How important is warming up before a round?

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by NotPortlyNJ

I find it helps to warm up.  Gotta at least hit a few putts to see how the greens seem to be running.  Not even necessarily to sink them (although that's satisfying), just to see how to avoid hitting it short.

Ah, see I always putt beforehand. But to me, that isn't warming up as much as it is getting used to the greens. My putting stroke is fine 'cold', but my full swing I think may be suffering.

[saevel25]

Then the green speeds are nothing like the course greens :p I hate that :p

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by saevel25

Then the green speeds are nothing like the course greens :p I hate that :p

Haha, Mallard Creek by me is notorious for this. The practice green is lightning fast with a ton of break, then you go to putt on #1 and it rolls 3 feet on an 8 footer. Dead straight with no break. lol

[jamo]

I usually try to warm up if I can. I also try to roll a few putts, just to get a quick feel for the speed (and find the stimp, if I can).

[14ledo81]

Originally Posted by jamo

I usually try to warm up if I can. I also try to roll a few putts, just to get a quick feel for the speed (and find the stamp, if I can).

Is finding the "stamp" some kind of side game???

[jamo]

Is finding the "stamp" some kind of side game???

[quote name="jamo" url="/t/68133/how-important-is-warming-up-before-a-round/18#post_863356"]I usually try to warm up if I can. I also try to roll a few putts, just to get a quick feel for the speed (and find the stimp, if I can).[/quote] Pfffft I don't know what you're talking about. :whistle:

[Yukari]

100% agree.

I use to be one of those that showed up and went straight to the first tee.  Then I got serious trying to get down to a single digit HC.  Started practicing on the range too (never have before).

After just two years, I got it down to 10, and last year got it down to 7.6.

The key for me is what iacas said.  See what kind of swing you have for that day.  I only hit about 20 balls max just to loosen up and see whether my "normal" ball flight (a slight draw) is there or whether it is fading for some reason.  If I can't fix it after a couple of shots, I'll stick with the swing that I have for that day and not try to fight it during the round.

Originally Posted by iacas

Very. Even if it's just hitting 15 golf balls. See what you're doing that day, find a rhythm, and then go play.

[Zachari208]

Grab two beers, drink one, couple loosening up swings, and send it.

[Unforgiven93]

It doesn't really seem to make a difference to me.  My lowest round ever I didn't touch a ball before I went out to play.  I always warm up if I have the chance, but It really doesn't seem to make a difference.  I can hit the ball horribly on the range before a round and then play great, or vice versa.  I've found the range does not predict how I will play whatsoever.

[PirateJim]

I'm 59 and can definately tell the difference if I don't hit some practice shots before a round. I start with the PW then move up to 8i. I hit that until I am feeling good about how I'm hitting it, no false rules. Once comfortable, three or four with the 6i and the 4h, and on to the driver until I have hit a few good ones with that. I have tried skipping the warm-up, but do not like the results.

[Motley01]

If I don't go to the range before my round, I will hack up the front 9.

I usually warm up for 20-30 min. Then go to the putting green and practice putting for about 5-10 min.

[Ernest Jones]

I haven't noticed a huge difference in score either way. If anything, too many range balls are detri mental to my game because I go into golf swing mode instead of just golf mode. Whenever I do warm up I usually just do some chipping around the practice green and maybe bum a few (4-5) balls from a buddy's bucket for a few full swings but that's about it. I practice alot already so when I go to the golf course I just wanna play golf. Hmmm, I'm getting deja vu, I may have already posted this exact same thing in here somewhere...sorry.

[Slice of Life]

I went to the booth for review, you're good EJ, no double post. Haha

[tomvk77]

For me it is very important.

I got to hit a few shots to find the feel of pace.

i start with 3/4 wedges than 6 irons 4 iron 3 wd and driver

20 shots is all i need. if i have some balls more i would

just hit some pitches. than a few putts to feel the speed of the green and i'm good to go.

[RonTheSavage]

IF everything goes right I show up to the course 45 mins before my round. Most of my golfing buddies live 30-45 mins away so me golfing usually includes a decent amount of drive time. With that said it's very important for me to get to the course early enough for some un-rushed dynamic stretching/warmup. I then hit a bucket of balls and I try to time it where when Im done we're heading to the first tee. I read somewhere that 15 mins of inactivity is enough for your body to start to tighten back up.

[NuclearMike]

I had the first tee time yesterday (7am) and when I asked for range balls at 6:30 was told that the range opens at the same time as the course.  I was able to get loose with the help of my Torc Swingtrainer but it wasn't the same as hitting 20 or more balls to get ready.  I didn't feel comfortable with my driver swing until four or five holes in but scored OK because of a couple of nice greenside wedges that I was able to put close enough to make the putt, one for par and one for bogey.  Of course, the way my swing seems to change day-to-day I didn't feel right hitting my irons most of the day and my accuracy showed it.  That was partially due to the lack of warmup time and partially due to a swing fault that I still have to identify..

[rustyredcab]

Until this weekend, I'd have said it is very important to warm up. I still think it is. I want to loosen up, get the ball going correctly, hit a few Tour Strikers to check my swing, putt to get a feel for green speed...

Saturday I arrived about 40 minutes before my tee time ( a little later than my usual one hour normal time). Changed my shoes. Got a cart and pulled it up to my car. As I was putting my bag on the cart, I noticed that I had forgotten my putter in my basement where I had been practicing with my new putter. I had no putter. I live about 25 minutes from the course and our tee time was now about 35 minutes away. So, I took off and drove home, got the putter, drove back, and made it as our group was on the tee. No warm up. No practice putts. Just step on the tee and go. I hit a playable tee shot, followed with and approach to a back pin that ended up a few inches short of the green, blasted a very long putt way past the hole off the back of the green, got up and down for an acceptable 5 on the first hole.

Then, things got much better. I finished the front in a personal best even par -- two boogies and two birdies. Two strokes better than I've ever played it before in hundreds of rounds over the years. I did not keep it together all day, but I can't really blame that on a lack of warm up.

Next week, I will get there early and go through my regular routine. Maybe I'll finally brake par. But I will never fear playing without warming up again.

[geauxforbroke]

Originally Posted by rustyredcab

Until this weekend, I'd have said it is very important to warm up. I still think it is. I want to loosen up, get the ball going correctly, hit a few Tour Strikers to check my swing, putt to get a feel for green speed...

Saturday I arrived about 40 minutes before my tee time ( a little later than my usual one hour normal time). Changed my shoes. Got a cart and pulled it up to my car. As I was putting my bag on the cart, I noticed that I had forgotten my putter in my basement where I had been practicing with my new putter. I had no putter. I live about 25 minutes from the course and our tee time was now about 35 minutes away. So, I took off and drove home, got the putter, drove back, and made it as our group was on the tee. No warm up. No practice putts. Just step on the tee and go. I hit a playable tee shot, followed with and approach to a back pin that ended up a few inches short of the green, blasted a very long putt way past the hole off the back of the green, got up and down for an acceptable 5 on the first hole.

Then, things got much better. I finished the front in a personal best even par -- two boogies and two birdies. Two strokes better than I've ever played it before in hundreds of rounds over the years. I did not keep it together all day, but I can't really blame that on a lack of warm up.

Next week, I will get there early and go through my regular routine. Maybe I'll finally brake par. But I will never fear playing without warming up again.

I've done the same (not warm up and play well). I wonder if it's a function of lower expectations, and therefore less pressure.