Pre Shot Routine

Do you have one?

I managed to formulate a good one that ensures at least 80% fairway accuracy.

1. Look at the fairway and realistically visualise your shot. i.e., if u are a natural draw player, imagine yourself teeing off and watch the ball draw in back to the centre of the fairway.

2. tee up your ball and put your driver beside the ball to ensure that your ball is teed up comfortably.

3. take some practise swings behind the ball.

4. step up and address the ball.

5. do an final visual check and make sure that everything is comfortable. change or adjust anything to make sure all is in order.

This is where my usual pre-shot routine stops.

now to go more into the swing and the actual shot and the secret technique that increase my fairway finding chances.

6. take the club back slowly.

7. make sure that when starting the downswing, the hips turn first before the arms come down.

8. maintain a inside-out swing path when coming down.

9. say 'boomz' when contacting the ball.

10. complete the swing and keep the club and belt buckle pointed to the direction that you want the ball fly to.

You forgot the butt wiggle.


Honestly, I think you have too many swing thoughts. Anything more than 2 on the golf course will cloud your mind.

Ball, lie, target + 1 or 2 swing thoughts.

Makes golf faster too.

dangz. forgot about that. now need to play a few more rounds to work out how to incorporate that into the whole procedure.


seriously.. now thinking whether i have put this in humour forum instead of here. shootz.

*looking at my own sig.*

No lah, Your pre shot routine and checking all these are ok and good for beginner's knowledge.

Its your "take it back slow, hips turn 1st, inside out, belt buckle etc' all these that will prevent you from playing golf.

Just hit the damn ball. Whatever you were thinking about during the swing shd have been ironed out on the range.

I give u 2 words. 'Tempo and finish'. There, now hit that dang ball.

I more generous bro, give you 4 words + 3 letters. "Hit hard, Look up" then shout "K N N!".

My pre-shot routine goes something like this:

1) Size up the line I want to take behind the ball
2) Pick a blade of grass, a stone or something that is in the same line 1m away
3) Set up slightly away from the ball and do my practice swing
4) Set up properly and dig my stance in with my cleats
5) Do my breathing exercise and loosen up my shoulders (rotate them a couple of times)and hips (wiggle it!!)
6) Take aim
7) Go!

Read a couple of mags that have some interesting points which I’ve incorporated into my pre-shot routine.

The first one would be the pick and object 1m ahead bit. It has helped me get my shots more on target and also to visualize the balls flight path. What I used to do was pick an object next to the ball and what I realized is that if that object was just slightly off the line? Then the result, assuming my shot was straight lol, would veer significantly off target.

The second was my breathing exercise which took a while for me to get used to, but once I did it helped me to calm down before shots and has helped improve me game. The guys who have served NS here would be able to testify to this.

I recall back then we were told to take a deep breath in and slowly exhale before firing a shot at the rifle range. Before taking the shot itself, I’ll take another deep breath and slowly let half out before holding our breath again. This would be the point where I’d take my backswing and go. Personally I find that it has help calm me down and clear my mind before shot so maybe you could give it a go too!

Just my newbie golfing thoughts in action here. It would be great to hear from the seasoned golfers as well on their tips and tricks which would maybe help us with our game! Thanks!

Mine is pretty simple:

#1 Identify distance
#2 Check lie of ball
#3 Determine Club
#4 One practise swing
#5 Talk to ball ' Make me proud'
#6 Breathe out...and Swing and hope for best

MC, for the first 5 step, you are 画蛇 (draw snake)

From 6 onwards, you are 添足 (add the legs)

Pre-shot routine is good for your swing, thoughts during the swing is a killer! You have to visualise and sort out all your your thoughts before your swing. Once you address the ball, commit and execute.

