As you may have seen me mention in previous issues, there are three different kinds of practice golfers need to know: warm-up practice, mechanical practice and performance practice. Each type is designed to present unique goals. More importantly, when you’re engaged in one type of practice, you should never be thinking about the other two. So when you’re warming up, forget about mechanics. The goal is prepping your body to perform.
For the first 15 to 20 shots of any warm-up session, don’t worry about results. Start with a wedge to get a feel for your swing. If you have 30 minutes to warm up, dedicate eight to 10 minutes to wedge shots. After that, work your way through your bag, from the low end on up.
I recommend placing an alignment stick on the ground so you can get your baseline for the day. Baseline? I see it as a directional guide to where your warm-up swings are heading. If the ball is fading during your warm-up (landing to the right of the stick), take it out on the course. Now’s not the time for wholesale ballflight changes. A good warm-up means getting comfortable and simply finding something you can go out and score with.
Matt Killen is director of instruction at Troubadour Golf and Field Club in College Grove, Tenn.
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