How important is warming up before a round?

[rustyredcab]

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

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.

I think I got lucky. If I'd hit an awful first tee shot, I'd have been trying to find my swing out on the course. That has never worked for me in the past. I used to play a course every week with no range. On the first tee (with OB left and water right), you could tell if you were doomed for the day.

[Slice of Life]

Originally Posted by geauxforbroke

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.

Possibly. I warmed up the other day, and played pretty much the same. So who knows...

[tiger1242]

I always try and warm up, mostly just so I can see what my swing is for that day. Am I going to draw it or fade it/am I skulling misses or hitting them fat, ect... Just so I know how to play shots on the course.

Also I've recently started warming up with a 7 iron to start instead of a wedge, because the 7 iron is an easy enough club to hit to get loose, but also a high enough one so you have to think about shot shape and not just swinging away hitting the ball straight like a wedge. I've figured out if I do this I tend to have more control over my ball flight during the round. Also I try not to hit more than 25-30 balls, sometimes less

[robrey85]

I used to warm up on the range and putt before a round but one day I just woke up late and went to the course did some chipping and putting and ended up shooting my best round score ever of an 86. From then on, I stopped doing the range and just practiced technique with chipping, pitching and putting. I usually stop about 10 minutes before my tee time and stretch and swing some clubs through the air to warm up my body for the first hole.

The way I see it, is if I start hitting them on the range like crap, then I start trying to diagnose and then that continues onto the course and it's like I am setting myself up to fail. The range is for perfect practice, not necessarily a warm up, imho.

[Lihu]

I need an hour before to putt, chip, hit a while and drive at least two dozen balls.

These days, I don't get to do this.

[Dinosaur]

When I was first started playing mini-tour events in Florida in the mid 1970's, my routine was something like this:

1. Put at least the right golf shoe on before teeing off. It didn't have to be laced, but you need those spikes on that first lunge at the ball, even if you came out of the shoe, which you usually did since we were all young and flexible.

2. Always throw your cigarette on the left side of the tee box so the smoke doesn't waft over the ball during your waggle.

3. After you hit, grab your cigarette and large size Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup and take a sip before you slip on the other golf shoe. Try to make as many side bets as possible before lacing them up. Hop around on one foot for more effect to get those last few bets in.

4. Eat that nutritional sugar-glazed donut with the coffee as soon as possible. Get that caffeine, nicotine, sugar and a couple of aspirin into your body to mask the brutal hangover from last night. You can time your putting stroke between the shakes, but a blazing headache in a steaming, humid, blazing Florida morning will cost you at least one a side. Rent was due soon, so one shot a side would cost you dearly.

Ah yes, practice.

Disclaimer: That routine only worked for the first few months, after that, you realized that you needed to warm up if you wanted to make any money instead of digging into your pocket to pay money. Sheesh, I didn't think I'd had to actually get serious and play. I didn't know that those guys would be throwing out 66's. I hadn't met any fishes in my small pond that could beat me before. Now I had to actually work at it.