Warm Up

[ApplebyFan]

I was just wondering what everybody did as warm up before a round or tournament. I start off with a Lob and work up through driver, hitting a bout 5 balls per club. If I dont at least hit 1 ball per club before a round, I play like

[pmcarync]

I usually start off with an 8 or 9, hit somewhere around 10-15 with those, to really get set with the feel of my swing and to know which of the two I'm more comfortable with hitting a 150yd shot. Then about 5 shots ea with a driver, 3 iron, 5 iron, then hyrbid or 3 wood...aiming at a different target with ea ball.

Then I hit about 20 balls each (if i have the time) with ea wedge (60, 56, 52) of various distance/accuracy shots to 'recapture' the right swing feel for varying distances.

Then I try to get a solid 10-15mins on the putting practice area. I usually plan 40-45 mins (not incl'g stretching) for warm-up...if i don't get that much time, I cut the wedge practice in half, and the 3 iron work... i treat the 8/9 iron warm-up and putting warm-up as sacred time.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Hi

goodness me you guys are seriously into warming up, you must be worn out before you get to the first tee

im from the John Daly school of warming up- a cheeseburger and a glass of Coke!

bb69

[ApplebyFan]

  BASHERBAKER69 said:

Hi

I just cant do that, I think half of it's mental though. I 'll play bad if I don't warm up, because I'll KNOW I didnt warm up. See what I'm sayin?

[Pete Beau]

I rarely hit balls before playing. Most of the courses that we play don't have ranges. So I just loosen up with one of those sand bag weights that you put on your 5 iron and practice some putts.

During the high production months of the year the courses will put you in line for the first tee immediately when you check in. There have been days when I will get to the course one hour early so I can practice putt and loosen up some; and Mr. Starter comes over to chase me to the first tee. Even after explaining my why I am there so early the course management insists that we go to tee. So, I don't check in until ten minutes before my tee time. So much for trying to communicate and co-operate with people.

Good luck in 2007.

[Everardo]

  ApplebyFan said:

I was just wondering what everybody did as warm up before a round or tournament. I start off with a Lob and work up through driver, hitting a bout 5 balls per club. If I dont at least hit 1 ball per club before a round, I play like

My warm up is pretty similar except I'll hit either my odd or even irons just to skip some clubs and speed the process up a little.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Hi

no one has mentioned putting when warming up

the most important thing is to relax and not get too worked up

bb69

[pmcarync]

I think I did... I usually try for at least 10-15 mins of putting during warm-up... a couple of mins stroking some putts while keeping the putter between 2 tees at impact (to get a feel for a good stroke while making impact at the alignment 'dot' on the putter head), then some long putts, medium, short on a flat area, then a couple of putts of varying distance with some breaks in the green.

Although part of my warm-up routine, it's really about getting the feel set and getting a sense of how the greens are rolling that day.

[ApplebyFan]

I'm not trying to brag, but I'm pretty confident in my putting. I usually putt maybe 5 balls, but that about it(the only reason I putt those is to see how the greens are that day). I mean, I don't worry about my putting much. My biggest concern during warm-up are my mid and long irons.

[ezmoney5150]

I tend to warm up on the range with even irons one day and odd irons the next. When putting hit about 5 long putts from 50 feet to get the feel of how fast the greens are. Then practice 5 footers to groove a good stroke.

[Everardo]

  BASHERBAKER69 said:

no one has mentioned putting when warming up

My home course putting green and course greens are a little different so unless I concentrate on draining a few 3 footers, I don't practice putting before a round.

Then again it's a good way to kill time if the tee is backed up.

[Josh K]

I hit balls starting off with SW and go through by skipping clubs. SW,9,7,5 ect. Then hit my woods and end with about 10 balls with the driver. Then I practice chipping and putting if I have time.

[The Turlock Kid]

It is all mental. If I ever get to the course with enough time to warm up, here's what I do:

1. Stretch leisurely.

2. Putting green. I take that slow, as well, trying to calm myself down. I like to look at the course in between putts; the grass, the trees, the mountains, rivers, etc. to just breathe it all in and remind myself I could be at the office right now... (this sounds like something Zen-ish...call it what you want it works!)

3. Practice greenside chipping. Get the feel of how I'm swinging that day. Remind my body how to hit these little killers.

