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Struggling with Focus? Here’s How a Pre-Shot Routine Can Transform Your Golf Game

Struggling to focus on the course? A solid pre-shot routine boosts confidence, sharpens your mind, and leads to better swings and lower scores. Here’s how to build your own.

Published

1 month ago

May 10, 2025

Resident PGA Pro

There’s nothing more frustrating than flushing it on the range, only to crumble once you step onto the first tee. If that sounds like you, you’re not alone—and your swing might not be the issue.

More often than not, what’s missing is mental consistency.

The truth is, your brain craves structure, especially when tension is high and pressure builds. That’s where a pre-shot routine comes in—a simple, repeatable sequence that calms your mind, centers your focus, and allows your body to do what it already knows how to do.

Whether you’re lining up a tee shot or facing a tricky downhill chip, a reliable pre-shot routine gives you the confidence and clarity you need to execute.

What Is a Pre-Shot Routine And Why It Matters?

A pre-shot routine is a structured sequence of actions and thoughts you go through before every shot. It’s your mental warm-up.

Think of it like an autopilot system—by triggering familiar steps before each swing, you reduce overthinking and let muscle memory take over.

“The brain doesn’t like surprises. Routines give us the freedom to perform without hesitation.”
— Dr. Bob Rotella, Golf Sports Psychologist

Tour pros swear by it. Watch Rory, Tiger, Nelly Korda—you’ll notice they do almost the exact same thing before every shot. It’s no accident.

A great pre-shot routine:

Calms nerves
Builds rhythm
Improves focus
Creates consistency under pressure

The 5 Key Steps to a Simple, Effective Pre-Shot Routine

No two routines are exactly alike, but the best ones include these core elements:

1. Pick a Target and Commit

Before anything else—decide what you’re aiming at. Pick a small, specific target (like a tree behind the green, not just “the fairway”).

Then—and this is key—commit to it. No second-guessing. You’ve got one shot. Choose it and trust it.

2. Visualize the Shot

Take a moment to see the shot you want to hit in your mind’s eye. High draw? Low spinner? Picture it from start to finish. This connects your brain and body.

Visualization is a powerful cue to bring your focus away from distractions and into the present.

3. Feel the Swing

Take one or two slow, deliberate practice swings. Match the feel to your intended shot. Don’t just go through the motions—feel the tempo, balance, and rhythm.

This tells your muscles what they’re about to do.

4. Step In with Purpose

This is the physical transition into go-mode. Walk up, align your clubface to the target, set your feet, and glance once more at the target.

At this point, you’re no longer thinking—you’re executing.

5. Pull the Trigger Without Delay

Once you’re set, don’t freeze. Take a breath and go. Overthinking kills more good swings than bad mechanics ever will.

From setup to swing, this part should take 5–10 seconds max.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Overcomplicating the routine: Keep it short. 15–20 seconds total is plenty.
Changing it mid-round: Consistency is the key. Stick with your process—even if you’re struggling.
Focusing on outcome: Once you’ve committed, let the result go. Focus only on the execution.

Pro Tip – Practice It Like a Skill

Here’s where most amateurs drop the ball: they practice swings, not routines.

Next time you hit the range, practice your full routine on every shot. Visualize, commit, breathe, swing. You’ll not only groove your motion—you’ll make your process automatic.

Build One That Fits You

Here’s a simple example you can adapt:

Pick your target
Visualize the ball flight
Take 1 practice swing
Step in, align clubface, set feet
Glance at target
Breathe and swing

It should feel natural, not robotic. Once it does, you’ve got something you can rely on in the clutch.

The difference between a great shot and a chunked one often happens before the club ever moves. With a consistent pre-shot routine, you’ll play with more confidence, stay focused under pressure, and hit more solid shots—even when nerves kick in.

Want to play better golf without overhauling your swing? Start with your routine.

And when you’re ready for more real-world, no-BS golf tips that make you better—come back to ClickItGolf.com.

@clickitgolfofficial Struggling with focus on the golf course? Discover how a simple pre-shot routine can transform your game, boost your confidence, and improve your consistency. Learn the key steps to developing your own routine and take your golf to the next level! #GolfTips #PreShotRoutine #GolfImprovement #MentalGame #GolfConsistency #ClickitGolf #GolfAdvice #GolfPerformance ♬ original sound – Clickit Golf

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One of the Greatest Putts in U.S. Open History?

JJ Spaun’s 64-Foot Walk-Off

Published

1 week ago

June 16, 2025

James Fairway

When JJ Spaun stood over a 64-foot birdie putt on the 72nd hole of the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont, few could have predicted what would come next. The ball meandered across the slick green, trickling over every contour, picking up speed at the crest, and then—like it had GPS—dropped center cup. Spaun dropped his putter, raised his arms, and the crowd erupted. With that single stroke, he claimed his first major title in one of the most dramatic finishes in U.S. Open history.

But how does Spaun’s putt stack up against other legendary finishes in the tournament’s storied past? Let’s break down some of the most iconic moments and see where this one lands.

