The pre-round warm-up is just as important as any shot you hit on the golf course. However, many golfers either start their warm-up wrong, rush through it, or they just completely skip a warm-up altogether. All though there is no wrong way to warm up before a round of golf there are ways that are optimal for success.
Probably the most important thing is to get to the golf course with plenty of time to go through a proper warm-up routine. With the proper amount of time, you are able to accomplish more in preparation for your round. If you only show up 10 minutes before your tee time you won't even have enough time for a proper stretch. Which if you are on limited time give yourself time to at least stretch before teeing off on the first hole.
I like to give myself 1-hour and 15 minutes before my actual tee time. This allows me plenty of time for everything I need to do before starting my round. Yes, there are times when I do not have enough time before some golf rounds but I like to make sure I always have enough time to stretch and roll a few putts. Ideally, though you want at least 30 minutes before your tee time. Here is an example of what I do when I show up at a golf course early enough. Lets say I have an 11 am tee time.
9:45 - Park, change shoes, check my vehicle that I have everything I need, (towels, balls, gloves, etc..). Head to check in and maybe grab a drink and a snack.
9:55 - Head over to the driving range. Get my tees, balls, and glove out of my golf bag and start stretching.
10:10 - Start hitting golf balls. I start with 4-clubs (switching which ones each round). I always start with a wedge hitting half shots then proceed to hit about 10 golf balls with each club finishing with my driver or 3-wood (see video below).
10:30 - Hit some chip shots if the golf course has a chipping green. This is to get a feel for those short shots and how the ball will react on a green.
10:40 - Finish with some putts to get a feel for the speed of the greens. I personally do not worry about making any putts. (a good idea is to putt to the fringe of the green and not a hole sometimes). Just get a feel for the speed.
10:50 - Head over to the first tee
There are two things you never want to do during a pre-round warm-up. First is never rush just to hit a few shots or putts. If you rush before your round the higher the probability you will rush your swings on the golf course. Two, never start by hitting the driver. This is something I see many golfers do. Not only is it a bad idea for your body and can cause injury but it does not allow for a rhythmic swing. The driver is not just the longest swing of all your clubs it is also the club you probably hit the least in any given round.
To summarize, the main thing you want to do is give yourself plenty of time for your pre-round warm-up. Do not rush anything and make sure to stretch.
Comments