Josh’s Tips & Tricks: Pre-Shot Routine

Intro

Hello golfers and welcome to this weeks tips & tricks. I hope you are all super organised and ready for the Christmas madness. If you are like me and starting to panic buy I’ve got some good ideas for gifts. Just check out the other section of the newsletter. This week we are going to look at something we have complete control over and can help you stay focused when it’s going really well or really poorly on the course. A consistent pre-shot routine has helped major champions when coming down the final stretch so it can definitely help you too.

Pre-Shot Routine

There are many uncontrollable factors when you play golf but one thing you can control is your mental and physical approach to each shot. You should be approaching every single shot with a clear mind and positive approach. How many of you can realistically say you do this? I bet you’re all reading this with a smile on your face because you know how untrue it is.

It may seem unrealistic but practicing a good pre-shot routine can become easy and second nature. It can really help you stay relaxed and “in the zone” on the course and can be practiced off the course. I see lots of people getting faster and faster hitting balls on the driving range and this isn’t like playing real golf. I’m not saying you have to walk up and down the range in between each shot to replicate playing but stepping away and resetting can slow you down.

Watch the video below for my pre-shot routines.

I have performed two different swings. One is a pitch shot with a wedge. The other is a full 7 iron. The time taken and the way I approached the shots are the same, the only difference is the length of the swings. Before each shot I tried to control my breathing. I also try to make swings with good rhythm. I also try to take the same amount of practice swings and looks at the target.

Your pre-shot routine doesn’t have to be the same as mine but developing your own is important. My background in sports psychology has helped me realise the importance of a good mental approach and I want to help transfer it into your game. Sending your brain positive signals before any golf shot is very important so getting used to doing it on the driving range is a good start. Try not to think about negative outcomes such as water, trees, or bunkers. Just try to make a good swing and approach it with the same positive attitude each and every time.

Summary

If you struggle with the mental approach to the game I can help. Even though I work on a driving range I can help your on course approach and strategy. Now is the time to identify issues and address them. If we sort them out now your game will be ready to go when the clocks change.

If you would like any help or would like to just sit down and have a coffee and a chat in our new bar you know where I am. I will more than happily sit down and discuss goals, obstacles, on course issues or anything else. I want to help you with your golf so you can enjoy it as much as possible.

Give me a call or drop me a message if anything you have read is familiar and you would like some friendly guidance.

Cheers,

Josh