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Ever wonder why you keep making the same mistakes over and over? A lot of players could bring more consistency to their game by developing a real routine and sticking with it throughout a round. I’ve watched many players hit the ball all over the course, and I’d say 75 percent of them have no type of pre-shot plan routine. And those who start out with one often get frustrated with their play and end up hitting the ball with no plan at all.

There’s no reason why you can’t develop your own pre-shot plan; you don’t need Tiger-like skills to create one. The pre-shot routine is something personal, and you can have fun developing your own.

The pre-shot routine is crucial to good play because it gives you a chance to understand what you’re doing with your golf game. When you understand your swing and have a routine, you can easily make adjustments to fix whatever’s going wrong. 

I copied my routine from watching Greg Norman and added my own twist. I typically stand behind the ball, pick out my target, step to the ball, set my clubface, set my body, remind myself of my swing trigger -- which starts my golf swing -- then swing the golf club. It's that simple. If for some reason during a round my swing deviates and a bad shot results, I check my routine for consistency.

But more important, the pre-shot routine develops rhythm to your golf swing and game. We all know rhythm is the key to swinging consistently.

I know it takes discipline to stay with your pre-shot routine, especially with today’s long rounds, but it pays big in the long run. If you don’t start your shot in a proper fashion, chances are you won’t finish properly.