1. Payne Stewart – 1999 U.S. Open at Pinehurst

Perhaps the most iconic putt in U.S. Open history came from Payne Stewart, who nailed a 15-footer for par on the 18th to win by one over Phil Mickelson. The pose—fist pump and outstretched leg—has since been immortalized in a statue at Pinehurst. What made it legendary wasn’t just the putt—it was the context: Stewart’s final major before his tragic death just months later.

Verdict: Iconic and emotional. Spaun’s putt was longer, but Stewart’s was more poetic.

2. Tiger Woods – 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines

Woods drained a 12-foot birdie on the 72nd hole to force a playoff with Rocco Mediate—while basically playing on one leg. That tournament went to sudden death after an 18-hole playoff, and Tiger prevailed. This was peak Tiger drama, pain and all.

Verdict: Spaun’s putt was longer, but Tiger’s win was sheer willpower and mystique.

3. Jack Nicklaus – 1972 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

With a 1-iron shot that hit the flagstick on 17 and a crucial birdie putt on 18, Jack sealed a dominant win. His precision and timing under pressure showed why he’s the GOAT.

Verdict: Not a putt for the win, but a signature finishing statement from Jack. Spaun’s was more electric in terms of pure putter drama.

4. Ben Hogan – 1950 U.S. Open at Merion

Hogan’s 1-iron into the 18th fairway and the par to force a playoff—just 16 months after a near-fatal car crash—remain legendary. He won the playoff and completed one of golf’s great comeback stories.

Verdict: Larger-than-life comeback. Spaun’s putt had more flair, but Hogan’s win was heroic.

5. JJ Spaun – 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont

Let’s not underestimate what Spaun accomplished. The pressure was immense. He wasn’t the favorite. And on the most treacherous greens in golf, he buried a 64-foot bomb—a putt most players would be happy to lag to within 5 feet—to win the U.S. Open outright.

Verdict: For distance, surprise, and drama, Spaun’s putt may be the most shocking winning stroke in U.S. Open history.

Final Thoughts

JJ Spaun may not have the résumé of a Nicklaus or Woods, but for one Sunday afternoon in June 2025, he created a moment that will live in golf lore forever. Spaun’s putt was longer than Stewart’s, more unexpected than Tiger’s, and more dramatic than any final-hole finish in recent memory.

In terms of pure clutch putting? It might just be the greatest walk-off in U.S. Open history.

Blog

The Zen of the Shank: Finding Inner Peace in Your Worst Shots

Find your inner peace even when you aren’t playing well.

Published

1 week ago

June 16, 2025

Ty Webb

Ah, the shank. That glorious, unpredictable misfire that sends your pristine golf ball screaming sideways, often directly into the unsuspecting shins of your playing partner, or perhaps, with a touch of poetic irony, into the very lake you’ve been trying to avoid all day. Most golfers, bless their earnest little hearts, view the shank as a catastrophic failure, a blight upon their scorecard, a testament to their inherent lack of coordination. They curse, they throw clubs, they contemplate a career in competitive thumb-wrestling. But not I. No, my friends, for I, Ty Webb, have found enlightenment in the humble shank.

You see, the shank is not a mistake; it’s a revelation. It’s the universe’s way of reminding you that control is an illusion, that perfection is a myth, and that sometimes, the most direct path to your goal is, in fact, a wildly indirect one. Think of it as a philosophical detour, a sudden, unexpected journey into the unknown. One moment, you’re aiming for the green, a paragon of precision and intent. The next, your ball is ricocheting off a tree, narrowly missing a squirrel, and landing, by some divine comedic intervention, closer to the hole than your perfectly struck drive ever would have. Is that not a miracle? Is that not a sign that the golf gods, much like life itself, have a wicked sense of humor?

The key, my dear apprentices of the links, is acceptance. Embrace the shank. Welcome it with open arms, like a long-lost, slightly inebriated relative. When that familiar, sickening thwack echoes through the air, do not despair. Instead, take a deep breath. Close your eyes. Feel the gentle breeze on your face. And then, with a knowing smile, open them and observe the chaos you have wrought. Is it not beautiful in its own chaotic way? Is there not a certain freedom in relinquishing control, in allowing the ball to choose its own destiny, however bizarre that destiny may be?

Some say the shank is a sign of poor technique. I say it’s a sign of a vibrant, untamed spirit. A golfer who never shanks is a golfer who has never truly lived, never truly explored the outer limits of their own golfing absurdity. They are content with mediocrity, with predictable trajectories and mundane outcomes. But you, my enlightened few, you understand that the true joy of golf lies not in the score, but in the story. And what a story a good shank can tell.

So, the next time you feel that familiar tremor of a shank brewing, don’t fight it. Let it flow. Let it be. For in the heart of every shank lies a lesson, a laugh, and perhaps, just perhaps, a path to a lower score you never saw coming. After all, as the great philosopher Basho once said, “A flute with no holes, is not a flute. A donut with no hole, is a Danish.” And a golf game without a shank? Well, that’s just not golf, is it?