A world class Pre shot routine is not just the preserve of the professional golfer. No matter what our physical capabilities, we can all manage an excellent Pre shot routine. Executing and committing to a good Pre shot routine will pay dividends for you. It did for me, my physical capabilities are not that good, my ability to commit to a routine, however is excellent. This does not happen by accident, and you can do it too

The first part of the process is deciding on which sort of shot you are going to hit. Take account of the lie of the ball, the intended target area, the climactic conditions, etc. Wind is often the biggest factor that will make a difference to the ball flight. The professional golfer is meticulous when looking at wind strength and direction and so should we be

Visualization (seeing the desired result of a shot) is a skill that must be mastered to become a better golfer. Some people actually see the shot being hit in their mind, others just believe that the ball will go to the target. Some people see themselves in a sort of video that they play in their mind, actually hitting the perfect shot. It really doesn’t matter which method you use, the effect is the same, commitment to the target

There is obviously a physical element in hitting a golf shot. Preparation to hit the shot can begin as soon as you have made the absolute commitment to the shot that you will be hitting. A mental trigger may be helpful to you to quieten your mind and tell your mind that the execution phase is about to begin. Putting on your glove,taking the club out of the bag, taking a practice swing, etc. will help you to commit to this process

The physical part of shot execution is best approached by starting to approach the ball from behind. All the time re-inforcing your commitment to the outcome of the shot, set up to the ball taking great care over your grip and ball position. Settle into a comfortable address position whilst setting the club face on line with the target line

You’re ready to go when all the elements of the Pre shot routine have been completed. Going through this process allows your mind to focus on the task in hand and not to dwell on past failures. One final look at the target and you can pull the trigger. For some, a forward press will get the swing going, for others, they are strong enough mentally to go when they are ready. The total time taken for the whole routine should not vary by more than a couple of seconds

Getting a Pre shot routine down is something that almost any golfer can do. This is definitely one area where amateurs are pretty awful yet it is the one area that can be mastered with some patience and commitment to a process. Something that will stand you in good shape no matter what you want to achieve in life, let alone golf

About the author: Mr. Hughes is director of finance at Southerndown Golf Club. Wales is holding the Ryder Cup next year, Southerndown is a links golf course in Wales Don’t reprint this exact article. Instead, reprint a free unique content version of this same article.

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