Warming Up Before Playing Golf Is More Important Than You Think
By: Jim Hackenberg, PGA
Most golfers aren’t going to just hop out of their car and run over to play a pick-up game of basketball. But on any given weekend, golfers show up to the course, grab a club, make a few quick swings, and head straight for the first tee.
A good golf warm-up does not need to take 30 minutes or be an elaborate routine. A few minutes of a focused warm-up is all it takes to get your body moving, improve your rhythm and balance, and have you ready to make a confident swing from the very first shot.
Whether you’re heading out for 18 holes or just want to spend an hour at the range, warming up should be a part of your golf routine.
Get Your Body Ready To Swing
The golf swing is an athletic motion, and getting your entire body working together is the goal. Your hips rotate, your shoulders turn, you shift your weight, and your arms and hands need to stay attached to the movement.
If you’ve been sitting in a car, working at a desk, or simply haven’t moved much ahead of your round, your body may not be ready to make a full golf swing.
Rather than reaching for your driver and swinging as hard as you can right away, begin with slow, controlled movements. As your body starts to relax, gradually increase your range of motion and speed.
Your warm-up is also where golf training aids can be a valuable part of your pre-round routine. Proper golf training aids can get you warmed up and help coordinate the golf swing motion you want to take to the course.
Set Your Pace Before the First Tee
One of the greatest advantages of warming up is that you learn your natural golf swing tempo, and you get your body and mind ready for the upcoming round.
A lot of golfers start a round feeling rushed. Their first few swings are quick, their transition is off, and they have a hard time making consistent contact. By the fourth or fifth hole, they finally settle into a comfortable rhythm.
Why wait this long?
You can use a golf swing trainer in your warm-up to set your rhythm and tempo before you even hit your first shot.
For example, the Orange Whip Golf Trainer is designed to help golfers feel the key elements of the swing. Its patented counterbalanced flexible shaft swing system gives you instant feedback to help your body develop a smooth, balanced, athletic golf swing motion.
Take a few slow, continuous swings, and you'll feel the club working naturally from the backswing through that downswing. Don’t think about different swing positions; just feel the motion. As you get more comfortable, increase your pace, and your body begins to feel more flexible.
Improve Balance and Weight Shifting
Good golf swings require more than just rotating your shoulders and swinging your arms. Your body has to move efficiently from your back foot to your front foot, and you have to stay balanced during the swing.
A good warm-up helps you develop that athletic movement that all golfers are looking for.
Make a few swings with your feet together to emphasize balance. Now get into your normal stance and focus on moving your weight smoothly through the swing.
This is where the Orange Whip can be very useful, as the flexible shaft and counterweighted construction make it possible for your whole body to work together. If you transition too fast or your balance gets off, you can feel it right away.
That feedback makes your warm-up more than stretching. It becomes preparation for the golf swing you want to make on the course.
Don’t Waste Your First 10 Shots
We all know it from the driving range...
A golfer takes out a club, takes two practice swings, and starts hitting balls as hard as he can. The first few shots are all over the map, and the golfer starts making swing changes before the body is even warmed up.
Instead, spend five minutes getting your body ready before you hit any golf balls.
Use a golf swing trainer, and start swinging slow! 50-70% is good to start out with, then build up speed. When you feel loose and balanced, start hitting some short wedges, then move into your irons and eventually your driver.
This way you can spend your practice session on real improvement, not the first 15 minutes just trying to loosen up.
Add Warming Up to Your Golf Routine
The best warm-up is the one that you will actually do... regularly.
You don’t need an elaborate routine. A few minutes of movement and 10-15 smooth swings can help get your body ready and set the rhythm, balance, and tempo you need on the course.
Keep an Orange Whip in your golf bag, car, home, or at work so you always have it available before a round or practice session. Use it before you hit balls, before you go to the first tee and even on days that you don't play. Your body will begin to feel that athletic motion.
"Then go play golf.”
Jim Hackenberg, PGA
