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Warm up on the range before league round play for average senior hackers?

Luchnia

Luchnia

You will never conquer golf.
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Here is something I have observed over the last couple of years and especially this past year that I find most interesting. Range warm up before games and whether it makes a difference or not for most average Joe golfers. Yes, I know the pros do this and I can understand that for them, but this is mainly dealing with us slightly older hacker golfers.

Some would indeed swear range warmup helps tons while others would say it does not. At our local course I play in senior league twice a weak and they don't do any range practice before a round. They basically stretch and swing their clubs a bit to loosen up before their shots. They will putt some on the practice green and that is it. I have noticed that they are rock solid and their games are consistent. Of course, anyone will have a bad day on the course.

The other league I play in plays once every two weeks at different courses and some of them do range practice because range balls are provided free for the tourneys, but there are some that don't do any range practice. I am seeing no difference in the rounds of those that don't take the time on the range versus those that do. As a matter of fact, it appears that some play better without the range warmup time.

One of the highest scorers never touches the range and rarely the putting green. I have constantly watched him and have only saw him a few times on the putting greens, but not once on the ranges. I do know he has done range practice before as he has commented about it, but I never saw him do a range practice before a round in at least a year now. He primarily does range if he is working with a club or something he needs to work on. I am the same way as I will use the range to test a different club before taking it to the course.

One guy I play with will hit a whole bucket of balls each and every time we have a tourney and from what I can tell it probably hurts his game. For myself, I have found I play better at times by hitting the course and forgetting the range entirely, or at least not hitting many balls at all on the range. I may hit less than ten balls just to swing the club some. Just recently I played my best round ever and did not touch the range beforehand.

Am I off-base on this or have you observed this in your golf journeys as well?
 
I guess everyone is different. I know when I need to rush to the tee without any swings or practice I am sure to top a couple in the first couple holes due to stiffness. Ideal for me would probably be 10-15 min of stretch and hitting about 15 balls.
 
What’s a warmup? :LOL:
 
Yeah I think its totally personally. Guys in my group are probably 75% range-ers to 25% no swingers with no correlation to results.

I myself feel like I need to hit for a few minutes beforehand for 1) loosen my back and body up. 2) re-emphasize some of the movements/feels i'm trying to engrain in my new swing. I've got a routine I usually go through but I don't know if it helps me truly play better or not.

I guess I'm generally a practicer so I enjoy practicing a bit before we hit the 1st.
 
I would like to say I always hit a few balls first and such but my reality is in early there early enough to do it well. I think if I was in a committed league I would pay more attention to it.
 
typically I don't hit balls as part of my warm-up. I have better ways to get my body stretched. Sometimes when I have time to hit balls I will find a rythem that I can take on the course but on average I don't find it critical. Typically a light golf workout before I get to the course, then a little chipping and putting when I arrive.

an observation of my own. Just hitting balls alone I don't think helps me. I can easily just start moving my hands vs core rotation.
 
I can go either way. Usually if time permits I’ll hit 20-25 balls with various clubs. It helps me loosen up as well as see where I’m at that day. If I don’t warm up I can expect a few not so good shots on the first couple holes.
 
I would be a wreck on the 1st tee if I didn't follow my normal routine of hitting a half bucket of balls after stretching and using my "orange whip" knock off. Then I hit a few putts mostly to check speed. I have a friend nearing 70 who hits a large bucket before playing each time.
 
If I'm playing - warm up means just that- I might hit 15 balls total

If I'm practicing swing changes before a round- then then I might not hit more than 5 balls
 
I am 50/50 if I hit good shots on the range right off the bat then the little warm up is good for me. If I shank the first few or they go a different direction then I think it is bad for me because I start searching and my swing thoughts take over and ruin the round.
 
No warm up… our club has no range.

So…. 10 minutes rolling putts on the putting green… a little stretching, a handful of swings before stepping up on the first tee, then off we go.

Do I wish we had a practice range? Yup. Absolutely
 
Depends on the person. I don’t go to the range to “work” on anything prior to a round. I do go to loosen up and see what I am bringing that particular day as no 2 days are ever the same. One thing I usually do though for sure is take a few swings with whatever club I am planning to use off the first tee and a swing or two with whatever I am thinking I will have for my second shot. Just makes me feel I can get off to a good start. I try and hit a dozen or so putts just see what the speeds are like and then I am ready.
 
My home course doesn’t have a range. So my warmup consists of rolling a few putts to see pace of the day, then some static stretching, dynamic stretching, and finally moving into some swings without balls.

I wish we at least had a hitting net.

The other local does have a range, and I like to hit 10 or so as part of my final warmup.
 
There are definitely a few in league that would benefit from NOT hitting an entire bucket before their round. Hard to convince people of that though. I think for most just hitting a few to crack the rust off the joints is enough.
 
If I show up to the course with enough time I will hit some balls. I don't feel it helps me personally. Sometimes I hit the best balls of the day on the range :ROFLMAO:
 
I've never been in a golf league, but I never warm-up using the range before a round. I think it's probably more a psychological thing for most folks. It probably sounds stupid, but my mindset is, if I do hit some balls on the range, but don't hit them well, I'm starting out the round with negative thoughts or doubts. Of course, I suppose if my range warm-up went great, maybe it would have the opposite effect, but I just prefer to save my swings for the course.

