The essence of putting is the ability to roll your ball on your intended line as far as the hole, which we have discussed in previous articles. There is one last variable to putting that I believe is most important. At the end of the day, golfers are only as strong as their pre-shot routine. I imagine that close to 100 percent of golfers are seeking to become more consistent this year. The pre-shot routine is a sure way of developing the skills necessary to be more consistent under a variety of circumstances.

You may be familiar with a pre-shot routine that includes a few practice strokes, a look at the hole and a few waggles. That is fine, but in my opinion a true pre-shot routine is based around a mental process that allows golfers to get in the right state of mind to perform at their highest potential. As you watch golf on TV this year, pay close attention to how the players mentally visualize the shot at hand. Notice how they walk into the address position with a sense of rhythm, while remaining focused on the target. Listen to how they speak to the media and how it relates to their mental preparation. Tiger Woods frequently addresses the media with statements  about “the process” or that he likes the feeling of “being in his own little world.” He is probably referring to the zone-like state where time stands still, he is free of distraction and is solely focused on the task at hand.

Free throw shooters, field goal kickers, baseball pitchers, bowlers, archers and golfers are among the athletes that rely heavily on their pre-shot routine for peak performance. Michael Jordan once said that he spent the majority of his practice time developing a zone-like atmosphere that he could rely on under the most intense pressure.

Often times, field goal kickers are relied upon to win games for their team. The pressure involved in kicking field goals that decide the outcome of games with all of the fans and your entire team relying on you must be astonishing. Field goal kickers rely on their pre-shot routine and their commitment to the target to free themselves of the distractions that are associated with kicking game-winning field goals.

I suggest learning the pre-shot routing that Dr. Bob Rotella outlines in his audio disc, Putting Like A Genius. I have paraphrased it for you.

No. 1: Assess the Situation

The first step of the pre-shot routine is to assess the situation. In the long game, it includes determining the lie of the golf ball, the wind conditions, potential hazards, etc. In putting, you should identify the speed of the green, the degree of the slope, the position that the ball sits on the slope, the length of the putt and sometimes the grain of the grass. Once that data has been collected it is important to use it to visualize the ball rolling on the intended line and into the hole.

No. 2: Visualize The Shot

Jack Nicklaus said, “I never hit a shot, not even in practice, without having a very sharp, in-focus picture of it in my head.”

It is important to visualize the shot at hand with as much detail and clarity as possible. The more detailed your visualization, the more your brain will believe it. You can actually increase your confidence by developing a clear and vivid visualization of the shot that you intend to play. You must see it to believe it.

In David Cook’s story, “Seven Days in Utopia, Golf’s Sacred Journey,” Johnny teaches Luke to visualize his shot from behind an old tree by having him paint his intended shot onto a canvas. After spending the time to paint the picture, Luke hit the shot with great accuracy. This part of the story portrays the importance of a player’s visualization of the shot that he intends to play. Remember, the more clearly and vividly you visualize, the more confidently you will be to execute the shot.

And don’t tell me that you can’t visualize,because that is completely false. Right now visualize an apple, a house, your  house, a loved one’s face. Pretty easy, right?

A practice drill: Get a pencil and a piece of paper. Write the letter “A” while visualizing the letter “B.” If the letter “A” creeps into your mind, stop and start over. You’ll find that is impossible to write an “A” while thinking about anything other than the letter “A”. So how do you think you’re going to putt the ball into the hole when you’re thinking about missing? Or when you’re worried about what your buddies are thinking? Or if you’re worried that you may be taking too long? The point is to visualize your intention and maintain that image for the amount of time it takes for you to execute the shot. Easy right?

No. 3: Feel The Shot

The next step in the routine is to take practice strokes that represent the amount of force for the intended shot. Far too many golfer take practice strokes that don’t resemble the length of putt that they are about to hit. I suggest looking at the target while taking practice strokes so that your mind and body can better match the feel required for the intended putt. It doesn’t matter if you stand to the side of the ball or behind the ball; the important thing is that you do it while looking at the target. For instance, I am a spot putter so as I take my practice strokes, I clearly focus on the spot that I selected and imagine rolling my ball to it.

Note: I suggest practice putting while looking at the target to enhance your awareness.

No. 4: Execute The Shot

Next, place your putter behind the ball and settle into the address position while remaining mentally aware of the target. After taking your final look at the target, return your eyes to the ball and without hesitation begin the stroke. It doesn’t help to stand over the ball waiting for something magical to happen, so keep the time from when your eyes return to the ball to when you begin your stroke as short as possible (1 to 2 seconds). I believe it is important for your mind to remain aware of the target even during the stroke and trust that you are capable of producing the desired result.

It is important to not allow thoughts of putting mechanics to enter the brain at this stage of the routine, as it will disrupt you from the natural state of awareness.

No. 5: Accept The Outcome

The last and most important part of the routine is to accept the outcome of the shot. You don’t have control of whether or not the ball goes in the hole. For instance, you could have made the perfect read, the perfect stroke and the perfect routine, and the ball could have still missed the hole because it was forced offline by a spike mark on the green. The only thing to do is to assess yourself on your commitment to you pre-shot routine; the rest must be left up to faith.

A few years ago I disciplined myself to practicing this pre-shot routine everyday for 15-to-20 minutes. I also made it a habit to listen to Putting Like a Genius and Putting Out of Your Mind, both by Dr. Bob Rotella. At the peak of my putting performance I played nine holes and didn’t miss a putt. I made every one of them, finishing with a total of eight putts and shooting seven under par. You could say that I was in the zone. So I know it works! But I did it by making a true commitment to developing the enjoyment of the process, rather than focusing on the results. Stay patient and I am sure you will reap the rewards of this article.

If there is one thing you learn from this series, learn this; develop a mental routine and use it on every shot. Do this, along with the other information discussed in this series, and you are on your way to playing better golf.