Prepare the Right Way: A Simple warm up Guide to a Great Round of Golf
Why Most Golfers Start Their Round Poorly
Over the years, I’ve personally experienced — and witnessed — hundreds, if not thousands, of golfers hit poor shots from the first tee or start their round slowly.
Why does this happen?
Because most golfers don’t warm up correctly — or don’t warm up at all.
If you’re tired of starting your round cold and playing catch-up, it’s time to fix that. Below, you’ll find my simple, step-by-step guide to warming up properly so you can step onto the first tee ready to play your best golf.
STEP 1: STRETCH & ACTIVATE
A proper golf warm up starts with preparing your body.
Begin with bodyweight exercises that activate the lower body and get blood flowing to the major muscle groups. Movements like squats and lunges are ideal for building stability and strength before you swing.
Then, move into a short mobility routine that targets the hips, spine, and shoulders — key areas for a powerful, consistent golf swing.
Finish your physical warm-up with dynamic, explosive movements to prepare your body for fast leg extension and rotational speed through impact.
Here’s a simple golf warm-up routine you can follow:
Squats – 10 reps
Lunge with rotation – 10 reps
Upper body rotations (static ups)
Lat stretch – 10 reps
Tricep stretch – 12 seconds
Lat rotation stretch – 10 seconds
Leg swings – 10 reps
Explosive rotations – 10 reps
THE WARM UP STRETCHES FOR GOLF
Tricep stretch
Lat Stretch
Lat rotation stretch
STEP 2: TECHNICAL WARM UP
Now that your body is ready, it’s time to get your swing dialed in.
Start by hitting three balls with each club, working your way through the bag. My preference is to go through the odd-numbered clubs (all wedges first, then 9 iron, 7 iron, 5 iron, 3 iron, and finally driver).
Finish this phase by hitting three shots with the club you’ll use on the first tee — usually the driver. During these shots, go through your full pre-shot routine:
Visualise the shot you want to hit
Rehearse your swing keys
Focus your mind and build confidence
After that, move to the short game area. A complete warm-up should include:
Bunker shots
Flop shots
Chip and runs
Try to use a range of clubs and replicate the lies and stances you’re likely to face on the golf course.
STEP 3: PUTTING PREPARATION
Putting is where you can really dial in your feel before you play.
Start with short putts to check your ball position, alignment, and posture. I like to use a mirror and hit around 10 putts to make sure everything is set.
Then move to long-range putts, pacing out distances and marking targets (tees or water bottles work fine). This helps calibrate your feel for pace. I often hit some with my eyes closed to heighten my senses.
LONG RANGE PUTTING DRILL
Pace out varied distances to practice your long range putting. Note - I think it helps to perform this drill with your eyes closed to really dial in your senses.
Finally, I do an around-the-clock drill, holing 10 putts from 3 feet around the hole with different breaks — uphill, downhill, left-to-right, and right-to-left.
SHORT RANGE PUTTING
Hit 10 putts from around the hole, uphill, downhill, right to left and right to left. Note - this is a drill to build confidence to ensure you see the ball dropping in the hole.
STEP 4: TACTICAL CHECKS BEFORE YOU TEE OFF
Before walking to the first tee, take a few moments to think tactically:
Check the wind direction and strength, and note it on your scorecard.
Review your pin sheet (if available) and mark any tricky or “no-go” pins.
Visualise and commit to your strategy for the opening hole.
These final checks keep you calm, focused, and mentally ready to perform.
CONCLUSION: Build Your Own Golf Warm Up Routine
Although this routine is personal to me, the principles behind it apply to every golfer.
You don’t have to copy it exactly — instead, use it as a template to identify what’s missing from your pre-round preparation. The goal is simple: show up ready, confident, and prepared to play great golf from the very first shot.
And remember — if you’re serious about improving your golf and want to work on your golf fitness, join my 1-2-1 training support via this LINK.