Interestingly enough, I usually start out well on the first tee box. I think it's probably because I'm not overthinking things and am just letting my natural swing go.
 
At our home course, with every green fee paid, the golfer is given a basket of balls to hit. It's the same with at any tournament check in.

Most golfers I have seen will warm up prior to their round. Some will hit the practice green, after their range warm up, last thing before their first tee off.

Those who don't warm up prior to their first tee might hit balls after their round.

Others just leave the basket of balls in their cart at check out.

Still others will take their basket of balls home with them, to use at their next practice session. Not suppose to, but it happens.

It also depends on the time of year as to how many warm up prior to playing. Right now, early morning temps are in the high 80s, low 90s. Any warm up range sessions are short. Most just goto the first tee take a few swings, and go for it.

Once it becomes cooler warm up sessions are longer.

I'm one if those who tend to warm up playing, unless it's really cold, which is rare out here. Usually by the first 2-3 holes I know what my ball flight is going to be that day. I adjust accordingly.

I hardly ever hit the practice green prior to playing. I let the course greens tell me what's going on for that round. I have yet to find all 18 course greens playing the same during a round.
 
Small bucket. 25-30 minutes.
5-7 balls w/ 58*, 8 iron, 6 iron, 4hyb, and Driver.
If any balls left, a few more lob wedges with high/low and flop
5 minutes on the green.
I just need to find my rhythm/tempo, and get a bit of a stretch.
 
Before each round I take 5 balls to hit into the lake with my 8 iron. When I hit a good shot I quit and go to the putting green. Its been a long time since I've had to hit 5 balls, usually 2-3 and I'm good to go.
 
Some golfers have owned their swing for 20 to 40 years. Others have not. The others, like me, would probably like to have range time, at least to set tempo for the day and to get reacquainted with a newish swing.

I like to hit a small bucket beforehand - several wedges, eight irons, hybrid, driver, and finish with a few wedges. Chip and putt if that is available. But if not, I also can start off without hitting a few balls. I will not go full bore for several holes when that occurs.
 
I stopped hitting the range before a round. For some reason I play worse for the first few holes after hitting range balls.

Now I just swing my Sklz trainer to loosen up and work on my rhythm right before teeing off.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
My back is junk so I need to hit a few balls to get loose before I go out. If I am strapped for time I can do a 5 minute dynamic warmup and usually be okay but I like to hit at least 20-30 balls. If really pressed I can hit 5-10 9 irons and 3-5 drivers and be good to go.
 
Luchnia said:
Here is something I have observed over the last couple of years and especially this past year that I find most interesting. Range warm up before games and whether it makes a difference or not for most average Joe golfers. Yes, I know the pros do this and I can understand that for them, but this is mainly dealing with us slightly older hacker golfers.

Some would indeed swear range warmup helps tons while others would say it does not. At our local course I play in senior league twice a weak and they don't do any range practice before a round. They basically stretch and swing their clubs a bit to loosen up before their shots. They will putt some on the practice green and that is it. I have noticed that they are rock solid and their games are consistent. Of course, anyone will have a bad day on the course.

The other league I play in plays once every two weeks at different courses and some of them do range practice because range balls are provided free for the tourneys, but there are some that don't do any range practice. I am seeing no difference in the rounds of those that don't take the time on the range versus those that do. As a matter of fact, it appears that some play better without the range warmup time.

One of the highest scorers never touches the range and rarely the putting green. I have constantly watched him and have only saw him a few times on the putting greens, but not once on the ranges. I do know he has done range practice before as he has commented about it, but I never saw him do a range practice before a round in at least a year now. He primarily does range if he is working with a club or something he needs to work on. I am the same way as I will use the range to test a different club before taking it to the course.

One guy I play with will hit a whole bucket of balls each and every time we have a tourney and from what I can tell it probably hurts his game. For myself, I have found I play better at times by hitting the course and forgetting the range entirely, or at least not hitting many balls at all on the range. I may hit less than ten balls just to swing the club some. Just recently I played my best round ever and did not touch the range beforehand.

Am I off-base on this or have you observed this in your golf journeys as well?
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'slightly older' hacker would be a compliment at my age. I play in some similar leagues and see much of the same going on. Some of us old timers hit a few, some none, and some will hit far too many, especially before league rounds on hot muggy days. Then as you stated, More guys will hit even more range balls in our regional traveling league. They're provided, often stacked neatly in pyramids, and some of these 'away' ranges tend to be very nice. I really don't think hitting more or fewer correlates to better or worse play but I can see where it's a mental thing for some. If they didn't do it and they usually do, they can let it affect their play more than it should. I think hitting too may on the wrong days can become more of a physical issue, causing extra fatigue.
 
Ideally I like to hit a few chips and roll a few putts on the practice green, then hit at least 10-15 balls on the range - but I rarely get there early enough to do it. I’ve gone off both with and without warmups plenty of times and there’s no solid correlation with my scores. Sometimes I think it’s better that I don’t, because then on the first tee I’ll concentrate on a nice easy swing that just puts me in play.
 
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