Pre-shot routine revisited

I last wrote about this when Lucas Glover won the US Open [16 Seconds to Victory] but Ian Baker-Finch smartly brought it up in his 2nd round commentary of the John Deere Classic when he remarked about the consistency of Steve Stricker's routine.  Some years ago I had the great pleasure of spending a few days at the Kohler resort (Whistling Straits +) in the excellent company of Ian - I guess I once did get invited somewhere...  At dinner one night we got Ian talking about his British Open win and I specifically asked how he handled the tremendous pressure of playing the back 9 with a slim lead.  He acknowledged the intense pressure and said that he dealt with it by relying totally on his routine.  I remember vividly how he went into a mini-trance recalling exactly what he did as he approached every shot, right down to the "...Ok set, one waggle and GO!" almost knocking over a glass of wine.  We should all learn from this and practice our routines whenever we practice - it's that important.

I put Steve Stricker on the clock this week and he consistently took 15 seconds to strike the ball from the time he stepped forward from his position behind the ball.  When I put Tiger on the clock in the 2007 PGA, his routine was a speedy 10 seconds.  The difference, Steve includes a practice swing EVERY TIME, Tiger did not.   Let me be clear about exactly what I count as the pre-shot routine.  All the decisions have been made, the club and shot selected and visualized.  What I time is when the player stands behind the ball facing the target.  I start the watch when he moves forward from that position to begin his setup and I stop the watch when the shot is struck.  In other words, it is not the thinking or decision making part, it is strictly the execution of the planned shot.

I see so many amateurs that take two and three practice swings before every shot.  There should be a legal limit of ONE.  But bottom line consistency is the key to a winning routine - at every level of play.  Coaches and instructors should be helping their students develop an effective and efficient pre-shot routine.  It should serve to get them set up for a successful shot and occupy their conscious minds with positive, process oriented keys.  Finally, it should be quick - no need for more than 15 seconds but 10 is even better.  Don't hesitate to put your students on the clock.