Is anyone's routine, no routine?

[dcsocal]

A little backstory and not so passive bragging before I begin lol. I absolutely love golf, seriously. Been golfing for a little over a year now with a low round of 76. Before the skeptics chime in, I played baseball in college, messed around with clubs in the past, and have practiced A LOT. Strengths would definitely be long and short games. It is in between where I lose it and why I've been forced to scramble well. Rounds used to average anywhere from 80-84, but about 5 months ago I got bit with the horizontal jalapeños. I'm talking I'm shooting 3-4 over and then out of nowhere I get hit with these disgusting 30 yard bananas. It comes and goes but always just seems to bite me when I least expect it or get a little confident. I have tried swing fixes, swing thoughts, and even a voodoo woman named phyllis but they remain.

 

Today I was shooting well when they crept up on a short pitch and proceeding to infect my irons. I tried little fixes but nothing worked. So I told my buddy that I'm just going to go up and swing and VOILA! Straight shots! What the hell!? Does anyone follow the go up and shoot routine? I hear tons about visualizing, etc, etc, but has anyone tried this? It feels like a different swing and almost bordering on rushing. Like GW Bush, walk up and hit. What the hell is going on?

 

I hate this game.

 

 

Not really...

[ratspros]

I do have a pre shot routine but do not take a practice swing as part of it. I visualize the shot from behind, step up and hit it. I'm a 0.3 index and I'm honestly mentally exhausted after playing a round of golf. I can't imagine how tired I would be if I had to double the amount of swings in a round.

I also have a very weird swing trigger to start the backswing. I don't know when it started, maybe a few years ago, but I twitch my club head up and down like I'm having a mini seizure and then swing.

[dcsocal]

Im going to have to try that. No practice swings, just visualize and hit!

[Hellstorm]

I don't take a full practice swing either unless im in a bad lie. My preshot routine revolves around just trying to relax and align. Not that I am a low handicapper or anything, but really, the simpler it is, the easier it is to repeat.

[erik81]

Where can I find Phyllis?

[fore]

A playing partner from years ago who was in his 80's told me one day he gave up practice swings because he only had so many swings left and didn't want to waste any.

[braincramp52]

I don't take practice swings at all. I stand behind the ball and get my target, address the ball, take a quick look and swing. Keeps the tension out of my swing.

[Maddog10]

I take two practice swings for each full length shot, but I take them at about 30% speed. To me it's a good way to test the conditions without exerting much effort. If I'm on a side-hill lie, I know how to adjust the bottom of my swing based on how far above/below my feet the ball is. If I'm in the rough I get a good feel for how the grass is going to interact with my club so that I can make club selection adjustments if necessary. A lot of times you can eye-ball it and have a good idea, but to me there is a lot of value in feeling if the grass is "grabby" or if it's not going to offer much resistance. I also take two practice swings in the fairway and on the tee box just for the sake of sticking to my routine, but as I mentioned, they are only at about 30% effort.

[596]

Don't have much of a routine. It changes on every shot every time I play. Sometimes a practice swing sometimes not. Sometimes I step back to line it up and sometimes I don't. It really makes no difference in my scores. Sometimes I play fast, sometimes I walk slow. Sometimes I carry 3 clubs sometimes I carry 14. I do whatever I feel like, walk, ride, cheat, hit 3 balls from the same spot, putt without reading the line, pickup a short putt, whatever. I have no routine and the game becomes fun instead of a grind.

[patrick421]

I'm in the non practice swing boat unless I'm trying to get a feel for a weird lie or chipping. Nothing worse then taking a bad practice swing then another to try and correct the bad one and then your'e in your own head about to hit the golf ball. As a side note I have always found it somewhat entertaining and amazing at the same time when Davis Love takes a full speed practice swing beside his ball then sets up behind the ball and hits it. I can't think of anyone else who does that. Full effort practice swing right beside the ball.

[Roody]

I've been told by a couple of buddies of mine that I have the "most beautiful practice swing" they've ever seen. It's fluid, smooth, even looks somewhat pro-like. And then when I take the real shot, it doesn't look anywhere as nice as my practice swing. I tense up over the real shot most of the time. I tell myself over and over "just hit this shot like you're on the practice range", but rarely can I do it. I don't know what it is. I think I have the same mental block that Charles Barkley does, except my swing is nowhere near as horrific as his.

That said, I think I am going to play this weekend's round "practice swing free" just to see what happens. You've inspired me to give it a try.

[lchang]

[quote name='patrick421' timestamp='1406727340' post='9816177']
I'm in the non practice swing boat unless I'm trying to get a feel for a weird lie or chipping. Nothing worse then taking a bad practice swing then another to try and correct the bad one and then your'e in your own head about to hit the golf ball. As a side note I have always found it somewhat entertaining and amazing at the same time when Davis Love takes a full speed practice swing beside his ball then sets up behind the ball and hits it. I can't think of anyone else who does that. Full effort practice swing right beside the ball.
[/quote]

Jeff Overton has a 100% speed practice swing on every full shot. (What happened to him anyway?)

