 

I don't want it TOO close to my ball because then I get "ground bound" when I look down to find my "spot." I want the spot to be "out there," "ahead of me" so that my eyes are directed a bit more forward when I finally step in to the side of the ball and first pick up my "aiming spot." Make sense?

 

Also, I'm looking for a very "real" spot to aim over. If you can see in the video, I take my shaft and lay it straight on my intended starting line. I then pick out something along the line of my club (a leaf, a discolored piece of grass, etc.) either directly on the line, or just off to one side or the other. If the spot is on my line, fine. If it's off the the side of my intended line that I'm looking just left or just right of the spot as my intended starting line.

 

And that's it, really.

 

The stepping in piece is easy for me. Once I have my line, I step in my right foot, aim the clubface, then step in my other foot. A couple looks and I let her rip ... errrr flail.... :-)

[joeshmo]

Tee and fairway...once lined up I take 1 look down range and go

Putting....until the twitching stops.