Straight to the tee vs decent warm-up? Your thoughts...

[JezzE]

Afternoon all,
I know logical wisdom would automatically say the latter, but what are your thoughts? Is there any logic to a view that perhaps spending 30 or 40 minutes possibly hitting loads of bad shots might actually be worse for you in terms of confidence and belief, compared to turning up, potentially hitting a nice drive down the 1st and settling down straightaway.
Members of staff are going to argue both sides in our next debate, but I would be interested to know your thoughts too.

 

[DaveM]

If I practiced for 40mins before a round I would be to knackerd to play the whole round. I just hit a few halfswing wedges to loosen up. Plus a better chance of hitting half good shots so I'm not full of negative thoughts on the first tee

 

[StrangelyBrown]

I'm currently injured, probably because I didn't warm up.

I always tend to play better if I have 15 or 20 shots, even into a net, to loosen the strings before I head off.

 

[One Planer]

I always get to the course an hour early to work on driving, chipping, putting. My dad on the other hand turns up and goes straight to the first tee.

The main difference id my dad has an arthritic knee so 40-60 minutes of practice on top of 18 holes would probably be too much.

I tend not to worry about bad shots in practice, after all it's not like it counts towards the pendig round! I just use the time to get warm and loosen up.

 

[chris661]

We were playing in an interclub match and there was a driving range, so we all thought head down hit a 30 or so balls etc. After shanking my way through the basket I can tell you it is pretty nervous standing on the first tee!

I normally have a swish with a couple of clubs then batter on, never seems to do me any harm.

 

[stevek1969]

90% of the time i just turn up a few practise swings and of i go, but with a problematic back the doctor said i should do stretching exercises for 15-20 minutes before i play.

 

[john0]

I generally like to hit a few balls (say 20 or 30) to loosen up before a comp. Most of these are with a wedge and 7 iron, just a couple with the driver. Although I must admit some of my better rounds have been when ive had to rush to the tee straight from the car with my shoe laces still undone!

 

[jimjoachim]

I like to have time to hit the putting green and 5 mins of so to loosen up the arms with a few practice swings. But wouldnt go hitting a basket of balls. Maybe i should...

 

[Smiffy]

I never warm up. Just tip up at the course (wherever it is) and wander down to the first tee 5 or 10 minutes before I'm due to tee off.
Peg a ball up, couple of practice swings and try to hit it straight. If it doesn't go exactly where I want it to I'll then go on a damage limitation excercise and at least try to salvage a point

 

[bladeplayer]

10-15 mins on the putting green followed by a stretching routine i do .. like to be at course 30-40 min before the off. get the bag & pockets (tees, ball marker, pencil etc) sorted, pay & sign in , shoes on & off to the putting green , stretch then to loosen up the legs & the back . couple of swings to loosen the arms , boogey on down to the tee then ..

 

[Aztecs27]

Usually play better when I do a couple of minutes weighted swings with my 6 and 7 iron.

 

[azazel]

Normally I manage a couple of shots as a warm up but on the rare occasion that I'm not running late I'll spend more time on the putting green rather than warming-up with a full swing. Seems to work ok and normally my drive off the first is amongst the best of the day!

 

[Alex1975]

Has to be a warm up for me, I need to get my body moving. I try not to over do it but I will hit some of each type of club. A few drives, irons and wedges. Its important for me not to try and make swing changes, this is not the time for that. find a target and get the ball to it with each club.

 

[GB72]

Couple of hits on the putting green to get an idea of pace if I have time then on to the first tee for me.

 

[Lump]

I tend to arrive 40 mins before my tee time. Go warm up on the practice range. Usually consists of lots of practice swings trying to stay on a nice steady swing plane. Then maybe 10-15 balls with a 7 iron working on just my contact with the ball. Then off to the chipping/putting green. Work on a little bit of chipping, both flying then to the hole and bump and runs. I wont get the putter out as our putting green tends to be slower due to dew on the surface. Finally just as where getting onto the tee box, a handfull of full bore driver swings to loosen everything back up. Tee it up and hit a steady one down the middle. Lovely job

 

[Richie13]

i go to the putting green first for 10-15mins

then move to the nets where i grab a club, and do trunk twists to loosen me up, then onto weighted swings with my 4i and 5i then into the nets for about 6ish balls each club starting with the wedge and working upwards


then to the first tee where i mess the shot up!

 

[thecraw]

My usual medal tee time is 0737 so its usually a mad dash over the back roads at silly speeds, a stop at the practice area to hit between 5 and 10 spuds away, back into the car and continue the mad dash to the GC to sign in and get to the first tee. If I have a spare 45-60 seconds I will also practice my putting with 3 or 4 putts on the putting green.

For me thats about right. 40 minutes warming up, sod that!

 

[Scazza]

I usually arrive at the golf club an hour before my tee-time, this allows me to spend grab a coffee, then I'll lace up the golf shoes and hit the putting green for about 10-15 minutes. I'll then do some work on my chipping, again maybe 10-15 minutes. Last couple minutes before being up on the tee I'll either hit the net and swing the club/stretches.

I don't go down the driving range, it's a bad idea as things can go wrong, you strike a duff ball or you s***k it then you try changing things and you really don't want that before going out on the course!

 

[Doc]

I get to the course early and make a morning of it.

a few full shots, a bit of chipping with different clubs then a full english in the clubhouse.

15 mins before my tee-time I head onto the putting green for a putt or two.

A couple of full practice swings with the driver then off we go...

 

[brendy]

I tend to spend 20 minutes on the chipping green a few minutes on the putting green and maybe 10-20 half shots with the 50 degree in the nets, still sorting out the shanks and I find getting the feeling of well hit wedges makes it easier to replicate once on the course, I still think about them but very rarely now catch one off the hozzle. Having a dose certainly sharpens up every other aspect of your game, managed a couple of cuts while suffering badly at the start of the year, On the tee, irons and putting was fine, give me a 30-80 yarder and my posterior was twitching like a rabbits nose and directing anyone at 3 Oclock to move away.