Get In The Zone (Pre-shot Routine)
Using a pre-shot routine throughout your round may be one of the biggest clichés in golf. Using a pre-shot routine may also be one of the most important facets and most overlooked aspect of your game.
Last year before the 2009 Walt Disney PGA Tour event Ryan Palmer was playing golf at TPC Craig Ranch with a few other Tour players including Harrison Frasier. During the round Harrison noticed that Ryan was not using a pre-shot routine, and if he did it constantly changed and was not uniform. Harrison pointed this out to Ryan and Ryan didn’t think it was that important, but said he would work on it. The following week Ryan won the Walt Disney Tour event and in his interview he noted that he was using a tip that he learned while playing with some buddies in Dallas. This tip of using a pre-shot routine made all the difference in Ryan’s play and helped him win another Tour event.
What is it that is so important in a pre-shot routine? A pre-shot routine allows a player to direct his thoughts and attention to specific details and thoughts. Vision 54, which is a sport psychology company, run by Pia Nielsson and Lynn Marriot, divide up the pre-shot routine into two areas. These areas are the think box and the play box. The think box is the area where you set your clubs down. This is the analytical thinking of your golf shot. Distance, Wind, lie, trouble, where you want to hit the ball, etc. All of these components go into the think box. The play box is the area around the ball. Your thinking time is over and you must react to the shot and forget all the technical thoughts and must become totally immersed in the shot and the target. If you do this properly this is what people experience when they are in the “zone”. For any players that have been in the “zone” you really don’t remember a lot about the shot. Time seemed slow, effortless, unconscious competent, which means you don’t have to think about it. This is the play box we all want to achieve.
If you do have a pre-shot routine I suggest you change it. Too often a player will use a pre-shot routine and will not change it for years. This becomes a ritual and is not a routine. A good routine will involve clear decision making skills and visualization, which will be done before stepping up to the ball. Ryan Palmer had sort of a routine, however he was “going through the motions.” This is what happens to routines that don’t involve thinking or to tour players that have played too many weeks in a row. Decisions are being made while the player is walking up to the ball or worst-case scenario, while over the ball. Clear decisions are not being made, and visualization is thrown out the window. This typically is the feeling we have when we just want to get off the course and don’t really care about our round anymore.
Having a good pre-shot routine can make the difference in winning a tournament or finishing middle of the pack. This simple mental commitment clarifies images and decisions in your brain and allows your brain to shut off and your body to react to the target. Develop a solid pre-shot routine before your next round and you may play some of the best golf of your life.
Keep em long and Straight,
CJ
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9 Comments
Hi CJ,
I have a couple of questions about transition and impact. (right handed)
1. At impact does the right heel stay on the ground or is it slightly raisaed up?
2. At impact does the right leg straighten to the point where it is ‘locked’ back or is it almost straight with a small way to go before it is locked?
By the way, the 7 DVD package is awesome.
Thanks.
Mark,
Thanks Mark for the questions and the nice comment on the DVD package. I am sincerely happy that you are enjoying them. The questions you asked are very good, but kinda difficult to answer. 1. Heel raised at impact? yes and no. For wedges and shorter irons yes the heel should be on ground, but for longer clubs yes the heel should be starting to raise slightly(great question)
2. Impact- right leg straight? No it shouldn’t be straight but it is kinda straight. The key here is to remember that your right knee is working in towards your left knee and although it is straightening as you push off your right foot it will never become locked. Does this make sense? Another great question and let me know if you have any others or need more explanation.
Keep em Long and Straight,
CJ
CJ, I have a left shoulder that has a problem, My Dr says I have a dry socket, I can only get the arm up so high. Is ther any way that I can acheive a little more distance?. I am 6’2″ and about 208. also I am 78 yrs young. I also think I did join your club. and d0o you sernd Cds or e-mail only. Thanks George
how do you set up so that when you hit your ball it will head toward your target and not right or left.i have a tendicy to hit my ball way left but strait.
Dennis,
I am no expert in the golf swing thats why I have CJ’s help with his videos, but I am very knowledgeable in the mental aspect of the game. So I am going to give this a shot and help you as much as I can from a mental standpoint. And on the mechanics I am hoping that CJ will help to back me up.
Here goes:
MENTAL FOCUS – ALL DONE BEHIND THE BALL
1. Calculations – No club in hand. Decipher distance, view your lie, wind direction and velocity, analyze direction and contour of the hole whether it is up or down or slanted left to right or right to left as this will not only help you with your shot but will prepare you in advance to have a one-up on reading the green when you putt. This determines club selection.
2.Preparation – Take a couple of smooth almost syrupy swings on your intended line of flight behind the ball so that you can understand where the target is and get a wider view as to where you want the ball to land. Also so you can use the 1 or 2 (only) swing thoughts for that shot or maybe you have those for that day.
MENTAL FOCUS – MECHANICS
3. TRIGGER – Open and close the velcro that secures your glove to your left hand (if right handed) and opposite if left handed. This does 2 things it takes you from a preparation point into a hitting mode and tells your brain to focus on the target when you go to strike the ball.
4. Alignment – Step into the ball from a parallel point with both hands on the club with your right foot so that it is perpindicular to the ball and take your stance with your arms hanging straight down with no tension in the arms. Set the club down behind the ball and point it at the target at the same time and then move the left foot into position according to club and width of stance and use the right foot to align ball position according to club selected.(forward,middle,back)
5. Execution – Because you have already felt the practice swings and have done your preparation you just need one last look at the target and then pull the trigger and you should see a smooth and comfortable swing and a nice ball flight headed toward its goal.
6. Analyzation – This last one is something that very few people do other than pros and that is to analyze the result of the right after the shot was taken. This is done very quickly after you get a hang of it. Make a mental note of the execution and what you could have done to make it better. Look at ball flight and how the shot felt especially if it was a good shot. And then come up with a trigger to say “Lets move on to my next success” and immediately move forward so you can forget forget about what happened and you can start anew.
This sounds complicated but just like anything in golf you have to do it enough to get it embedded into your psyche. Afterall, it takes a consistent 21 days to form a habit.
Thanks Dennis and I hope this helps and thank you CJ for letting me share the information.
Dan
Dan,
Great advice and thank you for taking the time to write all that information to dennis. GReat job and thanks for your support.
Keep em long and straight,
cj
Hey CJ,
Do you recommend a practice swing at address? I observe many golfers who take 3, sometimes 4 practice swings before hitting the shot. My pre-shot routine involves one 3/4 swing at the back of the tee box while sizing up the shot. I generally step up and hit the shot a few seconds after address without a practice swing. Do you recommend a few practice hacks at address? Is it helpful or a distraction?
Keith
Keith,
I don’t think it matters one way or the other in regards to practice swings. Some sport psychs recommend one with full intention (like a normal full swing), although I never see that on tour. I personally want to feel the shot I am going to hit so therefore it is slower and like the half swing 3/4 like you stated. This is slower for me to feel the shot and sometimes I take one, two or even three practice swings depending on the number it takes me to feel the shot that I want. I personally think its a bad Idea to use always one, or whatever someone may choose. If you stick with only one and your practice swing is bad does that mean you don’t get another? Of course not. Dr. David Cook’s mantra is see it, feel it, and trust it. See the shot, feel the shot(how many swings does that take) (depends on the person in my opinion) and then trust it. hope this helps. Also for the guy that takes 4 practice swings…put him on the clock and see if that changes anything. Best wishes to you keith and let me know if this answers your question.
Keep em long and Straight,
cj
A short setp by step routine .. if one has never had one how does
begin and end this trick ? and how do i know if I am getting it right..
Thanks