Pre-Shot Routine - Golf Mastery

If you don’t have a pre-shot routine, you’re missing one of the biggest tricks in golf. A good pre-shot routine isn’t just a nice extra; it’s the glue that holds your game together when your brain wants to run off in 17 different directions.

When I learnt that a pre-shot routine is what bridges the gap between thinking and playing, it was one of my biggest lightbulb moments to date.

At its core, a pre-shot routine is simply the sequence of things you do before every shot, but the power lies in what those things do for you. Having a PURPOSE counts for everything in this situation!

Your pre-shot might include:

• Assessing the situation: Distance, lie, wind, target etc.

• Visualising the shot: Seeing the ball flight and the landing spot gives your brain a clear job... otherwise, it’ll happily entertain itself with things like “don’t go in the bunker.”

• Committing to the shot: Making a decision and standing behind it. Commitment allows for acceptance.

• Repeating a consistent physical trigger: Maybe a breath, a waggle, a practice swing. Something that brings your focus to the present moment.

For mastery of a pre-shot routine, each part of it must have a purpose to you. Putting focus on each step is crucial to distract your conscious mind trying to take over with whispers like... “please don’t top this.”

Once you've got a solid pre-shot routine in place, it's then about getting lost in it. That’s when golf starts to feel effortless. When you’re so wrapped up in your process that there’s no space left for nerves, doubts, or mental maths on the score.

To get there, treat your routine like a mini mindfulness practice. One action performed at a time with real purpose. If a random thought appears (“Don’t go right,” “You really need a par here”), just smile at it, maybe even thank it for its input, and then get back to your process or reset completely and start again.

Over time, your pre-shot routine could stop being something you do and become a place you go. A quiet, confident, familiar rhythm that can keep you grounded... no matter what chaos is happening around you.

If this article struck a cord with you, pre-shot routines are something I build with every player I coach. It's often a small but incredibly impactful piece of the puzzle that can elevate performances immensely (at any level).

To book a free call to chat about your game and the margins you could gain through mental performance coaching, click here.