As the golf season approaches in the northeast it is a great time to work on your pre-shot routine for different areas of the game. Let’s talk about the pre-shot routine for full swing and some of the important concepts and steps to creating a masterful pre-shot routine.
Many years ago Lynn Marriot and Pia Nilsson coined the terms ‘Think box’ and ‘Play box’ to clarify two basic stages of the pre-shot routine. Think box is where you gather the relevant information such as the lie, yardage, wind, etc. The Play box is where you look to become an athlete moving without thought based on the intention and your feel. I want to add a third layer to the pre-shot routine to bridge the gap between the ‘Think Box and the ‘Play Box”. This creates the following 3 stages:
- Gather information
- Visualize and Feel
- Connect to the target
It is the essential gathering information phase of the routine which informs you and allows you to select a shot with clear intention. Taking the time to visualize the shot you have selected is the all important transitional phase in between the ‘Think Box’ and the ‘Play Box’ which will allow you to see and feel what you want to do in the Play box. Just as Justin Rose above, taking the time to see and feel the clear intention gives you something to trust when over the golf ball. You have rehearsed it in your mind, and your body with practice swings if you so choose, and then over the ball it’s simply time to stay connected to the target and trust that your body knows what to do.
Take the time to work on formulating or clarifying your pre-shot routine. A great first step is to write down the steps you will take each time to be consistent. Then practice the pre-shot routine on the range so that you have something ingrained to take to the golf course.
