A great pre-shot routine is crucial for establishing your fundamentals prior to every shot. Without a repeatable pre-shot routine, it becomes much harder to execute consistently.
While there are many ways to go about a pre-shot routine, there are a few keys that I like to teach my students. Check them out below.
1. Take aim
When you are getting ready to hit, stand directly behind the ball looking down the line toward your target. Sometimes, choosing an intermediate target on the ground between your ball and where you’re aimed can help. Pick out a spot on the ground and try to hit your ball directly over it. This will help you get the ball started on line more consistently and make your aim that much better.
2. Step in
Once you’ve got your target picked out, you can step toward the ball for your setup. As you begin to step into the shot, keep looking at your intermediate target on the ground. As you address the ball, make sure the leading edge of the club is perpendicular to this spot. If you find yourself struggling to line up properly, a training aid like an alignment mirror can be a great tool for practice.
Putting Alignment Mirror
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3. Grip the club
Now that you’ve stepped into the shot, it’s time to grip the club. Your hands are the lone connection point between you and the club, so it’s crucial you nail this step. Allow your arms to dangle freely in front of you after you bend forward from the hips — and if you need more help with the grip, check out my article on the subject here.
4. Set your feet
Your feet are also a crucial fundamental for executing a solid shot. Make sure your feet are aligned properly aiming at the target and shuffle them around if you need to. The position of your feet relative to the ball also have tons of impact on your shot, so make sure you’ve got the ball position in the correct spot for the shot you want to hit.
5. One last look
With all of the above steps taken care of, it’s time to take one last look at the target and lock in for the shot. This can be a great trigger to start your swing to tell your brain it’s go-time. Once you establish a consistent and repeatable pre-shot routine, you can swing the club confidently knowing you’re in position to execute a high-level shot.
Kellie Stenzel is a GOLF Top 100 Teacher based in Florida. If you’d like more tips from Kellie, follow her Instagram here.
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