My pre shot routine begins when I have selected my club and type of shot to play. I have always strived to the process as a dress rehearsal for the shot itself. A few tweaks have helped me enhance the quality, and therefore the effectiveness, of this preparation.
1. Practice swing(s)
Firstly I have no longer got a predetermined number. Before it used to be two now it's the number I need to think 'yes that's how I want to play this shot'. The second tweak is their direction. I used to face the target line and swing perpendicular to it meaning my body faced the target and my swing was at right angles. Why I did this I have no idea, but it did not aide visualisation of the shot I was about to play. I now swing on the intended line about three paces behind my ball. I have also shortened my backswing but that's a story for another day!
2. Set up
I still identify a target in the distance and a target on the floor about 6-18 inches in front of the ball. However, I now line up the clubface with my feet together (used to be apart). This is an easier way to check they are on a parallel line with clubface and ball pointing at target. I then move my feet apart ensuring the ball is positioned appropriately forward or backward in my stance.
3. Distance from ball
This I think is the bit that cost me the most shots. I effectively used to guess if I 'felt' the right distance from the ball. I would shuffle about till it seemed right but now I know this could lead to massive fluctuations in actual position. As a consequence my body would attempt to adjust on the downswing to return the clubface to the ball. Bow I hold my club parallel to the ground, bend forward at my hips, bend my knees slightly and when lowered the clubhead should be perfectly aligned with the ball. Since doing this I have realised that in the course of a round my ball position varied from being half an inch too close to being an inch too far away.
From this exercise I have learnt that with alignment sticks, the edge of a mat, divots from past shots and their frequency as aids, getting a good set up in practice is easier than on the course. How many times do you hit a few poor ones to start and then 'get into the groove'? I'm sure that a large amount of my problems and inconsistencies have stemmed from an inconsistent set up. All I need to do now is prove that theory by knocking a big chunk off my handicap. I have a bit of a wait till my next qualifying competition but for now at least the black clouds that were circling on Saturday seem to be glimmering with a rather opulent silver lining.
