Warming Up

Anyone got a solid warm up routine?

I usually try to play a course with a range and chipping/bunker/putting areas.

So besides about 3 minutes of exercise similar to Angel Jimenez complete with over 50 years old body, long hair, and big cigar, this is my warm up and I honestly think if most beginners copied it, they would lower strokes in a round.

My warm up is based on one thing, put % of time into each part of game you will use in a round.

So I grab a small bucket of balls 35 or so

After Jimenez type stretches and practice swings, I'm loose enough to hit a % of shots that resembles a round.

I hit 7 or so low irons a 9 one day maybe a 7 iron the next session.

I hit 3 or so higher irons a 5 one day and a 3 the next

I hit 3 or so 3 woods

I then hit the dog 10 or so times

This is roughly what I should hit in a round any given days a mix of low and high irons as approaches, a couple of 3 woods and the usual 10 to 14 drivers.

So now 30 balls are done and I take 2 to the bunker and hit them

Then the last 3 balls I hit 3 pitches and then retrieve and hit 3 chips

About 20 putts are hit on the practice area, to as many different holes as possible and then each long stroke is followed up if needed with a tap in shortie

Now I'm loose and no shot in the round will be something I haven't warmed up on, and the % of time in each area is close to what I should do in any round.

I see guys constantly hit nothing but their favorite iron, or the driver never hit a bunker or pitch or all they do is grind over 3 foot putts

So in a round they may have a bunker shot or a pitch and they're thinking, wow when was the last time I hit a bunker shot or had this type of pitch

If you divide your warm up and practice sessions into % of shots that resemble a real life round, your over all game will improve

IMO

I meet guys all the time with pretty swings, who have trouble breaking 80

First thing I ask, describe a typical warmup session to me

Sure enough

My swing is grooved I only stretch and putt

What do you practice putting

3 to 5 footers

Really, you think grinding over these is getting you better, than say practicing your lags so you have tap ins within 2 feet all day instead of 3 to 5 foot grinders?

Your bunker game is so good you don't need to hit a few once in a while

When is the last time you hit a 30 yard pitch in practice

You don't like hitting full drivers to loosen up after you pured some irons on the range?

Then I explain

Look today almost half your strokes should be putts, 72 par and 36 are supposed to be putts, but in reality 35 to 40% will be putts

So break down your practice to resemble a round

20% of the balls hit drivers

15% short irons

15% long irons and fairways/hybrids

10% pitches/chips/bunkers

40% putts, mostly longer lag putts followed up by a short putt in the hole like a real hole

Unless you are working on a specific fault, your warmups and practices should be divided into similar % or you will never have a complete game

My 2 cents on how to warm up so you aren't surprised in a round with a shot you haven't hit in a while

You have a bunker shot, oh yeah, I pured that 30 minutes ago

You have a 30 foot putt, oh, I holed one on the practice green today

You have a 20 yard lob over a trap, oh I did that today

Instead of coming to a shot and thinking when the heck was the last time I did this

You come to a shot and think, oh I did this 30 mins ago or an hour ago

So now you have confidence in any shot you encounter, due to you practiced it that day