Pre-shot routine

[Home-slicer]

Our boomerang throwin', khaki short-short wearin' mate from down under brought up a topic in another thread that merits discussion: The pre-shot routine. How important is it? No matter how hard I try, I can't stick with one consistently. I am trying to eliminate standing over the ball too long. I often address the ball and waggle 3 times before I can pull the trigger. I am also trying to stop screaming "Turn, post, swing!" during the swing. What is a good routine?

[daveperkins]

Our boomerang throwin', khaki short-short wearin' mate from down under brought up a topic in another thread that merits discussion: The pre-shot routine. How important is it? No matter how hard I try, I can't stick with one consistently. I am trying to eliminate standing over the ball too long. I often address the ball and waggle 3 times before I can pull the trigger. I am also trying to stop screaming "Turn, post, swing!" during the swing. What is a good routine?

Our didgeredoo-puffin', billabong-campin, witchetty-grub-eatin' butt bandito of Ned Kelly probably addresses the ball -- "g'day ball"-- takes a Dalyesque rip and shouts 'she'll be right, mate!"

[mongrel]

Mein routine: Stand behind ball and visualize the intended line between the ball and an object a couple of feet in front of the ball and in line with my intended shot line. Take a few easy swings. Address ball. Pull it back and let it go. Same drill for putts. Takes about 10 seconds and a couple of seconds of hang time. Repeat until ball in hole.

[poe4soul]

Mein routine: Stand behind ball and visualize the intended line between the ball and an object a couple of feet in front of the ball and in line with my intended shot line. Take a few easy swings. Address ball. Pull it back and let it go. Same drill for putts. Takes about 10 seconds and a couple of seconds of hang time. Repeat until ball in hole.

Very similar to mine with a couple of small waggles when I approach the ball for shots off the tee and through the green. I rarely make practice strokes on the putting green unless it's a particularly difficult speed putt like a long uphill of a steep and fast downhill putt. Then I will take a couple of practice swings behind the ball looking a the hole to try to gage the appropriate amount of effort and then address the ball and pull the trigger.

One thing I don't think is very effective is to take practice swings and then take forever to address the ball and start the swing. If there's too much time between the practice swing and the actual it's hard for the mind to retain that feeling you were trying to get by taking the practice swings in the first place. Every time I see someone standing over the ball for too long I remember when my dad's friend would yell at me "hit the ball before your shiat get's stiff!" Crude way to say it but I think he's right.

[Larryrsf]

Very similar to mine with a couple of small waggles when I approach the ball for shots off the tee and through the green. I rarely make practice strokes on the putting green unless it's a particularly difficult speed putt like a long uphill of a steep and fast downhill putt. Then I will take a couple of practice swings behind the ball looking a the hole to try to gage the appropriate amount of effort and then address the ball and pull the trigger.

One thing I don't think is very effective is to take practice swings and then take forever to address the ball and start the swing. If there's too much time between the practice swing and the actual it's hard for the mind to retain that feeling you were trying to get by taking the practice swings in the first place. Every time I see someone standing over the ball for too long I remember when my dad's friend would yell at me "hit the ball before your shiat get's stiff!" Crude way to say it but I think he's right.

Every time I or anyone stands stationary over a ball before swinging, I am reminded of how effective it is to just setup and swing in one motion--like the Perpetual Motion drill. And that is how I do it these days. I pose for a brief second in the impact position, my weight on my front foot with hips leading, back heel up, exactly as I would be at impact. Then in one smooth motion I backswing while shifting my weight to my back heel, then drop the front heel and strike the ball. The golf swing should be a little rhythmic dance, heel-backswing, heel-hit. It works every time. And it cures the problem that essentially every amateur has-- of failing to make the transition weight shift, to get himself "posted" or his front heel down before impact. Most of us stand there and then helplessly swing arms and shoulders first-- before hips and weight shift. And it is nearly impossible to change --regardless of how many lessons. Ask any teaching pro. There is a very good reason they call this drill "the most important drill in golf."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38rsy8ZNvM8&feature=fvw

Larry

[mongrel]

One thing I don't think is very effective is to take practice swings and then take forever to address the ball and start the swing. If there's too much time between the practice swing and the actual it's hard for the mind to retain that feeling you were trying to get by taking the practice swings in the first place. Every time I see someone standing over the ball for too long I remember when my dad's friend would yell at me "hit the ball before your shiat get's stiff!" Crude way to say it but I think he's right.

