I managed to play about nine months of golf without a pre-shot routine. What is it? Self-evident – but it’s a routine a golfer does before they hit EVERY golf shot. Some golfers do the same routine for each kind of shot, while some will do something different for a drive, than they would a putt or a chip. No matter what, it is an intentional moment for that golfer to get into the zone and hopefully relax a bit before they swing.
There are a lot of variations on what one could do – but at the end of the day it needs to be what the golfer themselves feels works the best for them. I have seen the importance of having a “thinking box” and a “playing box.” In the thinking box, which is about a metre away from your ball, usually behind it, is where you do all your planning. This is where you pick your target, visualize your shot, and make decisions on which club to use. Once you have moved through this, you approach the ball and stand at address. Then you do a quick check through your set up – proper posture, aimed to the target, etc etc. Then comes a pivotal moment… you might psych yourself out by saying something in your head like “don’t top it” or “don’t go in the water.” Like with everything, if there are thoughts, they should be positive. Even more importantly, they should be simple. Another, and perhaps more efficient an effective BUT far more difficult method is to take a deep breath, and clear your mind altogether. This fosters a sense of trust and relaxation that when honed will benefit the golfer more than anything else… but boy is it hard to do.
I got paired with a few randoms the other day (which can be unpleasant, but is usually a very nice way to get to meet and talk with someone you otherwise wouldn’t). I was lucky that the few “dad-like” figures I got paired with were like my cheerleaders. As we walked up the fifth fairway one of them said to me: “Bella, have you ever heard of a pre-shot routine?” I said yes… funnily enough my dad has been trying to get me to have one for months. Sadly, it is hard to listen to your own parents sometimes, even as an adult. Clearly, I am reconsidering my dismissal of my father’s recommendation. I am playing today so I will be diligent about trying out this routine I tried to create.
Pick a spot.
See the shot.
Swing thought.
Besides the cheesy fact that this all rhymes… this is an organized and efficient way to do this. So, I stand in my thinking box, I find my target, and I imagine my shot. I see the flight path of my ball, and suited to my preference of shot, my eye always imagine a draw, a ball moving right to left (gently of course). Then I step up to my ball and I glance at my target again. I have had a hard time with swing thoughts for shots from the sand trap, chips and putts. I suppose I just don’t even think to focus on anything, even though I need help with all of this as well. When I step up with an iron, wood, or driver, however, my mind fills up. Typically, with an iron my brain lights up with the words “trust” and “through,” or both together. Essentially, this entails that I trust the swing I have in my body, and I send the club through the ball instead of pulling the club around me, as I have a tendency to hit my iron shots quite far left. When I step up with a wood, the word that enters my head is usually “sweep” as I try to sweep through the ball, rather than making a deep chunk into the ground. When I step up with my driver, I either think of the words “smooth” or “tight.” A seemingly ironic part of golf is that swinging harder can work against you sometimes. In many ways, you have to trust that the club will do the work for you if you have a good set up and a proper swing plane. “Tight” is meant to help me focus on keeping the shaft closer to my body in the downswing so I don’t come over the top. Similarly, sometimes instead of a word, when I have my driver, I just imagine my club coming from in-to-out.
Isn’t this convoluted? Perhaps am I thinking about this a little too much? Am I complicating something that could potentially be really simple if I let it? Yes. Correct… but that’s golf for you.
