Warm Up

[DrivetheGreen66]

How do you guys warm up for a tournament.

[Wi-Golfer]

Originally Posted by DrivetheGreen66

How do you guys warm up for a tournament.

Ho 2 more drivers, a wedge & a putter.

[mddubya]

Originally Posted by DrivetheGreen66

How do you guys warm up for a tournament.

I shoot in the mid 80's - low 90's all the time, yet in a tournament I have yet to break a 100. Do you really want my advice?


Take a Valium and drink a couple of beers, that way if you $uck you won't care at least.

[raven34]

Inadequately I would say!
I have to hit at least a small bucket of balls but always start with a few chips and lobs, then the bucket of balls and if I know the course I try to hit the clubs I will be using on the day. It helps me to mentally play the holes as I warm up.
I then end with a putting session where the sole abjective is to get a feel for the speed of the greens. I don't even putt towards a hole.

[floggerrushmd]

It depends on when you are beginning your prep. Week before - I go play the course if I can, usually on a weekday in the morning if possible. Hit a bunch of different shots of tees where the hole gives you options (short par 5 hit a couple of drivers see if I can think about going in two, couple of fairway woods do they take trouble out of play etc.) My main concern though is around the green. You have to know where the misses are around the greens. Walk up to a green any flat areas that are around green level are your best bets, next for me is a simple bunker etc. you have to know your short game strengths. While you are playing this practice round plan on missing every green in regulation in the tournament - if you play a round like you normally would in tournament conditions you are doing yourself a disservice. Then after you have checked out the course file the information away for your practice sessions. If they have a yardage book buy it and memorize the distances to key markers (how far to the bunker on the right etc.) Also, walk off the distance from the front or any noteworthy site on the green to the center of the green in line with the center of the fairway. This will give you more accurate distances and make your club selection life much easier.

Then I "play" the course several times at my local range. Hit the tee shots pick out markers on the range that represent the fairway, rough, etc. Make it so that mentally at least the course becomes almost boring.

Then day of - I get there early, practice putting first focusing only on distance raven34 has it right on this one don't even hit at a hole. Then go to the range. I like to begin with half speed full swing 7 irons (the weight of the club helps me get loose, and it is basically my favorite club in the bag), and gradually work up to full swings over maybe 10-12 balls. Then a few long irons, a few wedges, a few drivers, and then the specialty shot the course or conditions may call for. High winds - knock downs, wet & rainy - high cuts and draws. Finally I "play" the first and last holes of the course one last time. Then I hit the putting green one more time. This time I focus on gettign a feel for reading a green. I will bring one ball only with me this time. Line up every putt like it is one that you are hitting during the championship. You should already have the feel for the speed, now is the time to get an idea for how to read the greens.

All in all this day of takes about 1 hr 20 min or so, the week before round will only take me about 3 1/2 hrs, as I don't really fret about my score. This is what I do for a tournament, and it has worked well for me (a bunch of top tens in some junior tournaments). good luck

[JEFF4i]

That morning?

I drink the newborn children of 5 cats.

Okay okay okay, I'll be serious. Bacon and eggs, not too much though, don't want to feel weighed down. Then I hit the course, and do all my stretches. Nothing fancy with the stretches, just trying to get the muscles moving in all the hot spots(back, legs, arms). After that I will start off with a low iron, 8 if its an even date, 9 if its odd.

I hit about 10 balls with that, and replicate...longer iron, date and number corresponding, hybrid, then both drivers. Worked great for me yesterday.

After which I will go to the chipping green and work on my flop shots for about 10 minutes. Mostly just getting my landing feel down. Want to make sure I have that. After that, putting green. I spend most of the remainder of my time at the putter green.

All this usually takes me about an hour.

[SiberianDVM]

Morning of a tourney I'll get up early and have 2 or 3 cups of 100% Columbian coffee with a sweetener of Irish whiskey to get the nerves awake, nick myself shaving, find some comfortable clothes and head out, usually picking up a chicken bisket to complete the essential food groups (caffeine, alcohol, and fat).

At the course I start with a little putting, as swinging a club is the last thing I want to do that damn early. After I miss a few 10 footers, I pull out the 52° and 60° wedges and chip a few. If I successfully hit the green, I'll buy a bucket of dead range balls and proceed to the shanking area.

I like to bend over and stretch my hammys before hammering the long ball, and this also gives me a chance to see if my pants are going to survive a full out swing before embarassing myself on the actual course. If the pants pass the stretch test, then I start with a 7 iron and a teed up ball. No way am I going to risk topping my first range shots. Then I work my way through the long irons, fairways and up to the driver. I finish with some wedgies.

After that, it's back to the putting green to perfect a few 6" tap ins, take a whiz and bum a smoke.

Life is good.

[FATC1TY]

Originally Posted by SiberianDVM

Morning of a tourney I'll get up early and have 2 or 3 cups of 100% Columbian coffee with a sweetener of Irish whiskey to get the nerves awake, nick myself shaving, find some comfortable clothes and head out, usually picking up a chicken bisket to complete the essential food groups (caffeine, alcohol, and fat).

At the course I start with a little putting, as swinging a club is the last thing I want to do that damn early. After I miss a few 10 footers, I pull out the 52° and 60° wedges and chip a few. If I successfully hit the green, I'll buy a bucket of dead range balls and proceed to the shanking area.

I like to bend over and stretch my hammys before hammering the long ball, and this also gives me a chance to see if my pants are going to survive a full out swing before embarassing myself on the actual course. If the pants pass the stretch test, then I start with a 7 iron and a teed up ball. No way am I going to risk topping my first range shots. Then I work my way through the long irons, fairways and up to the driver. I finish with some wedgies.

After that, it's back to the putting green to perfect a few 6" tap ins, take a whiz and bum a smoke.

Life is good.

You are a Southerner, aren't ya? Need a playing partner, give me a holler'.. lol

[DrivetheGreen66]

parts of you guys warm ups are exactly what i do to get ready for all tournaments from USGA qualifiers to just the basic club championship. just i practice more time during the week of on the putting green than on the day of