It’s a great time of year for golf! With extended daylight hours, those of us who work 9-5 get the chance to get some practice in, and even sneak in a few holes after work. I would like to make a couple of recommendations to those of you who wish to improve your game, build your confidence on the course, or prepare for the upcoming invitational or weekend tournament.
Take the time to stretch a little, and have at least a brief warm up. Heading straight out to the first tee can be a recipe for disaster. We have all experienced rushing up to the first hole, unprepared, and hitting a horrible first tee shot, and spending the next couple of hours trying to figure it out or fix it. NO FUN!
A brief 5 minute routine of stretching, hitting a few putts, chips, and taking several full swings prior to playing can go a long way toward preventing pulled muscles, back issues, or other injuries. This practice will lead to good rhythm, confidence and better performance overall. It isn’t a guarantee, but a common sense warm up will allow you to consistently play better than you would otherwise. Discipline yourself to get ready to play well. It’s about quality, not quantity! I think you will benefit more from warming up and playing four to nine holes well, than hacking it around more holes and leaving frustrated and demoralized.
Establish a reasonable warm up routine, and give yourself a fair chance to play better. You will likely have a more enjoyable experience each time you golf.
There is an old saying, “you can hit a small bucket on the range, or on the first couple of holes.” It’s up to you.