Get A Consistent Golf Preshot Routine That Works For You

Having a solid golf preshot routine is an excellent way to play better golf. All the professional golfers have the same preshot routine they go through before every shot they hit out on the golf course. A good routine will include figuring out your correct yardage, extra variables that may affect your shot, and will also allow your mind to focus better on the golf course.

Essential Elements To A Good Golf Preshot Routine

In your preshot routine, the first thing you should do as you approach your golf ball is figure out your yardage from your ball to the hole. Once you have your yardage, then you can select your club necessary to hit the ball the particular distance that is called for. Things like the wind as well as the lie your ball is on will affect how far the ball will travel after you've hit it.

Remember when the golf ball is above your feet, it won't go quite as far. You may want to add an extra club or play your shot a few more yards than if you were on a perfectly flat lie. If the golf ball is below your feet, it will tend to travel a bit farther also. When you are on an uphill lie, loft will be added to your club and you want to take a little more club. And the opposite is true if you are on a downhill lie, you'll de-loft the club face and you'll want to take less club for this shot.

Once you have assessed your lie and figured out your yardage, now you want to pick your target. You may not always want to aim directly for the pin on your approach shots. If the pin is tucked all the way to the left side of the green behind a bunker, aiming for the middle of the green can often be the smartest play. In a case like this, aiming for the middle of the green and playing for a slight draw can help you sneak the ball in closer while taking the sand trap out of play.

Make your decisions on the shape of the shot as well as the golf ball trajectory you would like to have. Visualizing your intended golf shot while standing behind the ball is very helpful and will get you mind more focused. Picking an intermediate target between your golf ball and your target is the last thing you want to do in your routine. As you walk into the golf ball, set your clubhead down behind the golf ball while lining it up in line with your intermediate target. Then get your feet, shoulders, and hips set so everything is parallel with your target line.

The most important thing in your golf preshot routine is to make your decisions before you are over the golf ball. Making last minute decisions is the cause of many poor golf shots. You will be far better off if you can commit to the shot you want to play and then make your best effort with your swing. Even if you don't have the right club, your shots will be better than if you had chosen the right club but swung without confidence or were tentative.

Having a consistent preshot routine is a big key to hitting successful golf shots. Going through your routine is especially helpful if you are playing not up to par. A routine will help to get your focus back on track and can get you hitting better golf shots.