Building A Golf Pre-Shot Routine (Video) - by Pete Styles
Building A Golf Pre-Shot Routine (Video) - by Pete Styles

Part of getting into a good address position the same each time is actually having a really good pre-shot routine, so setting up to the golf ball in the same way every time that you then find is quite repeatable. So, I set up to the golf ball, it’s almost something that we do so often that we do it instinctively and we have to sort of break it down slowly to understand actually what we do, because it only takes a couple of seconds to do it correctly. What I’d like to try and achieve is firstly setting the club behind the golf ball pointing in the right direction.

Then setting the left foot in behind the golf ball so I feel is the right distance away, then bringing the right foot into the golf ball. I can then check my distance if I need to, check my alignment if I need to. Then I would make a good grip on the club, then I would just make sure I’m in an athletic position which might look a bit like I’m wiggling my bum, but it’s setting myself up in a good athletic position. I would then feel I’m in a good position to go ahead and strike the golf ball. An important thing about this pre-shot routine is I would do exactly the same thing every single time regardless of whether I’m hitting a pitch, a wedge or a driver, regardless of whether it’s on the practice ground on the first hole or on the 18th hole, or it’s the monthly medal or it’s the US Open Championship, I will try and do the same thing every single time. So, I’d lay the club in, lay the left foot, right foot, shuffle around, get myself comfortable, grip, feel athletic and then go ahead and hit the golf shot. Now, quite a lot happens quite quickly and you don’t necessarily have to have exactly the same pre-shot routine as everybody else or the next guy. What you should do is have a pre-shot routine that you’re comfortable with and a pre-shot routine that you can stick to consistently whether it’s the first hole or the last hole. If you can improve your pre-shot routine you’ll improve your set up, if you improve your set up, you’ll improve your golf game. 2015-11-04

Part of getting into a good address position the same each time is actually having a really good pre-shot routine, so setting up to the golf ball in the same way every time that you then find is quite repeatable. So, I set up to the golf ball, it’s almost something that we do so often that we do it instinctively and we have to sort of break it down slowly to understand actually what we do, because it only takes a couple of seconds to do it correctly. What I’d like to try and achieve is firstly setting the club behind the golf ball pointing in the right direction.

Then setting the left foot in behind the golf ball so I feel is the right distance away, then bringing the right foot into the golf ball. I can then check my distance if I need to, check my alignment if I need to. Then I would make a good grip on the club, then I would just make sure I’m in an athletic position which might look a bit like I’m wiggling my bum, but it’s setting myself up in a good athletic position.

I would then feel I’m in a good position to go ahead and strike the golf ball. An important thing about this pre-shot routine is I would do exactly the same thing every single time regardless of whether I’m hitting a pitch, a wedge or a driver, regardless of whether it’s on the practice ground on the first hole or on the 18th hole, or it’s the monthly medal or it’s the US Open Championship, I will try and do the same thing every single time.

So, I’d lay the club in, lay the left foot, right foot, shuffle around, get myself comfortable, grip, feel athletic and then go ahead and hit the golf shot. Now, quite a lot happens quite quickly and you don’t necessarily have to have exactly the same pre-shot routine as everybody else or the next guy. What you should do is have a pre-shot routine that you’re comfortable with and a pre-shot routine that you can stick to consistently whether it’s the first hole or the last hole. If you can improve your pre-shot routine you’ll improve your set up, if you improve your set up, you’ll improve your golf game.