Planning a Proper Pre-Round Warm-Up
I’ve worked with a lot of golfers, some of whom
have a consistent approach to their pre-round
preparation, and others who don’t hit a single ball
before heading to the first tee. So what’s the right
prescription for getting yourself prepared to play?
About Dr. Shannon Reece
Sport psychologist & founder of
Training for Optimal Performance,
Dr. Reece teaches junior, collegiate,
amateur and pro-level golfers how
to maximize their performance by
leveraging their greatest assets to
unleash their Inner Champion, and
consistently perform at the top of
their game. If you are ready to start
playing the golf of your dreams,
contact Dr. Reece at (239) 431-6810 or
online at www.TheTopInstitute.com
First of all, let me clarify the difference between
practice and warm-up. Yes, there is a difference.
Practice time should be scheduled on the days
when you aren’t playing, with a focus on training
your mind and body. This time is reserved for
activities like lessons, working out glitches in
your swing mechanics, learning a new shot, etc. A
pre-round warm-up, in contrast, must be focused
on preparing your mind and body to operate in
“play” mode. What I mean, is cultivating a mindset
to consistently play from a place of trust …trusting
your swing one shot at a time.
Golfers who approach the warm-up period before
playing in a practice session never give themselves
the opportunity to reinforce a mindset of trust that
will support great play. If you don’t fix what you’d
hoped to, you may continue to try to iron a glitch
while on the course. If this sounds familiar, then
you need to adjust your pre-round game plan. By
following a 3-step process, you can prepare your
mind and body to operate more fluidly from the
start of your next round.
Step 1 - Basic Stretching
If you don’t live far from where you’ll be playing for
the day, you can do some basic light stretching at
home. It’s important that you progressively work
from head to toe to lengthen your various muscle
groups, to give yourself the best opportunity to
swing freely, physically.
Step 2 – Capture the “Feel”
Successful golfers understand the necessity of
playing with great systems. You will achieve
greater consistency in your game when you
prepare for each shot, both on the range or
on the course, using the same process. Many
golfers struggle at address, attempting to juggle
a multitude of mechanically centered swing
thoughts. Before you head out to play, you’ve got
to actively clear the clutter.
A solid pre-shot routine enables you to limit your
field of focus to the relevant cues that support
great shots, and connect to the “feel” of your best
swing. Your brain is your on-board computer and
it’s in charge of directing your body’s movements.
To create a targeted command for your body
to execute a specific swing action, you have to
connect with what that swing feels like. The best
way to accomplish this is to take one or more
practice swings before each shot, as well as, focus
on a single keyword that describes the feel of your
great swing…fluid, compact, smooth and easy.
Plan to hit a handful of shots with your wedges,
mid irons, driver or any assortment of clubs you
wish to connect with to get a gauge of your assets
for the day. If something just isn’t working, then
plan to use what is, and move on.
Step 3 – Engage a Playing Mindset
The final part of your warm-up should be spent
playing the course right there on the range. The
practice tee is the perfect place to connect to the
dynamic nature of live play, yet so many golfers
engage in rapid fire, and repetition, which is not
how the game is played. There’s no better way to
rehearse success than to imagine and play the
first three holes on the course before heading to
the first tee. Create an image in your mind of the
fairway on Hole #1. Play the first shot. Based on
where the ball finishes on your imagined fairway,
you will plan the next shot and so on. Play each
hole until you are on the green, and then proceed
to playing the next hole. Just as in live play, there
are no do-overs, so don’t just pull another ball and
repeat a shot you don’t like.
This exercise is designed to help you engage at
a high level on every shot, just as you expect
yourself to do on the course. With steps 2 and 3
you are not only warming up your body, but also
your mind.
This entire warm-up process takes about 15-30
minutes, depending on how much time you feel
you need for steps 1 and 2. If a warm-up has not
been a part of your game, schedule enough of a
buffer before your tee time to have a relaxed and
productive preparation period. Using effective
systems will enable you to take greater control
over your game and limit the interference that can
separate you from playing to your full potential.
To find out more about the mental game private
sessions and group clinics I offer at Tiburón, please
contact me today at (239) 431-6810. For more
TOP mental game tips, visit my blog at www.
TheTopInstitute.com. I look forward to working
with you to teach you how to unleash your Inner
Champion! To your golf success!