Want to hit more greens? Then use this 5-step pre-shot checklist

The importance of having a pre-shot routine is often discussed (as we did on a past episode of Golf IQ), but there is another process that elite golfers go through before each approach shot. If you get to your ball, laser the distance, pull a club and step in, you’re missing an essential step to dialing in your iron play.

Before you start your pre-shot routine, you need to go through a pre-shot checklist, and that’s what myself and Golf Digest Senior Game Improvement Editor Luke Kerr-Dineen discussed on this episode of Golf IQ, which you can listen to below (or subscribe right here!).

Iron play is one of the biggest distinguishing factors between golfers, especially good amateurs and pros (which we broke down here). Look at the graphic below—taken from our How Do Compare Interactive—and you’ll notice a steep increase in proximity to the hole as a player’s handicap…