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snowy slopes
27,610 posts
56 months
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Took the pitching wedge and sand wedge, and some range balls down to a local green area earlier today, and discovered a major reason why i am struggling with my short game.
I am trying to hit them like you do an iron, and so it either goes nowhere or miles. Hitting them with a sharp downward stabbing motion, the ball lifted straight into the air, and went about 40 yards. each time i tried it, i got the same result, so next time i go out, i can try it and see what happens
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condor
6,258 posts
117 months
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At my lesson today I got told (again  )that I needed a pre-shot routine. To go up to the ball first then walk back - line up the shot, get your feet in position etc. I said that I didn't want to do all the poncing about that others did and just wanted it to be natural. He then asked me to aim for a sand circle ( it pretends to be a green)50 yards away to the right. I get, near enough, spot on 50 yards using a 7 iron - but have hit it straight ahead rather than veering to the right. This is because I didn't spend an age lining the ball up like he wanted me to do. Cue an unhappy golf pro who then thought I needed a telling off...not practicing enough etc. What are your thoughts about this 'pre-shot' routine malarky?
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snowy slopes
27,610 posts
56 months
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condor said: At my lesson today I got told (again )that I needed a pre-shot routine. To go up to the ball first then walk back - line up the shot, get your feet in position etc. I said that I didn't want to do all the poncing about that others did and just wanted it to be natural. He then asked me to aim for a sand circle ( it pretends to be a green)50 yards away to the right. I get, near enough, spot on 50 yards using a 7 iron - but have hit it straight ahead rather than veering to the right. This is because I didn't spend an age lining the ball up like he wanted me to do. Cue an unhappy golf pro who then thought I needed a telling off...not practicing enough etc. What are your thoughts about this 'pre-shot' routine malarky? It helps me get my head straight, i can't walk up and just hit the ball straight away, if i do that, i waste the shot, and probably lose a ball too
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Merp
1,836 posts
121 months
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I think every golfer is individual, when I played in my teens I went through various setups, picking a spot infront of you inline with the target etc...
These days Im comfortable enough to walk up to the ball and swing directly at my target, I can understand how it helps certain individuals, especially if your learning, or improving your game. In the end it will become natural to do so.
For instance, on my tee shots I now re-adjust my grip twice (sergio esq) then slide the head of the driver to align with the back of the ball. I had no idea I did this until my mate told me after 3 rounds!
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Bing o
15,184 posts
88 months
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condor said: What are your thoughts about this 'pre-shot' routine malarky? Find me any professional sportsman who doesn't have a preshot routine. If Tiger Woods or Justin Rose need one, then I'd suggest that you do too. Golf is a game of repetition. You need to get your body to repeat a complex connected set of movements consistently. The preshot routine should also clear your head of thoughts about wind direction, club selection etc, and focus you on the execution. There is also a school of thought that suggests that muscle memory lasts about 20 seconds, so there is benefit to rehearsing your shot. Lastly, it is highly likely that your set-up will change over time from what it should be. Having a standard Pre-shot routine will help prevent that happening.
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Gaz.
47,151 posts
120 months
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smartypants
17,383 posts
38 months
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Bing o said: Find me any professional sportsman who doesn't have a preshot routine. If Tiger Woods or Justin Rose need one, then I'd suggest that you do too.
Golf is a game of repetition. You need to get your body to repeat a complex connected set of movements consistently. The preshot routine should also clear your head of thoughts about wind direction, club selection etc, and focus you on the execution. There is also a school of thought that suggests that muscle memory lasts about 20 seconds, so there is benefit to rehearsing your shot. Lastly, it is highly likely that your set-up will change over time from what it should be. Having a standard Pre-shot routine will help prevent that happening. Totally agree  Every single thing you see a pro do before they take a shot is deliberate and repeated every time. My shot routine involves me standing behind the ball lining up the shot and getting my grip just right as I do. When and only when I am happy with hand position and alignment (with something on the ground) I move in behind the ball. From there everything happens quickly and naturally, but the bits beforehand could make me look like a tit if you didn't know what I was actually doing! It's good to slow yourself down, think about everything.
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Bing o
15,184 posts
88 months
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smartypants said: Totally agree Every single thing you see a pro do before they take a shot is deliberate and repeated every time. My shot routine involves me standing behind the ball lining up the shot and getting my grip just right as I do. When and only when I am happy with hand position and alignment (with something on the ground) I move in behind the ball. From there everything happens quickly and naturally, but the bits beforehand could make me look like a tit if you didn't know what I was actually doing! It's good to slow yourself down, think about everything. It's also important to have visualised the shot before you start the Pre-shot routine. I'll have a chat with my partner or caddy about any old s  t on the way to the ball, and only start thinking about the shot when we get within about 20-30 yards of my ball. I'll then work out the wind, look at the pin position, and work out yardages before deciding the type of shot to hit. Once I'm clear on that, then I will only think about the mechanics of the set-up and swing.
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condor
6,258 posts
117 months
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Gaz. said: Half of the posters are against the set-up routine whilst the other half are for it. I find if I think too long and hard about a shot then I'm trying too hard and make a mistake, whereas if I just react naturally then the shot is usually fine.
