Pre Shot Routine

[Steve D]

Whats yours?

Currently i'm struggling with mine and have jumped on youtube and a few other sites to give a bit of a watch/read, they are so many varied routines but in a game where every swing is different that doesn't surprise me. Got a lesson booked in for a couple of weeks with the local pro which i'll be bringing this up with.

So share what you do before every shot

 

[dave_giz]

1- Stand behind to visulaise shot and grip club
2- put club behind ball and align
3- move feet left and right so they don't go out of alignment
4- say a small prayer
5- swing
6- swear
7- re-load.

 

[Lord Helmet]

lol at #4!

Heres what I do:

1. Locate the trouble off the t, play from that side of the t box and aim away from it.
2. Locate an intermediate reference point along my target line and place ball behind it - and in line with my target. Take a couple swings focusing on tempo.
3. Stand behind, grip club, visualize shot.
4. Step into position and align club with ball and intermediate target.
5. Make sure weight is evenly distributed over center of my feet (not favoring the heels or balls of feet).
6. See #4 above
7. Trust the practice time I have put in and the fundamentals I have worked on - and swing away.

 

[Jens0n]

So share what you do before every shot

1. judge net distance (+/- wind)
2. Pick a target spot (left/right flag)
3. grip it and rip it..
:0)

and then ... hope I don't get caught up waiting for group in front of me endlessly fiddling with grips, bum wiggling, reselecting club they had first time around and finally admiring shot from follow through position for 30 seconds.

;0) jk

 

[rrhb]

Hi Steve D,

I assumed that you actually want as much info as possible so I responded with a somewhat detailed explanation of what actually does go inside of my head.

Please note that I am right-handed and a student of the PPGS swing (which is a very vertical swing) and should end up sweeping the ball rather than the more traditional hitting down on the ball.

1. If at tee, use "aiming" line on ball and point to target. If not on tee then select a point on ground no more than 3 feet between ball and target and visualize a target line. Make sure toes form a line between each foot that is parallel to that target line.
2. Stand with feet together, legs straight, club face behind ball and pointed to target, club grip pointed towards middle of torso (horizontally), and left elbow extended and almost touching torso.
3. Place left hand first, then right hand. Make sure that my grip enhances feel that both hands are now one and the same hand.
4. Move left foot towards the left and into position, and then right foot towards right into position, and check that toe line is still parallel. Do not move either feet closer or farther from ball unless making toe line adjustments (should be slight to none at all).
6. Stand upright and lift club up without disturbing how it is held in hands (angles, grip strength, feel, etc.).

Note: at no time will I be disturbing the relationship between my hands and their grip on the club. The wrist also remains fairly static, but my elbows and/or shoulders will definitely move.

7. Square shoulders and make parallel to the target line, and lift hands to allow this. Also position my right elbow by the side of my torso. Club head will point dramatically to my right. Elbows will definitely be bent.
8. Flex knees and do a slight forward "sit down" (always remaining in balance) until the club head is hovering above the target line.
9. Move whole torso a few inches to the right.
10. Slowly bring hands to my left to rotate the club head so that it move towards the ball. Tilt torso as need to preserve hands/grip relationship. Make sure shoulder line remains parallel to target line.
11. Stop when face of club is behind ball. It should also be hovering above ball. Do not force club closer to ball as downswing will naturally cause elbows to straighten.
12. Aim through club face sweet spot through to back of ball.
13. Take a backswing that is slow enough to not cause my head to move to the right.
14. Take swing and keep eye on ball until club actually makes full contact with ball.

If I duff it then cuss, swear, wave arms around in an enraged state; but more likely to hang my head in shame and bemoan my fate.

If it's good then spend as much time as needed on my finish to admire that perfect shot which keeps us coming back for more.

 

[Steve D]

Thanks for the reply all (esp rrhb).

I can see that your pre shot routine is similar to mine in terms of having that breakup half way through it (standing upright).

I use to struggle with standing too close to the ball which probably has a little to do with my new clubs being slightly longer. My current pre shot routine goes along the lines of:

- Stand behind the ball and choose where i want to aim while setting my grip in the club while in an upright position (club head point to the sky)
- Walk up to the ball an with a sort of bent back (rather than at the hips) with my shoulders a bit forward to judge my distance from the ball.
- Stand upright making sure that my shoulders are now parallel with the line i want to hit the ball
- Tilt forward at the hips and unlock my knees.
- Pray to god and hope i hit a good shot.

