How to Structure Pre-Shot Routine

Give the session a job

A good pre-shot routine starts with one question: what do I want to be better at when I leave? A routine needs a target, not just another ball. Choose target selection, rehearsal, commitment, and tempo, then build the session around a small number of reps you can judge.

Inside a pre-shot routine, a useful shape is learn, test, transfer. When the target is chosen, work slowly first, add a measurable challenge, then finish with shots that look like golf.

A simple framework

Build the habit in this order:

1. Rehearse the routine slowly without a ball.
2. Add a target and step in the same way each time.
3. Hit one ball only after the cue feels clear.
4. Reset if you freeze, fidget, or add extra thoughts.

Leave with evidence

The last reps should look like the first tee. When the target is chosen, if the last thing you did was random and rushed, that is what your brain remembers. End with a clear task you can repeat next time, such as restart if you freeze over the ball.