It took me some years to develope the discipline to back off if, when I get ready to pull the club back, something feels out of whack. Now I can do it and I just repeat the whole routine which just takes a few more seconds. When practicing on the putter green of my home muni, I will stop to watch players teeing off on the adjacent par 4 #1. I have a mental game I play with myself in which I predict the quality of their drives based on their pre-shot routines, their stances and ball positions, and the time it takes them to pull the trigger once they get set up. The curve is a real straight line-- the longer the time the worse the shot. I can't remember the last time I saw anyone actually back off and re-position themselves. Of course most of my practice time on that green is in the middle of weekend days so I miss the non-choppers for the most part.

[SoonerBS]

Every time I or anyone stands stationary over a ball before swinging, I am reminded of how effective it is to just setup and swing in one motion--like the Perpetual Motion drill. And that is how I do it these days. I pose for a brief second in the impact position, my weight on my front foot with hips leading, back heel up, exactly as I would be at impact. Then in one smooth motion I backswing while shifting my weight to my back heel, then drop the front heel and strike the ball. The golf swing should be a little rhythmic dance, heel-backswing, heel-hit. It works every time. And it cures the problem that essentially every amateur has-- of failing to make the transition weight shift, to get himself "posted" or his front heel down before impact. Most of us stand there and then helplessly swing arms and shoulders first-- before hips and weight shift. And it is nearly impossible to change --regardless of how many lessons. Ask any teaching pro. There is a very good reason they call this drill "the most important drill in golf."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38rsy8ZNvM8&feature=fvw

Larry

Jiminy Christmas!!! It's like a bad repeating nightmare that just will not go away!!

[alangbaker]

Every time I or anyone stands stationary over a ball before swinging, I am reminded of how effective it is to just setup and swing in one motion--like the Perpetual Motion drill. And that is how I do it these days. I pose for a brief second in the impact position, my weight on my front foot with hips leading, back heel up, exactly as I would be at impact. Then in one smooth motion I backswing while shifting my weight to my back heel, then drop the front heel and strike the ball. The golf swing should be a little rhythmic dance, heel-backswing, heel-hit. It works every time. And it cures the problem that essentially every amateur has-- of failing to make the transition weight shift, to get himself "posted" or his front heel down before impact. Most of us stand there and then helplessly swing arms and shoulders first-- before hips and weight shift. And it is nearly impossible to change --regardless of how many lessons. Ask any teaching pro. There is a very good reason they call this drill "the most important drill in golf."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=38rsy8ZNvM8&feature=fvw

One pro calls it that: Shawn Clements.

And everyone here knows about your deep-seated need to prove that you are better than "most of us"...

[Horseballs]

Assuming I've already read the lie, got my distance, etc.
Stand directly behind my ball facing the target.
Pick out a spot along that line.
Aim clubhead at spot, feet/hips/shoulders parallel.
One tiny waggle.
Swing.
I don't even know if that qualifies as a preshot routine since I'm not doing anything except picking out a spot.

[Pky6471]

I just stand behind the ball, guess where about my golf ball would turn from left to right with my baby fade, then just swing my club and hit it to where I think it would go... Most of the time it works

[poe4soul]

Assuming I've already read the lie, got my distance, etc.
Stand directly behind my ball facing the target.
Pick out a spot along that line.
Aim clubhead at spot, feet/hips/shoulders parallel.
One tiny waggle.
Swing.
I don't even know if that qualifies as a preshot routine since I'm not doing anything except picking out a spot.

If you do it every time is a routine.

[Not a hacker]

Assuming I've already read the lie, got my distance, etc.
Stand directly behind my ball facing the target.
Pick out a spot along that line.
Aim clubhead at spot, feet/hips/shoulders parallel.
One tiny waggle.
Swing.
I don't even know if that qualifies as a preshot routine since I'm not doing anything except picking out a spot.

