Developing a simple but effective pre-shot routine for a quick player

ChaosTheory · January 15

I want to develop a preshot routine that focuses me on what I'm trying to do (duh). And not a slow one, either. Because I'm a quick person and I play quickly. But that quickness leads to me just jumping over the ball without enough forethought. I have a goal for the shot, but I don't gather my thoughts about what's really required. Does that make sense to anyone?

I constantly forget to do the little things. For instance, I might step up to a little pitch shot on a tight greenside bermuda lie, and not bother to take a practice swipe to see what the grain is doing. No, I just step up and then have the club get grabbed. If that happened every time, I'm smart enough to learn from that. But say 90% of the time I get away with it so I don't internalize the need for the practice swipe. I have the same kinds of mental omissions on full shots too, but I thought the grainy bermuda lie is a good example that many of you will recognize.

In full shots, the most typical thing for me is that I do much better after a rehearsal back swing. But again, I'm a quick player, and my instinct is read the conditions, get the number, pull the club, and go, with no rehearsing. So that's what I do. The idea of a rehearsal doesn't cross my mind. THAT's what needs to change. I need to actually think before acting. And you know what, there are a lot of things to think about in a round of golf. I know that a lot of better golfers just do it automatically. Or so it seems to me. They process it all quite well. I guess I don't. One impediment is that I never played with better golfers, basically ever. We were all just a bunch of hackers and had no idea how to really play golf. It was never discussed. You tried to hit the shot, you found your ball, and repeat. Only recently have I been playing with guys who can actually break 80 and it's made me up my game too. Now if I don't break 80 I'm a little disappointed because I know I left something out there. And at this point, all of my opportunities for improvement are in the mental game. Or at least all the low hanging fruit.

I've read, for instance, Every Shot Must Have A Purpose. I get it. (That book could have been a two page magazine article, the rest is just filler, but whatever.) Over the years, I've read countless mental game and strategy books too. If you recommend it, I've probably already read it. I can't get enough of them. And they all make sense. But once I'm on the course, it's hard for me to go through the process, I guess. Maybe I need to start small and work up to a routine, as long as it's still quick. Have you done it? Tips on implementing it for the golfer who is resistant to it?

Any thoughts or similar experiences?

HGLucky13 · January 15

I tend to play fast also. If no one is in my way I play 18 in about 2 hrs.

What I find is the easiest is to be thinking about your shot and what needs to happen as you are driving/walking up to the ball. Get all of the where to aim, landing location, shot shape, etc. worked out as you are getting closer to the ball. Take a quick look at the lie again to make sure, check my watch for distance, and pick a club. I do not believe you should think too much about the swing, focus on conditions only. I also make sure any practice swing is away from the ball unless there is a really awkward lie condition I need to worry about, such as well above/below my feet or deep rough, and I need to gauge the depth of swing better. When I step up to the ball I need to already have confidence in my swing and what I am going to do. Otherwise too much thinking happens and nothing works out well.

iacas · January 15

It doesn't have to be particularly fast if you start a lot of the dumb stuff while others are still playing or replacing their divot or something.

My pre-shot routine is about 15 seconds, for all of it.

From behind the ball, pick a spot with the shaft as a straight-line.
Walk into the shot, set the club down, align the feet.
Waggle a few times, looking at the target a few times, constant motion.
Swing.

Occasionally I add a "swing feel" in there and it goes to about 18 seconds.

ChaosTheory · January 15

Maybe what I'm talking about is not really a preshot routine, then. Maybe I just need a way to be sure that I focus on some finer points that are relevant to the task. Like a mental checklist. Which unfortunately would vary by situation. Honestly I need a caddie.