What is a preshot routine and why does every golf book mention it? Why is a little routine so important? The answer to these questions lies in the realms of psychology and psychology is a hugely important factor in any and every endeavour. To succeed at any sport you need to have your brain ‘onside’.

To understand a little of how a preshot routine helps you play better golf you first need to understand how the old noggin works, why it does what it does. The brain is a fluid thing and constantly adapts and changes with each experience we have. It actually changes physically by growing new connections which form neural pathways which allow it to make connections which enable you to live in the world. You know a chair is a chair because of these connections.

The brain can be broken down into two very rough parts, the emotional brain and the rational brain. The two parts can work together and often do but they can equally fight and cause trouble. When playing golf you need both parts but in different ways and that is exactly where a preshot routine helps by lining up the brains and letting them do what they do.

A successful golfer will always use a preshot routine, it helps focus his thoughts, prepare his body for action and then let his body perform that action. So what do we need for a good preshot routine?

Firstly, we have to decide what we want to happen, where we want the golf ball to go, this is course management and this is where the rational brain comes to the fore. It takes in all the data from your eyes, ears and prior knowledge if any, of the course, and processes this into a decision as to where the best place to land the ball would be. This part of the routine is normally done standing behind the ball looking down the fairway and you will see every good golfer doing it, the calculations going through their mind and quite often a club in their hands just swinging back and forth.

The next part of the preshot routine engages the emotional brain, the earliest brain sometimes referred to as the lizard brain. This is where your fight or flight response lies, there is little by the way of rationale here it is all emotion and feeling. It is also where your golf swing lives.

Your preshot routine now engages the emotional brain by visualising your golf shot, you notice how the professionals become still and focused. They are playing the shot in their lizard brain, a film show of how the shot will look, how the ball will fly and where it will land. They will then take two or three practice swings and only then will they address the ball. They are now solely using the emotional brain, no thinking is done here only feeling.

By performing your preshot routine before every shot you will grow the path ways in your brain which will allow you to perform at your highest and play your best golf.

You can find more mental golf tips at Mental Golf Tips.
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An endurance runner would never dream of starting off a race without a good stretching workout. So, why do so many links lovers hit the greens without performing golf stretching exercises? While this sport might not involve the extreme physical challenge that running does, it can be a great deal more demanding than many realize. Performing the right stretching exercise can make playing a great deal more enjoyable and it can even improve the bottom line score.

So, what kinds of stretched for golf should players perform before they start a game? Considering the fact that most major muscle groups are involved in the game, it can pay to make sure a full body stretch routine is performed before play.

Some tips on which golf stretching exercises to consider include:

• Knee lifts - When stretching, it is vital to remember the lower back. This easy stretch involves nothing more than lying on the ground face up with the body extended. Raise one knee and slide the foot toward the rear end. Then put both hands behind the bent knee and slowly pull up toward the chest. Hold this stretch for at least 10 seconds and then repeat on the other side.
• Upper back stretch - Kneel on the ground on all fours and then move arms forward as the chest is slowly lowered toward the ground. Now, use the shoulders to extend and arch the back. Hold the arch for about 10 seconds. Repeat with several reps.
• Ham stretch - There is nothing worse than getting a hamstring pull on the course. Golf stretches can help prevent this. To perform exercises that work for the hams, just lie on the floor, face up with legs extended. Life up one leg and grab the thigh with both hands. Keep the knee extended and pull the leg in toward the chest. Hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds and repeat on the other side.
• Hips and gluts - Golf stretching exercises should also address these areas. To help stretch them out, lie on the floor, face up with the head firmly supported with a rolled pillow or towel. Now, put both feet flat on a solid surface, such as a wall. Bend knees and hips to 90-degree angle. Cross the right leg over the left thigh. Now, put the left hand on the right thigh and pull it toward the floor. Hold the stretch for at least 10 seconds and repeat on the other side.

Stretching can help you prevent injury but fitness in golf can also and improve your game more than any swing practice or golfing equipment. Click below to find out how this is possible.

http://www.102tips.info/golf_fitness.html

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