Video: The A.C.E. Pre-Shot Routine Can Simplify and Improve Your Game

Trent Wearner provides tips to improve your pre-shot routine by focusing on the process, not the result

Colorado AvidGolfer

Bobby Jones is quoted as saying, “Golf is a game that is played on a five-inch course – the distance between your ears.” As many of us golfers know, that five-inch course is often crowded with bad thoughts, previous failures, and who knows what else every time we grip the club.

The good news is that teaching pro Trent Wearner has a pre-shot routine that can help players of all skill levels. Trent is both one of our and our readers' favorites (as evidenced by his multiple CAGGY Awards) and as he explains, good results don't just happen, you earn them. A student doesn't just get an “A” on a test. She has to go to class, listen, take notes, study, and then take the test. The same can be applied to golf. Instead of focusing on a certain end result of your shot or your round as a whole, focus on a routine and a sound mental process to help ensure more consistent golf shots.

The A.C.E. pre-shot routine stands for analyze, execute and commit. The question you should ask junior golfers (or yourself) after each round is not “What score did you shoot?” Instead, ask “How well did you do with each shot? Did you have the right approach and strategy?”

Analyze
There are a number of factors that go into each shot before you even choose your club. The yardage to the pin, the distance to clear the bunker, the wind, the temperature and many more. Analyze the conditions of each golf shot to make the best determination for your club selection, shot shape, and aiming point.

Commit
Once you've analyzed, commit to the shot. Trent explains what should happen the last few seconds before pulling the club away and what cues you can add to your routine. You may have a verbal cue, a visual cue, or a certain number of looks à la Fred Couples. Find a routine and a rhythm that works for you.

Execute
The fun part! You've gone through your analyzation and have committed to the shot. Now it's time to either execute, or back away from the shot. Maybe you got distracted, the wind changes, or negativity creep into your mind. Trent explains the time when you should never hit a shot.

View the excellent video by Trent and find the routine that works for you. If you've gone through a sound mental process then you can live with the results, and with this pre-shot routine they are more likely to be good than bad.

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Trent Wearner recently won his second Colorado PGA Teacher of the Year award and was also rated by his peers as the #1 Teacher in Colorado as published by Golf Digest. He has also joined an elite group of teachers as a Golf Channel Academy Lead Coach. He has had 24 students qualify to play in National USGA Events, and eight High School State Champions including four in the last four years. TrentWearnerGolf.com or GolfScrimmages.com; 303-645-8000.