The biggest thing that is annoying me / frustrating is the 'double setup' to the ball. I do it this way as i rarely set up too far away or too close to the ball using this routine.

I rather just be able to set up once and know i'm standing the right distance away, that i have go the correct posture rather than having it broken into two bits of getting the right distance from the ball then getting myself into the correct posture.

 

[unbeatenthisyear]

MPX would out do you all - shooting pigeons, checking his heart is still beating etc etc

 

[[A] Sterling Simpson]

Grip it and rip it.

No, but seriously..

1. Step back, pick a tree/object to swing to
2. Take a few practice swings
3. Line up..
4. Look to my target
5. Wobble-Wobble
6. Then...POWER SLICE... dang it !
7. Welp, back to the range..

 

[Pete Player]

This is what I try to do. Not allways manage though.


1) Grab your driver bellow the head with left hand, pull the head cover by right hand.
- Essential to do this properly, since it triggers the get into play mode after bird watching.
2) Tee it up behind a divot, or flower - what ever, lining the ball with sth and the target (Skip this if through the green)
3) Step back, take front hand grip holding the club by your back hand half way down from the shaft, club head pointing 45 - 60 degrees up clubhead square, then grip aft hand.
- figure the target line and aiming point right after taking your grip,
4) make one or two loose practice swings into final position to dynamically check the line of play

5) Make a firm decision to hit it with eyes open and decisevely to my target

= = = from think-box > Decicion line < to play-box = = =

6) Step forward to the ball and find that alignment you just checked with those practise swings,
- Keep the club firmly and bend down to the ball clubhead behind the ball checking your distance from the ball feet close togetter,
7) Check hip and shoulder orientation,
8) Step front foot about half a foot forward - flare it,
9) Step back foot backward along parallel to target line,
- sometimes the stance width is varying into too wide, then I check the width by turning my belt buckle towards target not having to shift weight from the back foot by sliding forward
10) Read your mantra: "Eyes open, front hand straight, straight back and turn through, Let the shot go!"

And hope for the best.

Two hardest things I think are beeing determined to execute what you just decided and just letting the shot go. Too often some bad thoughts enter your mind just when it should be totally empty and your body about ready to let the ball just go.

Also tempo is a key to me. All the actoins listed above shuld take about the same time to one another. It happens every so often that the swing tempo is totally different (rushed) from the other actions and then hell is loose and the ball - well - DEEP, DEEP in the forest.

As one of my fellow players last week told. If you deed a fade, fuss a little. ;D

While putting after lining the putt make few practice strokes like a metronome and find out the feel of straight movement on the clubhead squared with the target line, not towards the cup itself.

Then in the same tempo stare at the aiming popint, the ball, the aiming point and then tik - tak, let the putt go eyes open club face ssquare. Specially consentrate on keeping the club face square.

If you hit it of the center it only makes a difference in speed off the putter and soforth distance only bending a bit early or late, but the result is OK to OK- and may even drop.

 

[mattymp62]

1. Stand directly behind ball and use plumb bob line and pick something out a couple yards in front of the ball to line up to.

2. Two x practise swings

3. Line up to mark on floor

4. Pull it 10 yards left of where I was aiming!

 

[db.]

Just started reading Dr Bob's not a game of perfect, and realised that I do not pick out a specific target before I hit the ball, I just hit it in the general direction. He stresses the importance of this, so I am going to incorporate it into my pre-shot routine.

 

[Pete Player]

Just started reading Dr Bob's not a game of perfect, and realised that I do not pick out a specific target before I hit the ball, I just hit it in the general direction. He stresses the importance of this, so I am going to incorporate it into my pre-shot routine.

I had a playing lesson with Bobby Mitchell last summer and he also emphasized the target. I had read the same book you refer and had selected a sloppy target prior to that.

I think a lot of people play the game as if it were a swing-centric, which it is ofcourse not. It is a target game to it's bones. Sometimes you just loose your focused mind and start playing a swing game. Which I think puts your mind into no-scoring state.

 

[MizunoWI]

Stand being ball and visualize shot.
Like club up with ball and then line body up with club.
Waggle.
Take a deep breath.
Swing.

 

[ChuckD]

I have no such thing in any part of my game. Sometimes, I dont even have a practice swing, I just picture the swing in my head and try to replicate it. Putting is a little different. I do have practice strokes, but its different every time and its one of those things that once I find the stroke I think I need, I do it.