Do you warm up before you play?

Do you warm up before you play?

It seems to me that too many golfers just don't give themselves a chance to play good golf simply because they don't even warm up. Head from the car to the first tee, pull out the driver (the most difficult club to use) and just let it go.

Now, this idea is o.k. if you just like to play for fun and don't really care about how well you score. However, if you do care, it is extremely important to get a good warm up so that you can be loose, have a good feel for your swing, and a good mental focus starting with the first shot. With no warm up, you will spend the first 5 or 6 holes just trying to find your swing, and your mental focus. You are also likely to 3 putt a few times while trying to find your putting stroke and figure out the speed of the greens. By the time you find it, it's often too late.

Try this:

-Arrive at the driving range an hour before your scheduled tee time.
-Get loose with some simple stretching and some warm up swings
-Start with a lofted club like your pitching wedge, a half swing, and just try to find the sweet spot
-Switch to a full swing and work your way through the bag: mid iron, long iron, hybrid / fairway wood, driver, and just try to get a good feel for your swing, your tempo, and your ball flight.

(understand that some days are different than others and you may have a little more slice, or a little more hook than usual, or maybe today you are hitting it a little straighter than usual. Find this out before you tee it up on the first hole)

Once you feel loose and somewhat in control of that ball flight, move to the putting green and find that putting stroke.

Hit some long putts, and a bunch of short putts so that you get a good feel for your stroke, a good mental focus, and a good mental picture of that ball going into the hole.

Hit a few chip shots, and a few bunker shots, and head to the first tee feeling confident and ready to go.

Have a great game!!

very true.

I opened the round yst with no warm up and was 5 up by the 4th hole...

jurongtiger wrote:

very true.

I opened the round yst with no warm up and was 5 up by the 4th hole...

Damn power man! No warm up and you're up by one extra hole when you only played 4 holes.

I know I should do what pro said, but time many times prohibit me.....


however I do pretty intensive physical warm up...by doing stretching...starting with my heels, then to my legs...then hips, then shoulder and then neck...and finish off by wrist

After that I try to practise via virtual simulation of 2-4 swings of the driver.....

then go tee box, with no practise swing.....whack









and I just pray harder and harder then on

yes

Strictly speaking, warming up means doing some form of cardio to 'up' the body temperature. This process serves to promote better blood flow to the muscles in preparation for the exertions to come next.

Now, I do not think that many or any one of us does cardio to warm up, myself, guilty as charged. So next best thing we can do is to do dry swings for bout 5-10 mins and maybe even star jumps to warm up the body.

Only then will stretching of the muscles come in. Without warm up, over enthusiastic stretching may result in minor muscles tear. So take heed.

Now.....if only I'd do that cardio before my round tmr.

The swing differs every day, a good warmup is good to find your tempo and swing characteristics for the moment and adjust accordingly

Warm up is a MUST for every sports. It's make u feel less tension.

unless its right in the morning, typically just warm up with smaller swings only....

Just hear what Jim Furyk has to say regarding the warm up lor

http://www.adambarrgolf.com/ab3gwp_lm/2010/07/now-thats-a-stretch/

punkrockpga wrote:

Do you warm up before you play?

It seems to me that too many golfers just don't give themselves a chance to play good golf simply because they don't even warm up. Head from the car to the first tee, pull out the driver ....

Hi Pro,

Agreed totally regarding warming up. However, I doubt I can go 1 hour early to do all those warming in the driving range before a friendly game.

I usually just do some light stretching, swing my long iron and driver couple of times (w/o the ball), do a couple of putt chips to get a felt and some long and short putt on the green to feel the speed of the green for that day ....

I am off to the tee hole. Near the tee box, I might do another couple swing with my driver, waiting for my turn to tee off.

My question is. If I have only 1/2 hour before tee hole. What would you suggest the best way for me to warm up ?

Thx

Hi bros,

Will like to find out if there any proper warm exercises recommended? what is mentioned by punkrockpga is practise shots... I am wondering if there is any warm? stretching exercises before any range/ course?

warm up is essential whether at the range or on the greens.

