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Pre-Shot Routine: Too Slow, Too Fast, Just Right?

That would be tough to experience for a full round. As his playing partner, I would have internal bleeding after a few hours of watching that.
 
 
Almost as bad as Cantlay’s routine.
 
 
Sheesh….about 20 seconds too long.
 
Ive seen plenty worse than that. I dont think its sooo bad but its a bit long especially if group behind may be waiting.
But here is what the important key is imo. Its not so much that preshot is so bad as it may be how quickly or slow he is at everything else in between. I mean is he ready when its his turn....thats huge. Does the player move quickly at all the other things besides this one tad long of a thing? Imo if a player is efficient at most all the other things he does than this preshot honestly isnt a problem cause over all he wouldnt be one. I seen so many players with quick pres and shots yet are dillydally painstakingly slow being ready and everything in between.

But Id also love to ask so many who are ready to kill him....just how long you think you take? or more than that....how long do you look for a ball? Or perhaps ask how long do you take when on and around the greens doing what ever it is you do? How often i seen people taking too many seconds using thier lasers...etc..etc Golf is funny in one sense that almost anything is ok as long as its ourselves needing to do it but not someone else. I think we are likely all guilty of that to some degree.
 
Too long for me. My regular foursome would have all hit by the time he took to hit his ball. BUT, I've seen slower.
 
I’ve seen much slower THP’ers at events before….. 👀
 
It’s too long but not insanely so. For all we know, it’s the first tee or he’s waiting for the fairway to clear. If this is his routine on every shot it would bug me a little. He may also be fast getting to his ball, picking a club, reading greens, etc.
 
I’m not interested in watching him prepare to hit a golf ball. His pre shot routine as displayed is deliberate and difficult to watch.
 
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I would say a little long, considering you aren't seeing what he does to the tee the ball and anything between his practice swings and addressing the ball, but not crazy long. I've seen a lot worse out on the course. I'm curious as to how long everyone's pre-shot routine is. There's so much variation in what people do.
 
will said:
I'm curious as to how long everyone's pre-shot routine is.
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Tee the ball, take a couple practice swings, align the shot (a couple seconds), address the ball (couple seconds), swing and watch it land. From the time I pull a club to when I replace it, probably 30 seconds from the tee, probably 20 seconds for an approach shot???

Point is, I'm an old man, high-cap, walker and will still play most rounds in 3 - 3:15 hours on most courses if not waiting on others. Dead of summer or on a course with lots of elevation, probably a little slower. Not lightning fast but not holding people up.
 
Wayyyyyyy ... Tooooooooo .. Slooooooowwww! My god .... today. He even had to pull out is underwear just like he does playing tennis :oops:
 
JonMA1 said:
Tee the ball, take a couple practice swings, align the shot (a couple seconds), address the ball (couple seconds), swing and watch it land. From the time I pull a club to when I replace it, probably 30 seconds from the tee, probably 20 seconds for an approach shot???

Point is, I'm an old man, high-cap, walker and will still play most rounds in 3 - 3:15 hours on most courses if not waiting on others. Dead of summer or on a course with lots of elevation, probably a little slower. Not lightning fast but not holding people up.
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Sounds similar to my routine. I tee the ball, find my target line, step up to address the ball, but far enough back to take a practice swing, then step up and hit the ball. I only take one practice swing, unless I really screw it up or it's cold and I'm having to wait on people between shots. I feel like I'm in the 30 second range, but now I kinda want to time myself to see.
 
will said:
Sounds similar to my routine. I tee the ball, find my target line, step up to address the ball, but far enough back to take a practice swing, then step up and hit the ball. I only take one practice swing, unless I really screw it up or it's cold and I'm having to wait on people between shots. I feel like I'm in the 30 second range, but now I kinda want to time myself to see.
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The other thing to consider is that the pre-shot routines can often start while others in the group are hitting. I believe that’s a big part of how a foursome of experienced ready golfers can play a round in under four hours. Pre-shot routine is just part of it. But a group that has the desire to play efficiently will play efficiently and it doesn’t have to be a sprint.
 
I'm not one to care much how other's play, bu let me offer this hypothetically possibility.

What if an extended pre-shot routine allows the golfer to hit better shots? Better shots that would save time looking for balls after the shot.

What if the golfer in the video played his round in under 4 hours with such a long pre-shot routine?
 
I timed Crossfied and Lockley. Their preshot routines to ball strike is 20 seconds on the tee. Add another 10 seconds for getting a distance for the 2nd shot.

Does it really matter? You can only go play as fast as the course is moving. Is it better to play a hurry up and wait round and get frustrated? Or is it better to just go with the flow? If the course is moving at a 4.5 hr. pace, I just play at a 4.5 hr. pace. What's the point in trying to play fast?
 
That's painfully twitchy to watch. :oops:
 
I don't really count the practice swing part because I can still be moving around or even talking during that part. I do time fellow players and I start when the address position is taken, which was really cut from this video. That said, he was at address to contact for about 10-11 seconds - in my book not horrible and close to average. I am pretty much dead on address to contact in 8 seconds and would call 8-10 pretty average among better players. Once somebody gets to 14-15 seconds it is really feeling long, and the worst I have ever played with is my former boss who was inconsistent but generally 24-28 seconds. If he shoots 90 that is close to 25 EXTRA minutes a round waiting on him to swing.
 
InTheRough said:
I timed Crossfied and Lockley. Their preshot routines to ball strike is 20 seconds on the tee. Add another 10 seconds for getting a distance for the 2nd shot.

Does it really matter? You can only go play as fast as the course is moving. Is it better to play a hurry up and wait round and get frustrated? Or is it better to just go with the flow? If the course is moving at a 4.5 hr. pace, I just play at a 4.5 hr. pace. What's the point in trying to play fast?
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For me, I just have a speed/rhythm I’m comfortable with. It’ll be the same whether we’re playing a 3 hour round or a 5 hour round. In slower rounds I’ll waste the time BS’ing with the guys, wiping my clubs down, reorganizing my golf bag, whatever - but it doesn’t change my pre-shot routine.
 
So define pre-shot routine?
 
He swings his driver like he does his back hand.
 
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