In any sport the athlete’s preparation before starting the activity is the key to success and allows for more consistency. A common complaint from golfers is that they are inconsistent in their game. For most of these golfers the solution lies not in changing their swing but in adjusting their preshot routine. Have they set themselves up for success or failure?

All great athletes have a set of motions they use before executing specific techniques. For example, a basketball player goes to the foul line with a set routine before shooting the basketball. He may dribble three times, bend at the knees, take three deep breaths, and then shoot. A tennis player may dribble the ball a set number of times and then throw it to be served. The point is that a routine allows athletes to prepare, focus on the intent, and relax before execution. Once this routine is set, athletes movements can be automatic, which results in more consistency. Show me a golfer who hits the ball randomly, and I’ll guarantee that he sets up to the ball randomly before each shot.

A preshot routine for the golf swing starts behind the ball. Imagine that the target line runs from the target back and through the golf ball. This allows for a more accurate view of your intended direction. Place your hands on the club in proper position as you stand behind the ball. Fix your eyes on the target and then look at the target line. This is the intermediate target. Identifying a spot closer to the ball helps when lining up the clubface to the target.

As you stand behind the ball locating the proper target line, take one or two deep breaths. Walk toward the ball. As you walk toward the ball, you will move to the side of the ball keeping your eye on the target and intermediate target. Tilt your body toward the ball and set your club in place. The clubface is lined up directly to the target. Once you have set your target line, you can position your body parallel to the target line. Now that you are set up over the ball, you may want to waggle the club slightly back and forth or tap your feet back and forth to get into rhythm. This is common among top players.

Your preshot routine does not have to look like anyone else’s, but you should repeat it before every swing. Make sure that whatever personal moves you decide to put into your routine are positive actions that allow you to focus on the target, relax your muscles before the swing, and align yourself properly. Having a solid and consistent preshot routine will also help when you are faced with more stressful situations on the course such as hitting over a water hazard.

The preshot routine combines the three fundamentals of grip, posture, and alignment into one repetitive action to allow for more consistency on the course.