What do you do to warm up?

[IlliniDrillSgt]

What do you do to get warmed up for a round if you can't hit the range for a few shots? I play a few times a week and lift weights on the other days. It seems like it takes me 3 to 5 holes before I feel comfortable. I need to find a way to get my rhythm and "loosen up" in a faster way. Any suggestions?

[saevel25]

I wouldn't do any static streches, ones were you hold the stretch.

Balance yourself with a club. Lift one leg up and swing it side to side and front to back, to loosen up the hips.
Arm circles, swing your arms in big circles, then go opposite direction.
Hold your arms out straight to the side and rotate your hands palms up to palms down. This will get your triceps, biceps and shoulder rotators.
For the back, i like to take my golf stance with out a club. let your arms hang. Then keeping one arm down, rotate around your spine and lift the other arm straight in the air.

[DavidFehertysBike]

I get a good stretch, then go hit some simple pitch shots and a couple of full swings on the range.

[double_j]

1.) Get out of car
2.) Walk to first tee
3.) Hit

Yes, I know that this is costing me a couple of strokes per round, but I'm oh so lazy.

Swinging your driver or other long club horizontally as hard as you can a couple of times (like a baseball bat but with a golf-ish swing) and then swinging it lossely back and forth around you for a minute or so is also a good way to get loose in a hurry. I'm not sure how healthy it is but it definitely targets the muscles you're going to be using on the tee.

[DarkPrince]

I'm weird I guess. I show up around an hour or so before I may want to play, starting with putting and chipping for 30-40 minutes, grab a medium bucket of balls and head down to the range since it will force me to concentrate more on hitting shots than just pounding them out. I generally stretch out on the range using basic ones I learned back in HS soccer and golf. One you hold a club out in front of you horizontally with one hand on each end, one palm up and one palm down, turning the club 180* vertically and turning your body until you can feel it in your upper arm and hold it for a bit, then do the same for the opposite arm. Others are just basic stretches for lower body to loosen up my hamstrings, calves, and quads since they have more of an effect that I think most people realize. I'm still trying to hammer out a good warm up/practice routine but this seems to get me set up for the day ahead pretty well. I also make sure I eat something semi-healthy and filling before practicing/playing so I don't cramp or start feeling like crap fairly quickly. Anyone know of any good stretches for the lower back? It kills me when practicing putting for a while :/

Also just remembered something, but if anyone watches some goofy show called sports science:
A. swinging a weighted club or multiple clubs to warm up right before a round actually makes you swing slower because it works the wrong muscles? (golf uses fast twitch, but it works the slower muscles instead if I remember right).
B. (more for fun than anything) Padraig Harrington can add a good amount of distance with his happy gilmore shot...but doesn't like the lack of accuracy lol

[clearwaterms]

There was an article in Golf Digest a while back that addressed this very thing. I couldn't find the article in my google searches but I did find this instead. I browsed through it, but it might help you.

http://golf.about.com/cs/tipslessons...upbetter_2.htm

[nututhugame]

I take a couple of junk balls to the range and make sure I can get a decent strike with the irons. Maybe 2 balls with the driver. A ball or two with fw woods. Then a few chips and pitches wherever there's room (even if it's the 1'st tee box) and off I go.

[Par Fore]

Stretch a little, followed by 20 swings with a weighted club/2 wedges.....10 of them baseball style, followed by 10 normal swings....on the first hole, take 3 real practice swings before each hit.....you should be back to form by the 2nd hole.....oh, also worth it to hit a few chips and putts before every round....

With that being said, my best rounds have always been those where I had plenty of practice....a nice small bucket of 30 to warm up, 15 minutes chipping, 15 minutes putting......anything less and I will be adjusting on the course the first few holes....

[IlliniDrillSgt]

All of these are good suggestions. Sometimes getting to the course from work and trying to get out before leagues start only leaves about a 10 minute window, so I have try to do something quick. Thanks for the suggestions.

All except for get out of car, walk to tee, hit driver.....

[Ping for life]

I agree completely with you darkprince if that makes us wierd than so be it. Why would you spend good hard earned money to play a round and not take the time to loosen up find your swing and get a feel for the greens (assuming the putting green is a good representation as to how the course greens play) 50/50 chance on that. Some people can pull it off I just don't happen to be one of them. I find it also helps me get my head into the game and find out what my ball flight tendencies for the day are likely to be. If I am fading the ball consistently on the range I can play that fade to my advantage during the first hole.

[IlliniDrillSgt]

I agree completely with you darkprince if that makes us wierd than so be it. Why would you spend good hard earned money to play a round and not take the time to loosen up find your swing and get a feel for the greens (assuming the putting green is a good representation as to how the course greens play) 50/50 chance on that. Some people can pull it off I just don't happen to be one of them. I find it also helps me get my head into the game and find out what my ball flight tendencies for the day are likely to be. If I am fading the ball consistently on the range I can play that fade to my advantage during the first hole.

Speaking for myself, I have a pass for the course so it doesn't matter, I've already paid. If I had to go through warm ups I would not be able to play as by the time I would get there from work leaves no time to go the range and hit a bucket of balls followed by putting and chipping. If I was retired and had a standing tee time, that would be a different story.

[DarkPrince]

Well, I must say that I do have a membership, and a range pass so I'm there for a good portion of every day possible whether its practicing or playing. I'm able to practice so much I guess because I go solo to the course every time and never set tee times, I'm just the ringer who is up at the putting green when someone needs either a playing partner, or someone to complete a foursome. Its fun though when its the guys who show up right out of the car and I've already been warmed up for an hour or so :P I don't generally hit good first tee shots, but it is fun to nut one down the fairway after being completely warmed up and relaxed :)