How to formulate your pre-shot routine
If you can formulate a consistent pre-shot routine that works for you, you're more likely to hit consistent shots on the course, as PGA Professional Katie Dawkins explains.
Keep on top of your set-up with a pre-shot routine. Formulate a routine that works for you on the driving range. This will pinpoint the faults that you have, and will help you to keep on top of the things that go walkabout in your set-up.
Always abide by the Decision Box-Play Box rule. By this I mean behind the ball as you arrive at your shot, this is where you decide what you are going to do. Club, shot selection, visualisation etc. Conjure up the shot you want to play in this area.
Check your grip etc and have your practice swings. Only once you have a clear idea of what you are trying to achieve should you cross the 'decision' line into the 'play box'. This is when you will execute your shot and not when you wonder where the ball will go.
By now, over the ball at your set- up you should know where it is going. Try and make this a positive thought. It won’t be easy to begin with but keep practising on the range, so you can eventually trust it on the course.
About Katie Dawkins
Katie is based at the Hamptworth Golf Club on the edge of the New Forest. An experienced club coach, she developed GardenGOLF during lockdown and she also freelances, operating via pop-up clinics and travelling to clients homes to help them use their space to improve.
Katie has been writing instructional content for magazines for 20 years – she is one of Golf Monthly’s Top 50 Coaches – and her creative approach to writing is fuelled by her sideline as an artist.
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