You're Correct!

A pre-shot routine is one area of putting that many golfers dont seem to fully understand. Most golfers either dont have a routine at all or just copy what ever their playing partners of favorite golfers do, but you need to have a pre-shot routine if you want to improve your putting.

Firstly, your pre-shot routine is as important to a golfer as a dress rehearsal is to a stage actor. It is the final opportunity for you to get the right feeling before it counts. If your dont have a feeling for the length and tempo of the stroke, you need to hit your putt the required distance then the chance of you getting the speed of your putt right is very small.

What do you need to have in your pre-shot routine? To start with, you need to select the line of your putt and line your ball up so either the logo on the ball or a line you have drawn on the ball is pointing along your aim line. You must move to the low side of your putt and adopt your set up at an angle 90 degrees to your aim line.

Make practise putts to a spot to the low side of the hole and try to make the length of the stroke the same as the one you intend to make when you address the ball. Step into the ball from this angle. This will keep you parallel to your aim line and make it easier for you to square your putter to the line you intend to start your ball on.

Now all you need to do is repeat the length and tempo of stroke that you made during your pre-shot routine and you will increase the chance of getting your speed control right and see your putt travel the distance you need.

Although the hole is the final destination for your putt, this is not the area you want your focus on. The best way to see your putt finish in the hole is to control the speed of your putts, as this determines the line of your putt. This will then see you hole more putts.

The line of your putt is very important and is an area that you do need to give a lot of attention to, but the line is dependant on the speed. The main focus of your pre-shot routine needs to be on the length and tempo of your stroke so that you can improve your speed and distance control.

One of the most common mistakes made in the putting stroke is decelerating in the forward stroke. This usually happens when your backstroke is too long and you dont want to hit the ball too hard and end up with your putter head hitting the ground before the ball.