Most golfers will often ponder whether they should warm-up before they play their game. This is mainly from golfers who don't get a chance to practice during the week and therefore see no real value in what a small amount of practice will do for their overall performance. It can also be a confidence issue as well since we all don't want to hit the ball badly before our game and hence have anxiety on the first tee. Of course it can also be from not taking the game that seriously therefore a warm-up doesn't seem important.
If I were to evaluate whether the warm-up is vital for your game whether you have practiced or not during the week, I would say 100% yes. The reason being is that if you have practiced along with have fairly consistent lessons, it can give you valuable feedback to exactly where your swing is at before your round. If you've been working on certain drills during your practice, it can give you a further reminder that you may need to implement these drills during your routine while on the course.
Now if you haven't been able to practice, warming-up will still be very beneficial for you as it gives the body a chance to get loose and the blood to flow to the muscles. It will also allow you to dial in your hand-eye coordination. If you haven't been able to practice then just notice a pattern to your ball flight. If you notice you are hooking the ball, know to start aiming a little right on the course and vice versa if you've been slicing. If you're not hitting the ball well, a good tip is to start hitting a club more than usual and grip down while committing to half swings. The shorter the swing, the easier it will feel to control.
A correct warm-up routine should involve around 45 mins to 1 hour of practice before your round. Thirty Minutes can involve hitting balls and I would firstly pick a target and place an alignment stick or club on the ground to align my body. I would then practice walking in from behind the ball each time as if I was on the course setting up perfectly along with aligning my body correctly each time. I would then take note of how I was hitting the ball and consider implementing a drill if needed to improve contact. After I was satisfied I would then do around 10 mins of chipping just working on grip pressure and distance control and then finishing with 10-15 mins of putting where I would be working out my length of stroke for certain distances.
If you'd like any further help in determining how to warm-up, just contact myself at David Waters Golf located at Emerald Lakes Golf Coaching Centre.
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