Great golf is boring golf. Bernhard Langer told me that once, and he was -- and is -- absolutely right.
The best golfers in the world are incredibly talented, yes, but they also know how important the right process and approach are to scoring well. Combining their skill with a sound, consistent process gives a golfer the best chance to succeed.
Golf is an incredibly challenging game. It is different every time, with the course, conditions and weather changing from round to round. With so many things to account for in each round, anything a golfer can do to reduce variables is a positive thing.
One of the biggest areas where golfers of all skill levels can reduce variables is in their pre-shot routine. The time between arriving at the ball and hitting the shot is almost as critical as the couple of seconds it takes to hit a shot. However, most golfers don't take full advantage of this time without a commitment to a positive pre-shot routine. Now's the time to make that change and save strokes out on the golf course.
No matter how it looks to an outsider, a good pre-shot routine accomplishes the same things. Here are three things every golfer should do before hitting any shot.
Visualize the shot: On every shot, a golfer should only stand over the ball to swing when they know precisely what they want to do with the shot. Where should the ball land? Will it fly low, high or somewhere in between? In a perfect world, where does the ball hit the ground, and what does it do when it hits the ground? Are you hitting a draw, fade, hook, slice or straight ball? Do you even capable of hitting more than one shot shape? Are you swinging smooth or trying to add a little extra?
It's important to work out all the details of the shot. You may not be of the skill level that can control many of these components, but that makes it all the more crucial to know what you can do given the situation. That will often mean aiming in a different way or playing to your skill level instead of trying the hero shot. But having a game plan before you hit the shot is a must.
Find your aiming point: So many golfers have a hard time aiming the golf ball. The best advice I've ever heard is an old Jack Nicklaus tip: Find a spot maybe 1-3 feet in front of the ball (whatever works for your eye) that is in your target line, and then aim your club to that spot instead of somewhere well in the distance. If you're working the ball with a draw or fade, set your club face toward where you want the ball to land and then determine how much you want the ball to move by the path of your swing.
Remember, there are two places on the golf course where you can use the alignment line on your ball to help you line up your shot. The first is on the teeing ground, so take advantage by using your alignment line to point down your target line as you put the ball on the tee. The other is on the putting green. Different golfers prefer to aim putts in different ways, but I use my alignment marker to point toward the spot where I believe the near apex of the break will happen. However you choose to employ the alignment line, just be consistent -- including if you don't want to use it at all.
Make a repeatable motion: It doesn't really matter what you do physically during a pre-shot routine. You might take a practice swing behind the ball and another on the side of it. You might only take a half-swing to practice your takeaway. Whatever it is, it's important to do the same thing each time. That could mean doing the same thing with the driver, a different repeatable thing with the irons and a third routine with the putter in hand. The key here is having a motion that allows your mind to know it's time to put your plan into action and execute the shot. This is the time when you quiet your mind, think one last positive thought and feel your mental focus really dial in on the shot. And then you're going to pure it.