4. Chipping green. Take a few shots 20-40 yds out, getting the feel for these shots on the course today.

5. Full on swings (no ball). Stretch more intensely, working out the kinks, but staying mentally calm and focused. Don't take too many. Just enough to feel loose.

6. Get a Coke or Water or whatever. Sip it casually, taking in the course on the first tee. Tee off.

The key: calm yourself! The first tee jitters always kills me! Relaxed is the name of the game.

[BASHERBAKER69]

Hi Turlock Kid

i agree, relax try to smile-we aren't on the PGA tour Guys..even they smile

5-10 shots in the net maximum

shot putting practice is very important-in my experience the practice greens are on a different pace to the course greens so not too many lenghty putts

most important thing is to visualise all the great shots you're going to hit and to realise that in fact you are the best player on the course by some distance!

bb69

[popey]

The strange thing is that i shot the best round of my life yesterday yet i didnt warm up! It was freezing cold, wind against into all the par 5's and i shot a 77 (+7). Bit peed off that i parred the first 5. I finished the front nine 3 over and then on the 10th had a triple!!!!

Back to the warming up!!

I normally get to the course bout 1 hour before and then head straight to the putting green. Hit a few putts until i get bored and then head to the range. Warm up with half a bucket of balls, and then head to the short game practise area for bout 20 mins and then back to the putting green.

The one thing i believe more important that hitting balls is that i have about 20 putts from 1 or 2 feet just so i have confidence before heading to the tee. It doesnt matting if i miss one i dont start again. I think it is more of a mental thing so that i prepared and it gives me something else to focus on.

Does any one no any good strechting warming up exercises as even if i go to the range i still feel stiff on the first tee. (any links would be welcome)

[Monty23]

Practise Rounds w/Friends-

* 5 minute session with my momentus power hitter. using the "pump" drill.
* 5 minute session with my Groovie weighted iron. using the "pump" drill.
* 10 minutes of putting and chipping (start off from 40-50 footers than go down)

Practise Rounds/Tournament Rounds-

* 10 minute session with my momentus power hitter. using the "pump" drill.
* 10 minute session with my Groovie weighted iron. using the "pump" drill.
* 15 minutes on the range. (irons, wedges) (my momentus already hits balls)
* 10 minutes of putting and chipping (start off from 40-50 footers than go down)

[RX Phoenix]

  popey said:

. . . The one thing i believe more important that hitting balls is that i have about 20 putts from 1 or 2 feet just so i have confidence before heading to the tee. It doesnt matting if i miss one i dont start again. I think it is more of a mental thing so that i prepared and it gives me something else to focus on.

I really like that idea! I'm going to try this. Why spend a lot of time grinding on the practice green missing tricky 6' and getting worried about what is to come? Why not build up confidence. As to a previous post about not trying a lot of longer putts on the practice green because of different speeds on the course, I totally agree with this. How many rounds have I ruined by spending 20min lagging putts on the practice green only to have a miserable day on the course leaving everything either long or short because of different speeds on the course greens. Once I get locked in on the practice green I carry that feel with me all day and can't adjust well. Big mistake. Just work on grooving the swing for that day and dropping short putts!

[Naruto]

  ApplebyFan said:

I'm not trying to brag, but I'm pretty confident in my putting. I usually putt maybe 5 balls, but that about it(the only reason I putt those is to see how the greens are that day). I mean, I don't worry about my putting much.

when i was a 30 handicap i didnt care about putting too much just focused on those long irons... nowadays though...I may hit range balls 5-6 times a year....but no way i'm going off without a solid 30 - 45 minutes putting...well about 30 putting and 15 chipping.... it didn't take long to realize that it's greenside where you leave the most shots.... not saying i can go to the first tee without any full swings and smoke one down the middle....but usually before i leave my house i will have taken several full swings in the living room with the 58....then on the first box i will take about 20 full swings with the driver....but usually the first full swing that hits a ball is the first tee shot of the day. unlike Appleby fan (who has confidence in his putter), without those 30-45 minutes on the short game I feel naked when i get to the first green...I pretty much know what my long irons and woods are going to do lets face it a bad long iron is one that misses the green but if you can chip it to 3 feet consistently you still save par....and no matter how much you practice you will miss greens with 3 irons...even the pros do...so i personally feel the short game is the only game that matters...