Skill Drills with Meredith Kirk: Pre-Shot Rountine

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In this edition of Skill Drills Meredith discusses the importance of developing a consistent pre-shot routine

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Meredith:           Today we're going to work on a pre-shot routine. Now a pre-shot routine is so important when you're out there on the course. You want to make sure that each and every shot you have the same routine, you're doing the same thing. Because that builds consistency. It's like any other routine that we have in life. Routine is a good thing. We're going to work on a pre-shot routine for you today if you don't already have one.

                                Now pre-shot routines, they vary. Everybody's a little bit different and everybody likes to do different things once they get behind the ball at address. But if you don't have a routine, I'm going to give you a just a basic outline of one that's really going to help your game.

                                The first step is you're going to pick a target. Now I'm looking down the range right here and I'm going to hit a nice straight shot. I have my target. I'm behind the ball. I pick something out in front of the ball, could be six to 12 inches in front of the ball, that's in the direct line on the path that I want to hit the ball. Then I take a look at my target and I imagine the ball actually going to the target. It's like a little moment of intention that I have with that shot. I just plug it in my mind as I'm picking out that place in front of the ball. That's step one.

                                Step two is you're going to go ahead and step behind the ball now. We're here. What I do is once I get behind the ball, I find that little piece of grass or that blade of grass that's in front of the ball that's in my target line, and I make sure I connect to that spot. What I do is with my feet together, the ball's in the center. This is with an iron. I'm going to square the club face. This is so important, making sure that you're actually squaring the club face. You want to square up to the ball. My body alignment is nice and square to my target.

                                The third step is I'm going to take a small step to the left and right or right to left, whatever you're comfortable with. I look at my feet when I make that step. Because when I look at my feet, I'm making sure that my feet, my knees, and my hips are also aligned to the target and everything is running parallel with the target line. That's the third step.

                                The fourth step is, now that we have everything square, we have our target, I want you to go ahead and grip the club. At this point, when you grip the club, sometimes I get a little bit comfortable, I move around, I check my balance. It's like my little wiggle moment. Get comfortable. Then at this point I look down the line, I reconnect with my intended shot. Then lastly, I relax the shoulders. Sometimes I can move them around a little bit, bring them down. When you bring your shoulders down, it really helps to relax you. Then a nice easy grip pressure. Then you just give it a nice easy swing, just like that.

                                That is a simple outline for a pre-shot routine. Again, you can modify it to what you're comfortable with, but this is a really good start to help give you a routine that you can use and implement when you're out on the course.