Pre shot thoughts? Routine?

[cdnputter]

What do you guys use as a pre-shot routine? Check alignment, stance, balance, wind condition, pick a target.... at what point do you try to clear your mind? And what do you try to keep as your last thought before trying to hit the ball?

I'm asking because lately I have had several thoughts at address, stay behind the ball, swing smooth, cock the wrists, lower body stable.... And all of it has been obviously confusing me. I've spoken to my pro and several friends who are good players, and I keep getting told "just get one thought", or "clear your mind" I'm not some Zen artist, but there must be another way to focus.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[el tigre]

What do you guys use as a pre-shot routine? Check alignment, stance, balance, wind condition, pick a target.... at what point do you try to clear your mind? And what do you try to keep as your last thought before trying to hit the ball? I pick my target, alignment, wind, etc. from behind the ball before ever getting into my stance. I'm very methodical about my setup, and one of the last things I check is my balance. I "clear my mind" when my setup is complete and my balance is good.

I'm asking because lately I have had several thoughts at address, stay behind the ball, swing smooth, cock the wrists, lower body stable.... And all of it has been obviously confusing me. I've spoken to my pro and several friends who are good players, and I keep getting told "just get one thought", or "clear your mind" I'm not some Zen artist, but there must be another way to focus. I think your pro and your friends are correct. It really doesn't matter what your swing thought is, as long as you only have one (at most). It doesn't have to be the same one for every shot - I usually start with the last one I was using, and adjust it during the round according to my play. When I'm playing my best though, I have no swing "thoughts" - only swing "feelings".

As for focus, I try to keep it on the inside-top quadrant of the ball (i.e., where I want to hit it) at all times. If I peek to look at my hands/club etc., I lose that focus and there will usually be a slight hesitation in my swing while I try to regain it.

[cdnputter]

I pick my target, alignment, wind, etc. from behind the ball before ever getting into my stance. I'm very methodical about my setup, and one of the last things I check is my balance. I "clear my mind" when my setup is complete and my balance is good.

I think your pro and your friends are correct. It really doesn't matter what your swing thought is, as long as you only have one (at most). It doesn't have to be the same one for every shot - I usually start with the last one I was using, and adjust it during the round according to my play. When I'm playing my best though, I have no swing "thoughts" - only swing "feelings".

As for focus, I try to keep it on the inside-top quadrant of the ball (i.e., where I want to hit it) at all times. If I peek to look at my hands/club etc., I lose that focus and there will usually be a slight hesitation in my swing while I try to regain it.

Tigre, that's great advice, thank you. How long do you take for your setup? I don't want to turn into Ben Crane and have someone pull a Sabbatini on me.... ;)

[goshawk]

Everyone has their own method of getting the mind clear just prior to pulling the trigger. After going through my entire pre-shot routine (target, ball flight, left-hand grip, target, intermediate target, move to the ball, clubhead alignment, feet/knees/hips/shoulders, full grip, last look/waggle), my last thought (which continues through the swing) is "smooooooooooooth". I've found that by drawing out that one word, I keep other thoughts from interrupting me.

[Heits]

I think the goal of your preshot routine becomes that of you aren't thinking about random things. Over the years I've settled into one, and even though I don't consciously do it I am still: checking my stance, checking my shoulders, feeling my grip and feeling my balance.

If something is out of place from this routine I will make an effort to correct it. It usually results in an extra waggle of some sort but it gets corrected.

Much like el tigre, I focus myself on the ball and the ball alone before my swing. This seems to promote my posture and head from moving from where it should be.

Ultimately the only way this becomes "routine" is to practice.

[Grass Roots Tour]

OMG !! Less is more.

Last weeks PLAYERS drove me nuts waiting for guys to hit and I wasn't even there. I kept saying, "hit the damn ball already"

You'll play your best with absolutely NO swing thoughts at all. As you approach the ball assess the wind and distance. Pick a club, make one practice swing, set up and hit it.


