Juniors Only
 

Pre-round Preparation


One of the essential tools in a great player’s toolbox is having a consistent, helpful pre-round preparation plan. In addition to the obvious benefit of having a player’s body warmed up and swing/putter feeling sharp, is the added mental advantage of knowing with security that what you are doing before the round is getting you fully prepared to transfer your skills to the golf course.

I do not believe there is a “right” way to warm up before the round. I think there are some things that I would recommend and some things that I would not recommend, but my experience with thousands of golfers has taught me that there are many ways to effectively prepare pre-round. However, there is one key element for all of those who prepare well, and that is that they have a very consistent plan and that this is well organized and thought out in advance. Because of poor planning or awareness, far too many golfers allow for circumstances to dictate their preparation.

Here are some considerations:

1. How much time before your tee-time would you like to have to fully warm up?
2. What are you doing to get your body loose and stretched before swinging a club?
3. Do you prefer to start with the putting green and go to the range? Do you prefer to go the range and then the putting green? Do you prefer green, range, and then finish with a few more putts?
4. Where/when do you incorporate some bunkers and chip shots?
5. When on the range, once your body is warm, are you changing clubs and targets and using a pre-shot so that you are approximating the rhythm you will be in on the golf course?
6. Are you ‘warming up” or are you practicing? Pre-round is for warm up, not practice!
7. How much are you focusing on target, tempo, ball flights and body awareness versus swing mechanics and club positions?
8. On the putting green, are you starting with some brief stroke work or going right to rolling putts?
9. Are you working on feeling speed without concern about putting toward/into a hole?
10. Are you approximating golf course conditions with full reads, full pre-putt routines, and finishing every miss?
11. Are you changing holes continuously so that you get challenged with different putts from different distances?
12. Are you finishing with making some 2-3’ putts so that you get the feel, sight, and sound of made putts before you walk to your first tee box?
13. Do you want to set aside a few spare minutes for a bathroom break or mental break or snack before moving on to the tee?
14. Are you fully focusing on your first tee shot as you walk to your first tee box vs. other distracting/outcome oriented thoughts?

Taking these things- and many others- into consideration will help you be purposeful in your pre-round preparation. Some players even like to write down their plan so that they have a concrete way to remind themselves of what they want to emphasize in the time before their round.

Be consistent in your preparation pre-round, and increase the likelihood that you will be consistent in your round!


Jeff Troesch's biography and past articles