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Warm Up Routine

TC said:
I hear ya. What happens if you have an awful range session before your round? I'm kind of like you, I just get up and go, and if I need to, figure things out as I go.
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Exactly. If I have a bad range session before a round I might as well stay at home because that round will most likely end bad.


Tappin' for world peace in HD!
 
flix said:
Exactly. If I have a bad range session before a round I might as well stay at home because that round will most likely end bad.


Tappin' for world peace in HD!
Click to expand...

Same here. A bad warmup will kill my round. I just hit the pratice green to get a feel for the speed and then tee off.
 
I like to chip on the practice green before I start any round, even if I got there late and only have 5 minutes or so to "warm up". Chipping gets your mind and body focused on contact, and it also helps you figure out the speed of the greens, so you are killing two birds with one ball. If I don't get a chance to do anything else before the first tee, I want to hit a few chips. Unfortunately, a lot of courses are starting to post "no chipping" signs on their practice greens -- if you have to chip on the green set aside for chipping, it likely does not accurately reflect the speed of the greens on the course.

After chipping, I like to hit a few balls to loosen up my muscles, and to find out what kind of swing I brought with me that day. If my swing isn't very good, I would rather know that before the first hole so that I can be prepared. I usually hit 3 or 4 7 iron shots, 3 or 4 4 irons, a couple drives, and then maybe some FW shots, or whatever was a problem shot for me the last time out. I don't really count how many balls I hit, but I doubt I ever hit as many as 20. I'm not trying to "fix" anything at that point, I'm just finding out what I've got.

If I still have time left over, I will putt some, and hit a few balls out of a practice bunker (making the bold assumption that the sand in the practice bunker will is similar to the sand on the course).
 
I rarely ever have a good round without a small bucket to warmup with. I notice that every single time I show up late and just play without proper range time, my game doesnt start clicking until the back 9. I'm at a skill level where I dont have proper muscle memory from week to week where I can just swing with a clear mind. I have to focus on certain aspects (weight shift, dont fan open the face on chips, etc...) and having a 30-40 ball range session helps me to warm up and quickly work out whatever kinks I have. Also chipping really helps too...just having a few solid contact chips helps with the confidence.
 
after teh outing and demo day and thinking about my past rounds this year, its pretty simple....no warmup=bad score
 
It depends on the day for me:

During the week, I race to the course after skipping out of work early, if I am lucky I have time for 5 putts before the rest of my group is itching to go. No practice swings, then pray for the best off the 1st tee.

On Weekends, I get there an hour early, have a calming breakfast of champions (usually McDonalds), then 15 or 20 chips and pitches, putt for about 10 minutes. If I am particularly enthusiastic I hit a small bucket of balls (which usually does more harm than good for the ensuing round).

Oddly enough, my best rounds have come with no warm up and no practice. My worst rounds ever have come after extensive range time and practice before the round. I find more mental prep at the course helps me. Concentrating more on mechanics with never hitting a ball. (My go to practice is heading to the range and hitting the broken tees instead of balls. Gets me loose, with an emphasis on being right in the middle of the club face. At home, I replace the tees with pine cones that drop out of a tree in my yard and fire them into the neighbor's yard, or down the back alley.)
 
I was taught a warm-up routine at a golf school a couple of years ago (Golf Made Simple, excellent golf school). It is a 29 ball warm up.

The first 10 balls are hit with a pitching wedge at an intermediate target (not full swings). You alternate hitting the ball left of the flag, then right of the flag. Repeat for the 10 balls.

The next 9 balls are also with the pitching wedge to the same intermediate target, but this time one short, one on, and one long and repeat.

The last ten balls are with your driver. Pick a target that is not a full swing and do as the first 10 balls--one left of target, one right and repeat.

This will ensure that you are loosened up and give you an indication of your ball flight that day. Because you aren't hitting full shots, it also helps establish an easy, smooth swing tempo for the day. Seems to work for me better than simply going to the range and hacking balls. Give it a try.
 
I always try to hit some iron, driver shots than chip and putt before a round. Biggest thing it gets me loosened up before the round. I also just do a little stretching for a couple of minutes.
 
I hit a few flippy wedges followed by a few 3/4 and full 8 irons. I'll then hit a few drives and go. If its a new course I'll go putt a few to get an idea for speed. I would definitely score better if I had a better pre round routine. There's nothing like 3 putting the first few holes to figure out speed.


John Deere Tap'n
 
Back when I was really serious about the game (I am again now, but still haven't gotten into a "full routine") I used to do the following:
  • Small/med bucket
  • PW, 8 iron, 6 iron, highest iron, 3 wood off the deck, driver, half wedges to whatever short target flags were available.
  • Play the first hole how I think it will be played, with the concentration levels being high as if I were playing it
  • Hit drivers until I hit one perfect, leave the remaining balls there
  • Couple of short chips and a couple of high chips until they feel natural again
  • Putt around for a few
  • Tee off
 
All of this pre-round routine talk is getting me antsy to play!
 
I usually putt a few balls on the practice green, take a few swings with the speed sleeve to get warmed up, then I'm off and running.
Depending on the results of the first tee shot and the company I'm playing with, there may or may not be a breakfast ball involved.
 