1. Line up ball. I have a line drawn on my ball so I try to get my aiming aligned with the ball.
2. Take one practice swing.
3. Step back to relook at the alignment of the ball (to see if it's inline with my target).
4. Tell my friends to look out for my ball and to shout "FORE" if needed.
5. Swing.
6. Hope for the best.
7. Wish I had a time machine to rewind the last 30 seconds of my life and start over.

i like the direction where this thread is going.

but before anymore comment on my routine. I just want to state that butt wiggle and 'boomz' was for comedy effect.



Pls continue to share your preshot routine. Anyone here offer joss-sticks?

my routine as follows: -
1. Check distance to pin and decide on which club (wind factor, uphill or downhill, lie, etc.)
2. Pick a spot 5-10 inches in front of the ball
3. Place club behind ball and grip the club with my left hand first, then right hand.
4. Confirm direction
5. Fire away
6. FORE or K N N

Aiyo !!!!! So long winded !!!! Just whacked the ball ! ....No slow play ah !

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

i like the direction where this thread is going.

but before anymore comment on my routine. I just want to state that butt wiggle and 'boomz' was for comedy effect.



Pls continue to share your preshot routine. Anyone here offer joss-sticks?

the butt wiggle is necessary to get into a proper set position. Its like a waggle but for your body posture. To tense, the butt will not wiggle smoothly. Too loose, you will lose balance during the wiggle.

BOOMZ is for tempo. back swings is the Boo... down swings is the oOMZ!!! The quiet 'b' will 'trick' the mind to do a slow back swing....the first 'o' is a slow beginning downswing, followed by 'OM' which is the acceleration and impact. the Z!!!! is to remind you to follow through and hold & relax at the end

breathing techniques do wonders for me. i concentrate on my breathing instead of my swing! distance wind direction all that all by hweeling!

Three things before pulling the trigger for me.

1) Check alighment (eyes, shoulders, hips and feet)

1) Being able to feel the weight of the club in my hands (translating to knowing where the clubface is facing during the backswing. Downswing too fast to know already)

2) Being peripherally aware of where my target is during the backswing. (So I can feel whether clubface is square to the target)

I don't have one ...

1. pick a far target... tree, antenna post, clubhouse roof, etc
2. tee and line up the ball
3. setup, look at target once or twice
4. relax the arms and no tension
5. boomz

chinchiachun wrote:

I more generous bro, give you 4 words + 3 letters. "Hit hard, Look up" then shout "K N N!".

Worthy disciple of the TSS school!!! hahaha

My pre-shot routine is to take a practice swing (and make sure swing through), step up and fire away. I agree with some bros here that simplicity is key, don't think too much.

mUAr_cHEe wrote:

Do you have one?

I managed to formulate a good one that ensures at least 80% fairway accuracy.

1. Look at the fairway and realistically visualise your shot. i.e., if u are a natural draw player, imagine yourself teeing off and watch the ball draw in back to the centre of the fairway.

2. tee up your ball and put your driver beside the ball to ensure that your ball is teed up comfortably.

3. ...............................
4. ...........................
5. .....................................
This is where my usual pre-shot routine stops.

6................
.
.
10. .............ball fly to.

Bro, to me, this sounds more like a swing thought rather than a pre-shot routine. Hmmm ... Preshot routine should be some kinda "habits" that make one comfy/relax and as a result able to repeat the swing. Another words, to psych ones up before pulling the trigger ... Am I correct?

he is a confused soul...dun make him even more confused...hahaha

my current pre shot routine is to stand behind the ball, pick my target and imagine the flight. next, do a practice swing and walk to the ball to address the ball. Lastly, hit the ball and hope it goes where I want....

hahaha, it really brightens one's day up to read such a thread early in the morning...

I like the theory on "boomz"... by tronos...

for me, since a newbie, even hitting the ball correctly is a challenge ha... so what i usually do now before my hits is to position the club at the ball, take a two second breather, shut all thoughts out of the mind so that it feels like a vaccum... before i make the swing...

after that, what's done cannot be undone... i.e. where the ball goes, haha...

I have a frd who prays to the ball for a good 30 sec before every tee off. Longer if there's no flight behind us.

i shake my ass to the left and to the right.....