Like many sports, you need to warm up before a game. Many people believe that since golf isn’t as physically demanding as other sports, this step can be skipped. Warming up can actually affect how you play the game. You will be stretched out, more motivated, and have got your body prepared for the next 18 holes. These exercises can be used to warm up before you start playing and kick-start your core, legs, back, and arm muscles.
Practice your Putting
The game of golf is comprised of mostly putting. You want to practice putting from all different angles and distances. This will give you the time figure out the speed at which the ball will be moving on the course, which can later determine the amount of power you want to put behind your put.
Stretching
Golf Digest suggests to do these stretches before your game starts:
- Shoulder Circles: While holding a club, vertically rotate your shoulder. Keep your arm fully extended. About 10 circles for each arm will have your shoulders ready to go. This plays an important part for when you are swinging your club, your muscles will be more relaxed, making it easier to swing the club.
- Leg Swings: You should use a club for balance while doing your leg swings. Swinging your legs 10 times on each side will increase your hip mobility. It makes it easier to twist your pelvis during a tee off shot.
- Double-Club Swings: Hold a club in each hand. Make 10 slow golf swings maintaining some space between the handles. This takes some strength and will activate muscles used to control the club during the swing.
Practice your Full Swing
Now that your body is stretched out, you can start practicing your full swing. Either by practicing your wedging shot or just hitting an imaginary ball, you can start to test out how your swing will be for the game. Start slow and test how the motion feels to your body. This is the perfect opportunity to feel is you are still too tight and need more stretching.
Use these warm-up techniques throughout the game of golf. If your game is going south, you may want to consider stretching some more or practicing your swing. Unfortunately, since you want to keep the pace of the game moving, you can’t practice your putting. Stay tuned for next month’s blog, How to Balance Golf in Your Busy Life at DavidDelpiano.com.