First, we need to break the Pre Shot Routine down into 3 distinct phases: the Thinking phase, the Rehearsal phase and the Athletic phase. Let’s take a look at each of them and their importance in hitting a great shot.
Thinking Phase
The first thing to do is switch on your golf brain. In between shots you are relaxing your mind, but now you need to focus and get prepared to hit your shot as best you can. You can do this with a “Pre Shot Trigger”.
The thinking phase has now begun. This is where you decide on the best target and type of shot considering the situation you are facing i.e. the lie, the wind, the risk and reward of the options, the good and bad miss, etc. Ask yourself questions such as: “What is my strategy and what is my target?”, “What is possible and what is probable?” You need to feel confident that you can execute the shot you pick. By the end of this phase, you should have a very clear intention for the shot you are about to hit. i.e. distance, target, club, shot shape and trajectory. Once this phase is complete, there’s no more thinking to be done apart from getting set up correctly.
Rehearsal Phase
The next step is the Rehearsal Phase. As the name would suggest, during this phase, you’ll be mentally and physically rehearsing the shot you are about to hit. By creating the shot in your mind before you hit it, you’ll increase your confidence and tell your body what neural pathways it needs to activate to hit the shot. Ask yourself: “How will this shot look, feel and sound?” Turn your intention for the shot into sensations. It should be noted that different players connect with a shot in different ways. Some are more visual, some are more kinesthetic, auditory, verbal or technical. You need to experiment and decide what’s best for you. If you need some help determining the best thing for you to focus on during the rehearsal phase, you should check out my training program.
Athletic Phase
When you start your walk into the ball, until you start your swing, you’ll be in the “Athletic” or “Engagement” phase of the pre shot routine.
In other sports, athletic movement is easier, since you are reacting to what’s happening in the game – you don’t get time to think, you just do it. In golf, with the ball just sitting there, there’s plenty of time for thinking to get in the way of you and a great shot. This is why we need to stay mentally disciplined right through to the end of the shot, so your mind is fully focused on things that will help you, not hinder you.
There are many ways to engage the athletic mind over the ball, some players will count or say something positive to themselves, glance between the ball and the target, keep their grip pressure loose, waggle or imagine what the shot will look and feel like. It’s your job to experiment with what works and hold your attention there until you start your swing. This will keep you committed and your mind quiet so that you can make an athletic swing.
Track your routine using a mental scorecard. There are many benefits to holding yourself accountable to the quality of your shot routines, one being it trains your focus. I equip all my students with my mental scorecard and they give themselves a point for every shot they do it successfully.
Without a solid pre shot routine, the mind can be distracted with speculation and thoughts about the negative possibilities. By making your pre shot routine the goal for each shot, you’ll be focused only on the things that will help you and you increase your chances of a good outcome.