Golfers have a big advantage over other sportsmen and sportswomen. We have the gift of time. No, I’m certainly not talking about the amount of time it takes to play a round of golf – for that is definitely not on our side! In fact, a work colleague once told me that he didn’t play golf because it takes up so much time it is more of a lifestyle choice than a sport!
So, what is this gift of time I’m talking about? I am referring to the moment just before you hit your shot. As golf is a ‘dead-ball sport’, we are able to prepare by following a pre-shot routine.
There is one thing that every champion golfer has in common. From Jack, Gary and Arnold, to Tiger and Phil, they all consistently follow a pre-shot routine. I’m not saying all these golfers follow the exact same routine. Sure, they generally do similar things but they follow a pre-shot routine that works for them. Now you can steal some of the best parts of the pre-shot routines of some of the best golfers to have ever played the game.
Why A Pre-Shot Routine Is Important
There are several reasons why the pre-shot routine is so essential to a golfer. Many of the reasons are linked to golf’s greatest challenge, the mental side of the game.
Let’s start with consistency. Following the same ritual before you swing the club ensures you play each shot with as close to the same mindset as possible. Having a consistent mindset increases your chances of making a consistent swing. Your pre-shot routine is your mental anchor. Whenever you perform the anchor, your brain remembers the same feelings and actions you have associated with it. This is a significant reason why it’s so important to follow your pre-shot routine when you practice and when you play. By following your pre-shot routine on the driving range, you are more likely to bring the new swing you are trying to ingrain into your muscle memory onto the golf course. However, if you fail to follow your pre-shot routine when you practice, your brain will keep associating your old swing with the routine, and that’s the swing you’ll most likely do on the course!
Your pre-shot routine helps you to relax, quiet your mind and focus on the next shot. You don’t want to be thinking about the last hole when you address the ball. Nor do you want to think about what beer you’re going to drink in the clubhouse after the round. Your goal should be to have as calm a mind as possible. Your pre-shot routine is the best weapon in your Arsenal for removing distractions and helping you focus.
Your routine provides you with the perfect opportunity to visualise the next shot. As covered in our previous article, visualisation is an integral part of every champion golfer’s game. Introducing visualisation to your pre-shot routine is guaranteed to shave a few strokes off your score.
Finally, a pre-shot routine helps you set the right pace and rhythm. Anyone who has ever seen Ernie Els swing a club understands the importance of tempo and timing.
The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine – Learn From The Tour Professionals
Let’s have a look at the pre-shot routines of some of the world’s best golfers to see what you can learn from them.
Jason Day – Visualisation
Jason Day’s routine is all about visualisation. He is known for actually closing his eyes to visualise the shot he is about to take on. Jason runs through his pre-shot routine in the video below, but I have summarised the steps for you.
- Jason begins by taking a couple of practice swings. His goal is to mimic the shot he is trying to accomplish.
- He closes his eyes since he struggles to visualise when his eyes are open. His goal is to see a picture of himself and imagine his full swing. The mental picture he paints includes the ball landing and bouncing. He doesn’t stop visualising until he is entirely comfortable with the mental image.
- After that, he tries to hit it as hard as he can.
Nick Faldo – Rehearsal
Six-time major champion Nick Faldo believes that a pre-shot routine is fundamental in helping him deal with pressure. As he explains, it’s all about rehearsal. The pre-shot routine is an opportunity to simulate exactly what you want to do. It doesn’t matter if you rehearse behind the ball or next to it. What’s important is being precise. Hit an imaginary ball at full speed. Then step in and just hit it.
As Nick correctly says, the mind doesn’t know the difference between rehearsal and the real thing. That means you will feel like you have already made a good shot, and your confidence will be high. This will increase the likelihood you recreating the shot you imagined.
Tiger Woods – Timing
If you look back at Tiger’s pre-shot routine, you’ll notice his timing never changed. Even during his most memorable shots, you’ll see that he sticks with the same pace – this is most apparent on his putting routine.
Tiger starts by reading the green. He will perform two practice swings as he searches for the feel of the putt. He’s trying to simulate hitting a putt exactly how he needs to. He might repeat the two practice swings if he struggles to feel the putt but once he has the sensation of what he wants to do, he springs into action.
Now imagine a timer starts. He steps into the ball, looks at the hole, then back to the ball and sets his feet, he then looks at the hole again, moves his eyes back to the ball, and then putts. From when the timer starts, it takes about 7.5 to 8.5 seconds until he hits the ball—every time.
Phil Mickelson – Relaxing
Phil Mickelson’s routine is a great one to adopt as your own. A great lesson you can take from his pre-shot routine is how he removes tension and relaxes before he hits the ball. Now let’s break what he does down into the separate parts.
- Phil starts by walking behind the ball. He shakes arms to lose the tension in his body. Many professional golfers have similar moves that help them relax and loosen their bodies. Freddy Couples used to pull his sleeve before each shot for the same reasons.
- Phil then makes a practice swing to feel the shot he’s about to hit.
- He then visualises the shot.
- He takes three deep breaths to relax just before he hits the ball.
- He steps in and hits it.
The Highlights You Can Take Away
So, what key takeaways you can learn? Well, you want to mimic the visualisation mastery of Jason Day, the ability to rehearse the shot like Nick Faldo, the consistent timing of Tiger Woods and the way Phil Mickelson loosens up his body. However, the pre-shot routine is a personal thing. The trick is to experiment and find something works for you.
But whatever you do, be sure to incorporate the four basic ingredients covered in this article:
- Rehearsal
- Visualisation
- Timing
- Relaxation