Pre shot routine - do you have one?

[HomerJSimpson]

I have my own and contrary to popular belief it is actually rather quick. As soon as I get to the ball I check my yardage and choose a club taking into account the wind and conditions etc. A couple of practice swings, step into the ball, take my stance, waggle, one look at where I'm going and swing. Pray for it to come down before the OB or the trees, pick up my sticks, walk to the ball and repeat.

For me it is the stepping into the ball that is the crucual thing and I need to be confident that I have the right club and that I am focussed on the shot in hand and not still fretting on the 3 putt on the last, the lost ball several holes back or trying to work out what I need to do for a personal best on the remaining holes. Guff or not, the Karl Morris stuff I've been listening to has done a lot to clear the head and get me to focus for a short period and for one shot at a time. More importantly it is accepting the outcome good or bad

 

[Lump]

If there's a wait due to group ahead I'll do all of the above but won't remove club from bag until they start moving as it feels like to long between pulling the club an hitting the shot ad means to many practice swings leading to doubt! And we all know what doubt causes!

^^^Very much this, I won't pick the club out the bag until I can "go" into my routine.

No real routine to speak of really, but I'll always do the same things before a shot. A few practice swings off the ball to feel out the swing, address the ball with the chosen line and then my piece of routine. A few practices of my take away and impact positions, re-address and then swing.

 

[HawkeyeMS]

So you've launched 5 iron to lay up on a 550 yard par 5. You expecting to see what lie and assess your shot as you walk up?

Garbage!

If you're playing your home course you'll have a pretty good idea of what you will do depending on the lie. If my ball is in the rough then by the time I get to it I've already thought of the good lie bad lie scenarios. All that remains is to find out what the lie is. There is so much about a shot you can do before you get to it, not doing so is just wasting time