This is very similar to my routine, except I am in the habit of taking a big waggle that is probably more like a backswing to the top and stop, return the club to address by exaggerating the hands leading the clubhead and retaining lag, then swing. I know it looks spazzy, but I just can't seem to get comfortable enough to pull the trigger without the big waggle. With any psr it's not important what it is you do, just that you do it exactly the same every time. They say you can set a stopwatch on Tiger and his psr (once he has setlled on the shot to play) will take the exact same time for every swing.

P.S. I'm a city slicker from the burbs and don't resemble the flattering descriptions here, as much as I'd like to.

[12sandwich]

Pick a spot on the tee box. Stand behind envision the shot,. Lay the club down an arms length. get my stance for a fade or draw or straight. Waggle once maybe twice, pull the trigger. The only time I take longer is on difficult long tee shots. I might do the whole routine twice. Chippin, puttin are entirely different, but similar on the waggle.

[lorenzoinoc]

Mine varies depending upon what might be on my mind at the time. If I had a great time the might before, I might visualize a female orifice where the target is and then let my inner perv take care of the rest. If it's been a while then I might visualize a female orifice in more graphic detaiil, pray a little, and let my inner perv take care of the rest.

My putting routine is similar.

[Horseballs]

Mine varies depending upon what might be on my mind at the time. If I had a great time the might before, I might visualize a female orifice where the target is and then let my inner perv take care of the rest. If it's been a while then I might visualize a female orifice in more graphic detaiil, pray a little, and let my inner perv take care of the rest.

My putting routine is similar.

Don't you find that you get a little quick if it's been awhile? Sometimes it can be a real shocker if you go over the top when visualizing doggy style.

[lorenzoinoc]

Don't you find that you get a little quick if it's been awhile? Sometimes it can be a real shocker if you go over the top when visualizing doggy style.

No question, if it's been too long I really have to guard against gettting too quick. Too much tension can also be a problem. If I were to visualize a great ass and doggy style in that situation, I'd probably walk off the course and start making phone calls.

I hate calling someone I haven't seen for a few months or more, but if I need to I'll do it. If they respond, they're usually going through the same thing in which case it can be kind of cool, er, I mean hot.

[BE5544]

I back up behind the ball and look at the target and line up an aiming point with my club shaft. I then address the ball and make sure the club face is facing my aiming point. I then grasp the club with my left hand. With my right hand I take a shot of bourbon or scotch and then toss the shot glass over my right shoulder. I then take my right hand and put it on the club and take my swing. I know this sounds crazy, but I've never been worse than 8 or 9 over par using this method. Of course, I have also never made it past the third hole. Which is troubling, because I hear the rest of the course is very nice.

[Home-slicer]

I back up behind the ball and look at the target and line up an aiming point with my club shaft. I then address the ball and make sure the club face is facing my aiming point. I then grasp the club with my left hand. With my right hand I take a shot of bourbon or scotch and then toss the shot glass over my right shoulder. I then take my right hand and put it on the club and take my swing. I know this sounds crazy, but I've never been worse than 8 or 9 over par using this method. Of course, I have also never made it past the third hole. Which is troubling, because I hear the rest of the course is very nice.

Excellent routine, but you need to improve your tolerance. That can be done by practicing on days you don't play and off the course. Improvement takes commitment and dedication.

[Pky6471]

Mine varies depending upon what might be on my mind at the time. If I had a great time the might before, I might visualize a female orifice where the target is and then let my inner perv take care of the rest. If it's been a while then I might visualize a female orifice in more graphic detaiil, pray a little, and let my inner perv take care of the rest.

My putting routine is similar.

How about your tempo, fast or slow...

[poe4soul]

Mine varies depending upon what might be on my mind at the time. If I had a great time the might before, I might visualize a female orifice where the target is and then let my inner perv take care of the rest. If it's been a while then I might visualize a female orifice in more graphic detaiil, pray a little, and let my inner perv take care of the rest.

My putting routine is similar.

If I did that I would fall asleep after each successful shot.