“Golf Routine”

November 1, 2025

I am pretty much a creature of habit. And it really shows in my golf game. I am a firm believer that for every great round of golf, there is a good morning routine that came before it. A consistent pre-round regimen is the key that sets me up for success on the course.

Even my golf pre-game preparations are pretty set.

Before every round of golf, I prep my “to-go” golf bag. In it, I pack some snacks to enjoy throughout my round, a blanket for the seat to protect my bum from the elements, a couple of golf towels to keep my clubs and golf balls clean while playing, a few treats and water for Hazel, my golf shoes, and my Garmin Golf Watch.

And of course I pack all of this the night before.

As for my routine when hitting…..my routine is pretty much the same every time….as I approach the tee box I begin my routine. I select which club I am going to use. I hold it in my hands and check out if there is anything on the club head (i.e. dirt, bugs…whatever). Then I approach the tee box from the back. Always from the back – never the side or the front! Next comes the placement of my tee. I use the same measurement every time. I place the tee in the ground and stop at my middle knuckle of my index finger. And to be sure the height of my tee is the same each time, I place my club head next to it to visually see if it is correct.

From there, I step back and gently tap my club head on the ground one or two times. I don’t really have a set number for that.

And honestly, I have no idea why I don’t.

I then approach my ball….look at it, look at the target, noting the yardage, I take my grip, ensuring it feels firm but not tense. I set my feet to a comfortable, shoulder-width stance, take one last very deep breath, and swing away.

No waggle, just pull the trigger.

Each time it is the same…..it really doesn’t matter if it is a tee shot or somewhere in the fairway. My golf routine is pretty much always the same.

But that’s ok. Because I have come to believe that having the same golf routine is crucial for improving my consistency, reducing my nerves, and eliminating my overthinking. And believe me when I say I can “overthink” a shot!

That’s when I’m “on,” of course. But as a recreational player, I know that the vast majority of my worst shots and rounds happen when I depart from my routine.

By having a consistent pre-shot process, I have trained my body and mind to perform the same way, which (hopefully) leads to more repeatable results and helps me stay calm and focused under pressure.

So here is my routine for golf:

Enjoy the process. Improvement is a gradual process.

Rise and shine early. Early mornings offer better playing conditions.

Stretch it out. Dynamic stretches like leg swings and arm circles can help loosen muscles.

Visualize my winning shots. Imagine success on the course.

Hydrate. Drink water.

Get to the course early. Arriving early allows for an unhurried warm-up. (And makes sure Marc doesn’t get frustrated with me – he does not enjoy arriving late to ANYTHING!)

It’s early morning as I am writing this, and I just happened to notice that in only 9 months of having our dog Hazel, she has developed a morning routine.

Once she leaves our bed (yes, she sleeps with us – don’t judge, she has to so she can alert if Marc’s sugars drop in the night), she then takes the three steps down from our bedroom, stops, does her downward dog (I am not kidding here), then she does her upright cat stretch. After she has fully stretched her long legs, she trots up to Marc, who by-the-way, has already started his morning routine of sitting in his chair, drinking coffee, and reading the headlines. Hazel will then sit and wait for Marc to welcome her up into the chair with him. I have watched this routine happen every morning since the first few weeks after we got her.