How to Warm Up Before a Round

To help loosen up and play your best, it’s important to warm up at the driving range. This is especially true of adults, who may be stiff or have aches and pains. You may want to do some stretches so that your body feels loose and comfortable before heading out to warm up.

Joey Sindelar shares his warm-up tips with Pro Tips.

THE RANGE OF MOTION DRILL

Grab three clubs in one hand. The point of this is to have extra weight.

Take a few big swings with an exaggerated range of motion. Make sure you’re stretching your back out completely. Perform these swings with greatly reduced speed, probably about half of playing speed. Think of it as full pivot, half speed. Focus on going through the whole range of motion.

Swing that way about 25 times before moving on to hitting actual golf balls.

CHANGES FOR YOUNG LEARNERS 

The youngest golf learners don’t need to use as heavy a set of clubs because they’re still learning to control their swing. To help them develop that skill, slow it down. Have them think about their swing in slow motion. They should be concentrating on making the changes to their swing that they have been working on or are working toward.

THE MULTI-CLUB DRILL

This drill is where golf balls come in, and there are two key tips to remember. First, you aren’t going to swing at full speed just yet. Start with a comfortable, easy level swing and work your way up. Second, try to have a routine.

Joey’s habit is to hit five golf balls each using a 60-degree wedge, a 55, a pitching wedge, a 7-iron, a 4-iron and a hybrid. Next, he hits two balls with a 3-wood. To round it off, he ends with seven swings of the driver, the last of which has to be perfect. That last drive could take 30 tries — but holding yourself to a high standard is important so that you’re ready when it’s time to tee up. Don’t forget to reduce your speed as you begin, then work up to full speed.

Working through a series of drills and clubs is meant to help you get loose and ready to swing. It’s important to focus on your weaknesses and tailor the drills for your personal needs, just like a PGA Tour Champ.