Routines are a normal part of everyday life and have been for as long as civilization has existed.
Native Americans had routines that date back long before America was a country. At social gatherings they would huddle in circles and enjoy a pipe with good company. At night they would dance by the fire for entertainment. During droughts they believed that moving rhythmically in a certain sequence would produce rain.
In everyday life we still have routines we stick by. Every day we wake up and take a shower. We eat three meals a day. We drop the kids off at school during the week. Everyone has routines in some form. On the golf course it is important to have routines as well. Developing and adhering to a pre-shot routine will improve your game.
Developing a pre-shot routine and using it on every golf shot you hit will lead to increased consistency. Golfers who vary their routine before every shot will have a harder time focusing under pressure. A golfer who hits every shot with a consistent pre-shot routine will be more comfortable come crunch time on the golf course.
Every golfer's pre-shot routine should be designed to suit their individual personalities and needs while containing certain cornerstones. When developing your pre-shot routine, make sure to include the following things:
1. Start behind the ball staring directly at your target, the image you send to your mind will help your body understand what you are trying to accomplish.
2. Come up with a method that you can use to check your alignment.
3. Next, eliminate tension, whether it is through waggling, shaking, or breathing.
4. Finally, personalize your pre-shot routine and be sure to repeat it every time you hit a golf ball.
Humans are routine by nature, so use a pre-shot routine on the golf course to improve your consistency. Smoke your peace pipe, sharpen your arrows, and dance around in a circle, so that the next time it rains on the golf course you will know that it will affect your opponent's game more than it will affect your own.
When playing golf, a game where one stroke often determines champions, more may be just enough.