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Bing o
15,184 posts
88 months
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condor said: Half of the posters are against the set-up routine whilst the other half are for it.
I find if I think too long and hard about a shot then I'm trying too hard and make a mistake, whereas if I just react naturally then the shot is usually fine. If it was up for debate then you'd see 50% of pros not bothering either. It's like I said above - think about the shot you want to hit before you start the routine, and the use the routine to ensure you are setup properly. As you get better, you'll also want a way of controlling your rhythm, which walk up and smack is not conducive to.
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f13ldy
1,431 posts
70 months
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Develop your pre-shot routine on the range, then just transfer it to the course.
Mine in involves picking a target line, then something within yards in front of the ball on that line, square clubface, sort legs out, step back, 2 practice swings, shoot.
Mentally after hitting decent shots on the range, I just feel like I'm back there and the outcome is always going to be what I've practiced.
Until I realise I've taken too much club as per usual.
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smartypants
17,383 posts
38 months
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Bing o said: It's also important to have visualised the shot before you start the Pre-shot routine. I'll have a chat with my partner or caddy about any old s t on the way to the ball, and only start thinking about the shot when we get within about 20-30 yards of my ball. I'll then work out the wind, look at the pin position, and work out yardages before deciding the type of shot to hit. Once I'm clear on that, then I will only think about the mechanics of the set-up and swing. I use a rangefinder app for my phone, so when approaching the ball I am already working out hazards and distances and wind - and make the decision on what shot to take before I then go through the routine Not just having a quick look, pick a club, practice swing and hit it hard definitely has improved my scores - and at least I am becoming a lot more consistent. It would be like jumping into a car with your seat in a different position, mirrors out of alignment and your seat belt off and expect you to drive exactly the same. Get your pre-shot setup consistent and hopefully the shots will follow! (well this is the plan anyway  )
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Tuscanless Ali
2,185 posts
78 months
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Well I had a fantastic time on my first golfing holiday, learnt so much in the four days I was there. Played last Sunday on my local 9 hole par 3 course.............and scored my first hole in ONE on the first hole  119 yds, tee'd off with my 5 rescue and saw the ball land on the edge of the green, couldn't see it when walking to the hole and wondered where it had gone, couldn't believe it when I checked the hole and there it was. I bet it will be a long while before I do that again.
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BarnatosGhost
6,393 posts
122 months
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bloody hell, congratulations!
I can only guess how great that must feel. About 2' is the closest I've got in 22 years.
The only one I've seen was a lady in the US we'd been paired with, played off 36, who sunk one on the 6th or 7th and played like she was drunk for the rest of the round. Her husband was beside himself and bought a round for about 100 people when we got back in.
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smartypants
17,383 posts
38 months
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Tuscanless Ali said: Well I had a fantastic time on my first golfing holiday, learnt so much in the four days I was there. Played last Sunday on my local 9 hole par 3 course.............and scored my first hole in ONE on the first hole 119 yds, tee'd off with my 5 rescue and saw the ball land on the edge of the green, couldn't see it when walking to the hole and wondered where it had gone, couldn't believe it when I checked the hole and there it was. I bet it will be a long while before I do that again. 119yds with a 5-rescue!? That's PW territory But superb result, well done! I see you are as jammy on the golf course as you are on the poker table 
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Bing o
15,184 posts
88 months
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Back from a successful weekend captaining my club team over a 2 day Ryder Cup agianst our next door neighbours. 20.5 played 15.5 in the end, and I won 3 and halved one match. Best of all I slam-dunked a 60 yard LW straight into the hole for eagle on the par 5 3rd! No bounce, no spin, just straight in the front of the hole and the flag on the full.
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Aizle
11,691 posts
44 months
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Slam dunk!
Didn't break the cup at all?
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Stingercut
205 posts
36 months
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Bing o said: Find me any professional sportsman who doesn't have a preshot routine. If Tiger Woods or Justin Rose need one, then I'd suggest that you do too.
Golf is a game of repetition. You need to get your body to repeat a complex connected set of movements consistently. The preshot routine should also clear your head of thoughts about wind direction, club selection etc, and focus you on the execution. There is also a school of thought that suggests that muscle memory lasts about 20 seconds, so there is benefit to rehearsing your shot. Lastly, it is highly likely that your set-up will change over time from what it should be. Having a standard Pre-shot routine will help prevent that happening. +1 A routine helps to quieten the mind in pressure situations. I play a fair bit of competitive golf and the last thing you need is the classic 'paralysis by analysis' as you stand over the ball.
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Tuscanless Ali
2,185 posts
78 months
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smartypants said: 119yds with a 5-rescue!? That's PW territory But superb result, well done! I see you are as jammy on the golf course as you are on the poker table  PW only goes about 80yds for me I shall be back on the poker table if the Thursday nights start again
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smartypants
17,383 posts
38 months
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Tuscanless Ali said: PW only goes about 80yds for me I shall be back on the poker table if the Thursday nights start again I need to get some cash in my account and more free time - definitely should try harder, had some good fun games
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