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One of the essential tools in a great player’s
toolbox is having a consistent, helpful pre-
round preparation plan. In addition to the
obvious benefit of having a player’s body
warmed up and swing/putter feeling sharp, is
the added mental advantage of knowing with
security that what you are doing before the
round is getting you fully prepared to
transfer your skills to the golf course.
I do not believe there is a “right” way to
warm up before the round. I think there are
some things that I would recommend and some
things that I would not recommend, but my
experience with thousands of golfers has
taught me that there are many ways to
effectively prepare pre-round. However, there
is one key element for all of those who
prepare well, and that is that they have a
very consistent plan and that this is well
organized and thought out in advance. Because
of poor planning or awareness, far too many
golfers allow for circumstances to dictate
their preparation.
Here are some considerations:
1. How much time before your tee-time would
you like to have to fully warm up?
2. What are you doing to get your body loose
and stretched before swinging a club?
3. Do you prefer to start with the putting
green and go to the range? Do you prefer to
go the range and then the putting green? Do
you prefer green, range, and then finish with
a few more putts?
4. Where/when do you incorporate some bunkers
and chip shots?
5. When on the range, once your body is warm,
are you changing clubs and targets and using a
pre-shot so that you are approximating the
rhythm you will be in on the golf course?
6. Are you ‘warming up” or are you practicing?
Pre-round is for warm up, not practice!
7. How much are you focusing on target, tempo,
ball flights and body awareness versus swing
mechanics and club positions?
8. On the putting green, are you starting with
some brief stroke work or going right to
rolling putts?
9. Are you working on feeling speed without
concern about putting toward/into a hole?
10. Are you approximating golf course
conditions with full reads, full pre-putt
routines, and finishing every miss?
11. Are you changing holes continuously so
that you get challenged with different putts
from different distances?
12. Are you finishing with making some 2-3’
putts so that you get the feel, sight, and
sound of made putts before you walk to your
first tee box?
13. Do you want to set aside a few spare
minutes for a bathroom break or mental break
or snack before moving on to the tee?
14. Are you fully focusing on your first tee
shot as you walk to your first tee box vs.
other distracting/outcome oriented thoughts?
Taking these things- and many others- into
consideration will help you be purposeful in
your pre-round preparation. Some players even
like to write down their plan so that they
have a concrete way to remind themselves of
what they want to emphasize in the time before
their round.
Be consistent in your preparation pre-round,
and increase the likelihood that you will be
consistent in your round!
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