Pre Round Warmup

How many times have you played a round of golf and found that you played much better on the back nine than you did on the front? Chances are, this is a reflection on the lack of a pre round practice routine. Now if you are rushing to get to the golf course from your office or from getting the kids to the bus stop, a pre round warm-up may not get to happen. This can lead to a poor first few holes with a rushed and quick tempo that can wreak havoc with your golf swing. At a minimum, try to do some stretching and deep breathing before tee-off so you can manage to relax and get off to a decent start.

Now I am not saying that you need to go through the whole bag like Tiger Woods does, but some basic techniques that only take a few minutes will result in much improved first nines for you. Ideally, a trip to the chipping green would be first, hitting a variety of straightforward chips and pitches which allows you to establish a good feel of ball to club contact. Next, go to the range and start with your shortest club. Hit some half and three-quarter shots. Go through the bag and gradually lengthen your swing ending up with a half dozen drivers. A good selection would be to hit the 60° wedge, pitching wedge, 8 iron, 6 iron, hybrid, then the driver.

After the range, go to the practice green and roll some putts. Try to concentrate on mid range putts to establish the speed of the greens. Don’t be overly concerned with the three footers before your round. If you do, and are missing them, it will leave a bad feeling in your mind before the round even begins. Get a feel for the speed of the greens so that your second putts are only tap ins.