All good golfers have a pre-shot routine.
Watch the pros on TV.
At first, it looks like they take the club, walk up to the ball, and hit it.
But watch more carefully, and you'll see each particular golfer does certain things the same way every time and takes the same amount of time to do them.
It's not just a ritual.
They're going through a checklist to make sure they have everything right before they swing the club, and their particular routine gives them that assurance.
Every golfer needs a pre-shot routine.
Take the following factors into consideration when developing yours.
First, check the lie.
The ball might be at a 6-iron distance from the green, but can you get a 6-iron on the ball? If the ball is in light rough or in a bad lie in the fairway, maybe not.
The first question to ask is, as the ball lies, what kind of swing can you make with what club.
Second, check the wind.
It doesn't take much of a breeze to blow a good shot off line or dump it short of the green.
Third, step up to the ball without a club to check the lie of the ground.
You might have an uneven lie, and you need to know that before you step up to the ball ready to hit, so you can plan your shot and select the proper club.
Fourth, decide where you want to hit the ball.
From the tee, is the driver the right choice? From the fairway, where on the green do you want to aim? Is it a flag or even a green you want to hit into? The question is, where should you hit the ball to give you the greatest chance of success and leave the ball in the best position for your next shot.
Having considered those things, check the distance.
This is the first consideration for many recreational golfers, but it should be the last one.
Once you've factored in all the above information, you can choose which club you'll use to hit the shot.
From there, develop a routine that ensures your grip, stance, aim and alignment, and ball position are all correct.
Here is a suggested order.
Take your grip on the club with both hands.
Look at it to make sure your hands are in the right place.
Stand behind the ball across it toward the target, to find your aim line.
Step around beside the ball parallel to the aim line.
Take a rehearsal swing (I like that term better than "practice" swing).
Step up to the ball, take one brief moment to calm your mind, and begin your swing.
In all this, keep your mind moving, keep your body moving.
Sometimes we make bad swings, and there's no helping that, but you have complete control over getting yourself into a perfect position to make a good one.
It's easy to do, so go ahead and prepare like a pro.
Watch the pros on TV.
At first, it looks like they take the club, walk up to the ball, and hit it.
But watch more carefully, and you'll see each particular golfer does certain things the same way every time and takes the same amount of time to do them.
It's not just a ritual.
They're going through a checklist to make sure they have everything right before they swing the club, and their particular routine gives them that assurance.
Every golfer needs a pre-shot routine.
Take the following factors into consideration when developing yours.
First, check the lie.
The ball might be at a 6-iron distance from the green, but can you get a 6-iron on the ball? If the ball is in light rough or in a bad lie in the fairway, maybe not.
The first question to ask is, as the ball lies, what kind of swing can you make with what club.
Second, check the wind.
It doesn't take much of a breeze to blow a good shot off line or dump it short of the green.
Third, step up to the ball without a club to check the lie of the ground.
You might have an uneven lie, and you need to know that before you step up to the ball ready to hit, so you can plan your shot and select the proper club.
Fourth, decide where you want to hit the ball.
From the tee, is the driver the right choice? From the fairway, where on the green do you want to aim? Is it a flag or even a green you want to hit into? The question is, where should you hit the ball to give you the greatest chance of success and leave the ball in the best position for your next shot.
Having considered those things, check the distance.
This is the first consideration for many recreational golfers, but it should be the last one.
Once you've factored in all the above information, you can choose which club you'll use to hit the shot.
From there, develop a routine that ensures your grip, stance, aim and alignment, and ball position are all correct.
Here is a suggested order.
Take your grip on the club with both hands.
Look at it to make sure your hands are in the right place.
Stand behind the ball across it toward the target, to find your aim line.
Step around beside the ball parallel to the aim line.
Take a rehearsal swing (I like that term better than "practice" swing).
Step up to the ball, take one brief moment to calm your mind, and begin your swing.
In all this, keep your mind moving, keep your body moving.
Sometimes we make bad swings, and there's no helping that, but you have complete control over getting yourself into a perfect position to make a good one.
It's easy to do, so go ahead and prepare like a pro.
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