One of the best ways to play one shot at a time is to develop a mental pre-shot routine. A mental pre-shot routine will help you avoid those circumstantial and situational thoughts that creep in your mind as you\'re hitting a shot. It\'s also a great way to make sure you\'re 100% committed to the shot or stroke you want to hit.
It\'s best to start a mental pre-shot routine behind the ball. Whether your driving, chipping, or putting, this is the best place to get ready and see the shot or stroke you\'re about to play. Once you decide on the yardage and what club to hit, that\'s where the mental routine starts.
The first step in a mental routine is to visualize or see the exact shot you want to hit. If you have a good picture of the shot you want to hit in your mind, you have a good chance of hitting it. You also are not focusing on where you don\'t want to hit it (in the rough, out-of-bounds, in the water, in a bunker, etc...).
After you have a good mental picture of where you want to hit the shot, then take some practice swings or practice strokes either behind the ball or beside it. Where you take your practice swings or strokes is a matter of personal preference and should be part of your physical pre-shot routine. Now, the transition from this step to the next step is where most golfers lose their focus.
If you are hitting a full shot and are focusing on a particular move or swing key, then as you step in and attempt to hit the shot you\'ve planned, focus on the very same thought or swing key you had when you made your practice swing/s, and nothing else. Now, if you notice one of those disturbing thoughts that was mentioned in the previous section creep in your mind, then back off and re-focus instead of trying to ignore it. Note: The best players in the world have thoughts creep in their mind, even negative ones. If you are worried about slow play when you back off a shot, don\'t be. It only takes about 5 to 10 seconds to re-focus and hit a shot. Also, when you back off, re-focus, and hit a good shot, you won\'t be looking for lost balls or hitting them out-of-bounds or in hazards.
Where a good mental pre-shot routine is really crucial is on the green. If you can stay focused on a line you want to start the ball on or the speed you want to hit a certain putt, you will save a lot of valuable strokes. If you notice, as you play, the shots on and around the green is where the majority of those situational and negative thoughts happen. If you are a golfer who gives away a lot of strokes on and around the green, look at your mental routine first instead of your technique. Be aware of your thoughts as you hit your putts and chips and pitches. I think you\'ll be pleasantly surprised it\'s not your technique that needs changing, it\'s your mental pre-shot routine.
Alan Hipps is a full-time golf instructor and coach with The First Tee in Nashville, Tennessee.\r For more information go to http://www.golfswingconnection.com
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