Pre game golf tips

For some players, simple swing thoughts can help keep an overactive conscious mind occupied, so the subconscious mind can make the swing.

Focusing on things such as balance, the pressure in your feet, full shoulder turn, tempo, a dimple on the ball, etc, can help access better athletic movement. Find out if it helps you to have a swing thought, and if so, experiment with it during practice. Most golfers underestimate the power of the pre-shot routine and only do it when they are on the golf course. With better, more simulated practice with challenges and performance drills, the pre-shot routine in golf should be trained, so it becomes a habit on the course.

Make it a part of your golf improvement strategy, and better results in the form of lower scores will follow. These steps could be the difference between you breaking , 90, 80, and beyond!

David Mackenzie is a mental golf coach and lives in Washington DC. He is the founder of Golf State of Mind , a teaching program designed to help golfers condition their minds to overcome fear and play with confidence. See more of his effective mental golf game strategies at his blog Golf State of Mind and get your free minute mental game consultation.

This post may contain affiliate links. I make money from these affiliate links to keep the site free for users, and it is no cost to you. New Page. Start here. Meet Troy. Guest post. Contact me. Work With Me. Golfing essentials. Golf Shop. Free Videos. Why the pre-shot routine is vital When you step onto the first tee of the golf course, your physical skills are what they are.

First Name. In this article, we will focus on some basics that can truly help to hone your skills and to understand the golf game better and that will ultimately ensure better performance on the golf course. If you are a beginner, you might need more practice to master the game.

Have patience and follow the given simple tips to help you enjoy your game more. Address Position. Your address position will have a great role in deciding your performance. You want to get this correct and you are off to a good start. The set-up basics of your grip, posture, and stance all will dictate the result of a good golf shot.

Elite players first focus on a perfect address position. Also, you do not need any specific skill to take the address position like a pro. Your commitment to your work and the guidance of a golf teacher or coach if you choose to have one will help to create the best possible game.

Hit Straight. It is always suggested to hit straight. For this, you need to start with the grip and then place all the fingers around the club and make sure that your thumbs are staying on the top.

Instead of keeping the club in your palm, keep it in the fingers and grip it lightly. When it comes to the stance, place the feet shoulder-width apart and then line up the ball inside heel of the front foot.

Keep your head still and swing back by turning the shoulders and your hips away from the target. Turn your hip towards the target to swing back to the ball. Follow a Pre-shot Routine. You should always follow a pre-shot routine practice swings to improve your performance.

Take three to four practice swings and get behind the ball while facing the target. Visualize the shot being successful during the process, set up to the ball, and then hit it. Master Your Pitch. To master the pitch, you need to stand with the feet closer than your shoulder-width and keep the ball at the mid-stance. While swinging, imagine of the karate chop down on the ball. Position the hands ahead of the ball and then follow through with your arms.

The ball needs to fly up and also try to stick on the green. Short Game. It is all about practice. You need to practice it more than ten times you then you think. Your focus needs to be on putting and chipping. The stock will be more or less similar for both. For most of the hobby golfers most of their practice shots are spent hitting long drives. Most part time golfers should spend more of their practice time at the short game.

Instead of getting technical and thinking about what you need to do during your swing, let your intention for the shot create the swing. This is what your brain will remember a few seconds later when it moves your body to play the shot. The Engagement Phase is the time from when you start your walk into the ball to when you start your back-swing or from when you put the club or putter behind the ball for a chip or putt. The purpose of this phase is to:.

Like with every part of the performance process, this is something that you need to have a plan for and practice. The studies that have been done on the minds of the top athletes whilst they are performing, show that certain changes occur in the brain. The optimal state for performing any task is where there is zero interference from the thinking or analytical brain, instead there is only doing or being — your mind is empty and you are immersed in the activity.

With practice, it gets easier and easier to be in control of your attention, eliminate distractions negative thoughts and stay connected with your intention as you start to make your swing. Using techniques such as breathing, self-talk words can create emotions , body language and tension control, while staying focused on your target, can help you create the optimal conditions for Flow and your best swing.

The steps of your Pre-Shot Routine will become mini goals for your rounds and a key performance indicator.