I guess sometimes it's just impossible to get any warm-up done at all especially if one is playing in Batam/Bintan or JB. You kinda get off the car/ferry/bus, get changed, and off you go to the first tee (some breakfast wouldn't hurt either).

I think the only time I actually got to warm up is when I play in the afternoon and I can get off a little earlier to the range. That is rare!

I do agree my game suffers for about 3 holes (especially evident in the driver) before it gets better.

How to get around this problem?

Slicer51 wrote:

My question is. If I have only 1/2 hour before tee hole. What would you suggest the best way for me to warm up ?

Thx

Here are my ideas if you have 1/2 hr that you want to dedicate to warm up, keeping in mind that every golfer is different.

Decide if hitting balls with full swing is more important, or if finding your touch on and around the greens is more important to help you feel ready to play.
(I personally feel like I need to find my swing and hit balls before I head to the first tee. Although I would certainly prefer to get a little putting and chipping in before a round, I am usually good around the greens and not too worried if I don't have a chance to.)

If you don't get to the range, just do what you said that you always do with your chips and putts and practice swings before teeing off. However, it is important that the practice swings have some purpose. Visualize. Picture yourelf hitting the perfect shot with the club that is in your hand. Picture the ball flight that you want that swing to produce and then swing the club accordingly. This way you can get your body and your mind ready to hit that shot off the first tee or that shot into the first green.

Again, every golfer is different and it's about trying to get your body and your mind in sync so that you can feel confident over that first shot instead being scared of that first shot because you know that both your body and your mind are completely cold.

daren26 wrote:

Hi bros,

Will like to find out if there any proper warm exercises recommended? what is mentioned by punkrockpga is practise shots... I am wondering if there is any warm? stretching exercises before any range/ course?

Most tour players are crazy about fitness these days. Core strength (abs, low back, hips, etc.) and flexibility are the keys to a golf fitness routine.

The body rotation that happens in the golf swing can often cause tight muscles and a sore low back simply because those muscles might not be conditioned for that type of movement.

Tight muscles in the low back are usually tied to tight hamstring muscles in your legs so these two areas are probably the best places to focus any stretching / exercising when prepairing for golf.

It is also important to have a certain awareness about your own body and what kind of stretching it can handle with out injury.

A simple forward bend and touch your toes (or at least go as far as you can in attempt to touch your toes) is probably the best one.

I work hard on my core strength and I practice yoga and I honestly don't know how I would play golf without. Pilates is great for golf also.

It is amazing how getting your body fit for golf can impact your game. It helps a lot with every day piece of mind also.

Try it!

punkrockpga wrote:

daren26 wrote:

Hi bros,

Will like to find out if there any proper warm exercises recommended? what is mentioned by punkrockpga is practise shots... I am wondering if there is any warm? stretching exercises before any range/ course?

Most tour players are crazy about fitness these days. Core strength (abs, low back, hips, etc.) and flexibility are the keys to a golf fitness routine.

The body rotation that happens in the golf swing can often cause tight muscles and a sore low back simply because those muscles might not be conditioned for that type of movement.

Tight muscles in the low back are usually tied to tight hamstring muscles in your legs so these two areas are probably the best places to focus any stretching / exercising when prepairing for golf.

It is also important to have a certain awareness about your own body and what kind of stretching it can handle with out injury.

A simple forward bend and touch your toes (or at least go as far as you can in attempt to touch your toes) is probably the best one.

I work hard on my core strength and I practice yoga and I honestly don't know how I would play golf without. Pilates is great for golf also.

It is amazing how getting your body fit for golf can impact your game. It helps a lot with every day piece of mind also.

Try it!

That is some comprehensive guide, tks for the info. I totally agree on Yoga, I used to attend them but can't get any good lessons where I can attend with my wife.

I will hind your advise on the stretching prior my next driving range...

I usually will have pain on my left shoulder blade, not sure if it is caused by wrong posture or excessive use of strength.

hm.. I dun do any warm ups.. just tee up take 2 or 3 practice swings and then go for it..

I find warming up makes me play much better. In the past if no warm up, the first few holes always haywire..

Than it definitely is worth warming up... especially on the course!