The objective of this study was to examine the effect of pre-performance routines among golfers of low skill and non-golfers on wedge golf shot performance. The intervention strategies involved a physical skill and cognitive-behavioral routine program, as well as a physical skills only program. Performance was measured on a pre-intervention test, post-intervention test, and following a period of time without treatment, and involved wedge shots being played from distances of 40, 50, and 60 metres from a target. Participants in this study (N=68) were assigned to either a golfer or non-golfer group. Participants in the treatment groups attended two practice sessions per week during the acquisition phase. A variable practice design was incorporated during the intervention phase. Non-golfers in both intervention groups improved performance following the acquisition phase and maintained these levels of performance in the retention test. Greater improvements in performance were found in the non-golfer physical skills and cognitive-behavioral routine group. The non-golfer physical skills and cognitive-behavioral routine group was the only group to realize significant improvements in performance when comparing initial test performance measures to post-intervention and retention test performance measures across all test distances. Although the golfer treatment groups had consistent improvement in performance measures following the intervention phase, these improvements did not reach statistical significance in the majority of cases.The Effect of Pre-Shot Routines on Golf Wedge Shot Performance Golf presents participants with both cognitive and behavioral challenges (17). The social aspects of the game provide potentially evaluative observers and/or fellow competitors to influence the performer possibly in an adverse manner (7). Golf also involves a wide variety of shots to master (e.g., driving, chipping, and putting), extended periods of time between shots, and competitive situations that could be distracting and destructive in terms of performance decrement (5). Successful golfers have been identified as having the ability to develop plans for refocusing after distractions, have control over their thoughts and emotions, and employ cognitive techniques in imagining intended performance actions (14,19,20,21). Coupled with these characteristics, it has been observed that highly skilled performers also often utilize consistent cognitive-behavioral patterns that are maintained during competitions (5, 9, 11).One specific cognitive-behavioral strategy used in golf is the performance routine.The use of performance routines has been shown to be effective in improving the performance of skilled participants across a number of sports (3,6,8,11). Some evidence also suggests that such routines may benefit novice and low-skill level performers in the performance of specific motor skills (2, 4, 6, 10).The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of performance routines on the performance of a predominantly self-paced and c...