[cardoustie]

I never practice swing for full shots. Just mini-rehearsals for shots under 70 yards

I also do the mini up and downs with the club head ... Payne Stewart used to do this as well

I like to see the fade or draw, adjust face and alignment and ball position and go

[dcsocal]

It is really interesting how many people don't take practice swings. Looking back I really do take quite a few and if I don't like the practice swing I have to take another to "correct" it. Hopefully this is the fix lol

[ND2005]

I stand behind the ball to think about my line and visualize the shot. While doing this I take a half swing just to feel a couple of swing keys like dropping my shoulder and to keep from being too tight. Then I just line up and hit.

Like someone said above I do do mini-rehearsals for half swing wedges just to think about the distance and how much swing I need.

[cphrey]

everyone is different. I have been doing this for most full shots and putts for two seasons now and it works great for me. I will take practice swings for chips and pitches, weird lies, putts near the collar, etc though.

[cardoustie]

Practice swing guys eat up 2 minutes a hole .. 40 mins a round !

One guy I play with at times backs off the ball 20 feet, two full slow swings, deep breath, up to ball, rehearsal takeaway and then he goes (ZZZZZZZZZZZ)

We were at Torrey Pines South late one summer day due to a flight delay of mine in Denver. I got to play the last 3 holes with these guys. ProShop tells me to keep my cart and play until we can't see.

We head to #1. I was standing on the first green and he hadn't hit his second shot .... He'd already played 18 - so I took off

Well by the time dark had hit I had made it to 14 (only missing playing #13) and this guy had made it to #6 .. and he doesn't think he is slow

Sorry for the sidetrack but I would be exhausted swinging 2 extra times per shot

[bellview17]

I play totally random pre shot. Depends on how I am feeling, type of shot, club, total randomness.

Some full practice swing, some not.. The only constant is a look from behind and shuffle of feet to settle...

I play by fell... I was a 1.8, then I got married, kid, job, house... I don't practice anymore, ever and enjoy the game more... a 6 now...

Stop thinking so much, that is where those curve ball shots are coming from...

[quickstrike10]

I don't have an exact routine, but i like one practice swing usually. The practice swing may not even be full one, maybe just a little flip, but I almost have to do this to get a feel for what i want to do to get focused. Golf takes so much focus, but it is so much fun when it works out.

[bwcorserat]

[quote name='erik81' timestamp='1406701276' post='9815127']
Where can I find Phyllis?
[/quote]There won't be but a few that will get this but, she used to work with Miss Rudolph. I fiddle around with my preshot routine sort of like I work with my swing. For the most part the quicker I get up to the ball and swing the better for me.

[dcsocal]

[quote name='bwcorserat' timestamp='1406736094' post='9817207']
[quote name='erik81' timestamp='1406701276' post='9815127']
Where can I find Phyllis?
[/quote]There won't be but a few that will get this but, she used to work with Miss Rudolph. I fiddle around with my preshot routine sort of like I work with my swing. For the most part the quicker I get up to the ball and swing the better for me.
[/quote]

Great reference.

Just got back from the range and focused on no practice swings and on visualizing my ball flight. Almost a complete 180 compared to yesterday. Was actually hooking a few, which used to be my main miss when I was playing better. Never thought I would be happy to see the hook again lol. Actually feel like I'm beginning to trust my swing again. Had a couple chili peppers pop up but they seemed to be more of a function me regripping at the top of the backswing. Took a lot of conscientiousness to be able to fight of the panic, take a deep breath, and swing.

[bazinky]

The only time I take a practice swing is when I'm worried about turf interaction. Otherwise, I just give it a rip. Practice swings tend to get me into thoughts about swing mechanics on the course, which in my opinion is a surefire recipe for disaster. This is especially true for me when I'm not getting to play that much.

My only practice routine is to make sure I'm trying to hit a shot, and not trying to avoid a miss (i.e., "Don't hook it into that hazard!").

FWIW, I'm currently a 5 handicap.

[mesquite2]

I never take a practice swing of any kind, even on putts & I also don't look for yardages---ever, I just go by how the shot looks. I'm a 3 handicap, playing once a week, & don't have time for practice.

[llewol007]

Only time I really take a practice swing is when I am playing 1/2 to 3/4 wedges or punch shots for my approach and when I have not hit a club for a while like my driver on a shorter course. Other than that I pick my target, set up, two taps as my trigger and go. Seems to work.

[Maddog10]

[quote name='mesquite2' timestamp='1406748213' post='9818801']
I never take a practice swing of any kind, even on putts & I also don't look for yardages---ever, I just go by how the shot looks. I'm a 3 handicap, playing once a week, & don't have time for practice.
[/quote]

Imagine how good you would be if you took time to consider yardages...

[bruinsPATSirish]

I don't take a full practice swing, I do a couple "waggle like" practice swings beside the ball and then pull the trigger. I am never at my ball for anymore than 10 seconds I would guess.

Full practice swings are the devil !

[Wriggles]

I don't take practice swings. I address the ball and hit it. Same with putts. That's just me.

Whatever floats your boat.