Why You Need to Speed Up Your Pre-Shot Routine
Slow golf is a plague of this great game and it’s probably resulting in higher scores too.
Watching slow golfers on TV is painful but getting paired with someone who is playing slow is even worse.
Imagine being paired with Sergio Garcia as he gripped and regripped the club at Bethpage Black in 2002. It was cringeworthy and the fans let him know (watch it here).
So many of us think that to play better, you need to slow down and focus on your routine. However, studies on golf debunk this myth and show why playing faster can lead to better performance.
Speeding Up Your Pre-Shot Routine
In 2017, a study was done on the European Tour to learn how pace of play affects performance. They analyzed 22,579 shots from 47 players across five events; the results were astounding…
According to the study, “Professional golfers could boost their chances of making a cut and earn up to an extra €189,000 a season by spending less time over the ball.”
The study found that players who had a consistent time over the ball had a 50% higher chance of making the cut! That’s right, less time meant better performance.
Additionally, “Data also found players who took a shorter time over the ball across all putts had a 90 percent increase in the likelihood of strokes gained, while spending less time playing a shot on average can significantly bolster a player's European Tour earnings.”
Don’t forget, these are some of the best golfers in the world; less time over the ball for full shots and putting led to better results.
How to Speed Up Your Routine
Meanwhile, amateur golfers spend way too much time over the ball, which leads to even more inconsistency. Think about it like this, more time over shots equals more doubt and indecision.
I’m sure you can relate… How many times have you stood over an important shot or putt for too long and let doubt creep in? Other times you step up to a shot with confidence, pull the trigger quickly, and get remarkably better results.
Tiger Woods is the perfect example of how a faster routine impacts performance. Kiel Alderink, a mental game coach, broke down Tiger’s routine in this awesome YouTube video.
When Tiger was playing his best in the early 2000s, his routine was automatic - lasting between 7.5-8.5 seconds. But when his game struggled in more recent years, his routine changed drastically and was very inconsistent.
Creating Your Pre-Shot Routine
The data clearly shows that a consistent routine leads to better golf. Use these tips to create your own routine:
- Time your current routine with a stopwatch to gain awareness of what you’re currently doing.
- Try to dial in your routine for 6-10 seconds from walking to the ball to hitting the shot.
- Finally, experiment with different routines and see how timing impacts performance and thinking on the range or putting green.
Try to get your routine consistently within 1-2 seconds (the closer, the better) in practice for more confidence on the course. When you hit poor shots, notice if you took too much time over the ball as they seem to go hand in hand.
Take Your Time Selecting and Visualizing the Shot
When chatting with a mental game coach on my podcast, another part of the routine came up - analyzing the shot.
As you know, some shots require more time to assess the lie, visualize the shot, and pick the correct club. It’s okay to take longer analyzing the shot but once you’re committed, your routine should be timed the same.
Conclusion
Remember, when your routine is the same length of time, it allows you to control your thoughts and perform more consistently. Create your routine on the driving range and putting green, then practice until it becomes like clockwork.
