What's Your Pre-Game Routine?

We live in a fast paced, muti-tasking society. We eat in front of the TV, we text while in the grocery store, we email while having a conversation with someone across the room. Geezzzz…talk about attention deficit disorder! We’re training everyone to have it. This is not good training for a better golf game! Many golfers try to pack too many things into their day and rush to the golf course after work for a “quick nine.” I hope they don’t expect low scores.

To play your best golf, try having a PRE-GAME ROUTINE. We all hear about a pre-shot routine but did you know that there are actually 5 routines that good players have in their game:
1. Pre-game
2. Pre-shot
3. Shot
4. Post shot
5. Post Game

Let’s talk about playing your best golf by developing a PRE-GAME ROUTINE: This is the preparation one has before their round. It starts the night before the game. What are you going to wear? Are your clubs clean, enough balls in your bag, towel, shoes cleaned, enough tees, etc? Get a good nights’ rest. Eat a good breakfast. Drive to the course at a relaxed pace. Know the directions to the course if you’ve never been there before and leave time to get lost. Listen to relaxing music. Arrive in plenty of time to warm up and stretch those muscles that are needed in the swing. Play the first 3 holes on the driving range and in your mind before you get to the first tee. Spend a little alone time to quiet the mind and visualize your game plan for the round. Get excited, however, to play and enjoy your round.

A pre-game routine helps the player prepare for a good round of golf by helping to create the right emotional state that is needed. Routines help a golfer relax, focus, concentrate and perform at their best. A golfer needs something they can rely on for relaxation, grounding and focus for the task at hand. Golfers need to learn about their own best routines and it starts with a pre-game routine. Inconsistency comes from having inconsistent routines. Most golfers “sort of” have a routine but usually their thinking and is all over the place when it comes time to prepare for a round of golf.

What is YOUR pre-game routine? The next time you play golf, pay attention to what you do prior to the round. Are you rushed, not organized, or upset in any way? Did you sleep well the night before the round? Take a look at your state of anxiety before a round. What is it? Can it be better, calmer? Make a pre-game routine for yourself that will take you to the next level of your golf game and see how your game can improve.