If you take more time than that you start to second guess yourself and over-think everything.

Just my .002.

[el tigre]

Tigre, that's great advice, thank you. How long do you take for your setup? I don't want to turn into Ben Crane and have someone pull a Sabbatini on me.... ;) I have no problem playing in under 3 hours if I'm alone. Picking my target, checking the wind, etc is done as soon as I get to the ball (or sooner) regardless of who's turn it is to play - that's just part of ready golf. One practice swing, then setup. I might recheck the alignment if it doesn't seem right after my first setup - that's about it.

The key is to not take any shortcuts. If you're playing with a slow group and need to make up time, do it when it is not your turn to play. I've been known to get 200 yards up the fairway when I feel our group is playing too slow - the slowpokes usually take the hint after that.

Goshawk's advice about "smoooooth" is good, and it reminds me of a tip about practice swings. I see a lot of people with a very fast, choppy practice swing (often with an abbreviated follow-through), that bears little resemblance to the length and tempo of their real swing. I think that hinders more than helps.

I try to have as smooth a practice swing as possible (often slower in tempo than my actual swing) and go to a full follow-through including the "pose" at the end to check my balance and "see" my ball flight. IMHO, if you're going to do a practice swing then you might as well make it as close to the real thing as you can.

[bushnik]

The key is not to think of anything once you've addressed the ball. Stand behind the ball to visualize shot. Pick your line and target. Once you set the club down and align your feet, body etc...2 wagles and GO!!

[iyell4]

"be the ball."

[Bellyhungry]

My routine are in the order of:

- position club face toward target, close the face a little to avoid a push
- weight balance and athletic stand
- stick my butt out
- light grip pressure - 2-4 out of 10
- keep my head steady and resist the temptation to straighthen up in the down swing in order to maintain my spine angle

[Nocean]

The key is not to think of anything once you've addressed the ball. Stand behind the ball to visualize shot. Pick your line and target. Once you set the club down and align your feet, body etc...2 wagles and GO!!

BINGO. Visualization in the preshot routine and setup is the key. Don't try to make your thoughts control your swing; it never works the way you want. Imagine the perfect shot and do it.

[Biffm1]

Wow am I the only one that says the Lords prayer?

[Shadow]

Wow am I the only one that says the Lords prayer? Whether you are serious or not, the above is the key to success.

If you are conscious, it is impossible to "clear your mind." Minds of humans who are awake are thinking of something.

Consider this: Preshot is everything you do BEFORE the shot, and is done consciously. The shot is what you do after PRESHOT, and starts when you start putting your hands on the club. It is all done subconsciously and is learned on the practice range where you have hit thousands of balls this way. Therefore, there is a transiton where your mind goes from conscious to subconscious.

Your swing, whether it be good, bad or indifferent, is grooved, (subconscious) and all you have to do is remove your mind from ALL golf swing thoughts to something that is NON GOLF RELATED, such as your Lord's Prayer. This allows your subconscious swing to perform at its best without any interference from swing wrecking conscious thoughts.

While it may sound strange, this is how are minds work. When you play any other sport, do you think about how you do it when you do it? Not likely. You "Just do it." Golf is no different.

The Lord's Prayer and anything else you choose to repeat is called a "CLEAR KEY," and a huge amount of valuable, though provoking information, can be found at www.clearkeygolf.com (http://www.clearkeygolf.com). It is game changing stuff.

[cdnputter]

Loads of useful advice, so thanks everyone, although I wish I had remembered some of it last night during my League play.

I was great through 4 holes, then fell apart after shanking one into the woods. I know it's a game of 5 inches, trying to work on "less is more", "smoooooth" and not using swing thoughts except when on the range, but using "swing feelings".

Going to go out today, hope the weather holds for a few hours, cheers!

[NICK S]

I try to imagine what my shot's going to look like from behind the ball. When I'm over the ball, I'm thinking about the picture of that shot.