If there is time and the course is open, I will play #9 or #18 (both short par 4's) and if it's open, #8 or #17 (both par 3's). We have no range. I'd love to hit a small bucket first, though.
 
I don't really warm up, I limber up just trying to get loose. If there's time I'll hit two or three old junkers out into a field or pond and stretch a few times. I do like to putt a few minutes on the putting green before a round.
 
I like to get to the course an hour before my tee time. I'll hit a small bucket (35-40 balls) starting with a few 1/2 to 3/4 wedge shots, a few 8i shots, then every other club up to driver. A few more 1/2 to 3/4 wedge shots to finish at the range. I'll putt to a ball marker on the putting green to get a feel for the speed.
 
I've always liked to spend my warm up time chipping and putting on the practice green. I'll take three or four balls and start with chipping only, to different targets on the green (far side/short side). Then putting only, near and far. Then I like to finish up by playing one ball out from different spots for up&down practice.
 
My pre-round warm-up routine usually goes like this...

Grab a small bucket of about 40 balls.

Hit about 5-7 shots with my pitching wedge and skull every one of them. Swear quietly to myself "WTF...you have got to be sh*tting me!!! I was JUST hitting the ball perfect yesterday. Today is seriously going to suck!"

Realize that the McDonalds bacon, egg and cheese biscuit, hash brown, orange juice, followed by coffee, after a night of drinking was not the best of pre-round nutrition choices and that I literally have about 120 seconds to get to a bathroom!

Get back to the range and find that somebody has hit the rest of my balls.

Buy another bucket of balls.

Try to hit some 9 irons, skulling every one of them. Tell my buddy (who has just shown up) that I can't find a swing to save my life and I should probably just go home now.

Pull out my phone and get on Youtube. Watch as many videos as possible in hopes that I'll figure out what's wrong. Yell at my phone "But that *IS* what I'm doing!!! My effing head *IS* down!!" Keep skulling more balls and swearing.

Notice I have an email indicating that the idiots at work did exactly what I said not to do and now one of the servers is hosed. Fire off an email letting them know that I will fix it as soon as I'm "near a computer and can log in".

Field a phone call from my boss about said hosed server, shielding the phone from the overly obnoxious bird twirping, and the distinct sound of drivers striking golf balls giving away my location.

Dwell on the hosed server and how every time I try to enjoy a round of golf they find some way to mess it up!

Switch to the driver and top a bunch of those.

Say to myself "you know what...the day's already ruined...might as well get drunk. Give me a beer!".

Drink the beer.

Step up to 1st tee box and just rip it.
 
Lag putts - then make a slew of short ones
Chips - hit a couple flops and some bump and runs and a bunker shot or two
---stretch legs/shoulders/ankles--
Range - bout 20 9to3 wedges - then go up through the set randomly to the driver - then a couple more wedges before I leave
 
I usually show up 2 hours before.
1. Start with stretching for 15-20 minutes.
2. Chip for 20 minutes
3. Hit 50-75 balls: PW to 7 Iron to 4 Iron to Hybrid to 3wood to Driver
4. Putt for 30 minutes
5. Rest for 10 minutes
6. Stretch again for 10 minutes
7. Go time!
 
1. I stretch the legs and back.
2. Driving Range for a small bucket of balls working my way up the clubs.
3. Putt to get a sense of the speed of the greens.
4. Stretch some more
5. Swing the driver a few times on the first tee box.

This whole progression takes about 20 minutes.
 
Sounds like there's a lot of different ways of warming up!

I've narrowed it down to chipping and putting is a must before a round. I found that whenever I don't warmup before a round my tempo is all off. Does everyone eat before a round? I never do, it always makes me lethargic.. Haha.

Thanks for all the great ideas!
 
I stretch for 30 minutes at home before a round otherwise my back goes south in a hurry. At the course I'll hit the putting green for 10-15 minutes, then off to the first tee.
 
I generally ride my bike to the course, so that's about a 15-20 minute cardio warm up. Then I'll briefly 'stretch', by which I mean take a weighted club and do some range of motion movements to prepare the muscles that I use most. I don't usually hit full shots on the range (only b/c I can't afford a bucket 5-7 times per week; when I do I hit a few balls each with gw/8i/5i/5w/D then work on any shots I'm practicing or having trouble with). Then I'll spend about 10 minutes practicing pitching/chipping, then 10 minutes putting (practicing almost exclusively on weight control). Then after the group ahead has teed off, I'll take 12 full routine practice swings with my driver before my group is up.

Blazer, great article. I always love when Science evidences common sense; if you warm up the muscles to be used, they will work better. Not a shock to anyone I hope lol. Science Rules!
 
I loosen up with some stretching and then typically try and stick with 25 shots. If I have time to go to the gym or excercise for a little while before I play, I prefer to mix that into my day.

Five half wedge shots with my 56 degree sand wedge. Five full shots with the sand wedge. Five shots with my 6 iron. Five shots with my 3 hybrid. Five with the driver. I finsh on the practice green with various length putts to get a feel for the speed and condition of the greens for the day.
 
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