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Whether or not you even have a go-to warm-up routine or not, each golfer needs to be stretching and loosening up earlier than enjoying a spherical. Now, does that all the time occur? Most likely not, since many people (myself included) typically run late for tee instances and don’t actually take the right time to dial in our physique and minds previous to teeing off.
However if you wish to carry out properly on the take a look at, it’s worthwhile to examine, proper? So deal with a spherical of golf precisely the identical method.
To assist, GOLF Prime 100 Trainer Jamie Mulligan presents up his favourite warm-up routine, and has former LPGA professional Veronica Felibert stroll by the steps to make use of so as to prepare for the spherical forward.
The video under explains all of it.
Prime trainer shares his favourite golf warm-up routine
As most of us know, many beginner gamers simply head to the apply space earlier than a spherical and both attempt bombing their driver or mindlessly hitting a bunch of balls across the vary. However none of that’s particularly useful in making ready you for 18 holes, so Mulligan and Felibert say you ought to be extra intentional along with your warm-up routine.
Right here’s what Mulligan suggests doing earlier than your subsequent spherical.
Use a brief iron
Mulligan begins the warm-up routine with Felibert utilizing a brief iron and simply merely taking some mild apply swings.
“We’ve bought a brief iron, and I would like you to make me some actually slow-motion apply swings,” he instructs Felibert. “Simply flip the membership up, let it fall down, and simply let your physique go along with it.”
This warm-up isn’t simply to assist get your physique unfastened — it’s to additionally assist get your sequencing down, with Mulligan saying it’s anti-speed coaching — which so many gamers crave after they’re on a driving vary.
“All people needs to make pace a lot within the golf swing, however you’ve bought to sequence the appropriate method so as to do it,” he provides.
As Felibert hits some balls, Mulligan reminds her to remain “quiet” all over her swing, and simply slowly undergo her sequencing.
“Do it just a little quieter and just a bit smoother, letting the ball to naturally get in the best way when you do it,” he says.
Preserve your head nonetheless
Whereas most golfers don’t take into consideration balancing a water bottle on their head throughout a swing (and rightfully so), Mulligan says the visible may help throughout your warm-up routine.
He then walks over and places a water bottle on Felibert’s head to assist clarify his level.
“Think about you’ve gotten a bottle of water in your head and also you didn’t need something to spill,” he says.
He then has Felibert take her swing, maintaining every part clean and quiet, with her physique naturally rotating all over impression.
“What I actually like about this warm-up is taking the groove to the following stage,” he provides. “So now make the ‘water’ even quieter as you swing. It ought to virtually really feel lazy.”
Use 3 golf balls for ‘progressions’
On this drill, Mulligan has Felibert hit three golf balls, however does so with one objective: To regulate her distance by various her backswings.
Felibert traces up the three balls on the apply mat, and Mulligan describes how he envisions the size of her backswing earlier than hitting every.
“I think about this as a clock, with [her taking the club back to] 9 o’clock, 10 o’clock, 11 o’clock after which 12 o’clock,” he explains.
The purpose is to hit all three balls with the identical tempo, vitality and tempo at completely different “instances” on the clock, which helps dial in your ball-striking and distance management — all with out utilizing quite a lot of effort.
It is a good sample drill, which Mulligan thinks is how “our minds be taught.”
Attempt a kick-start drill
Mulligan says that everyone must make a pivot or shoulder flip so as to get the membership again, so he suggests utilizing a kick-start drill — which helps loosen up the realm between the waist and the higher physique.
Utilizing a separate golf membership, Mulligan helps Felibert begin her backswing, pushing again her lead shoulder as if he’s the beginning set off.
“I exploit this kick-start drill by simply turning her [upper body] and letting her swing,” he explains. “That mainly looks like [she] didn’t do something.”
Mulligan then combines this drill with the concept of the water bottle resting on her head, which emphasizes the necessity to keep in tempo and be nonetheless all over the swing.
Lastly, you’ll be able to introduce the driving force
We’ve come all this manner and have but to make use of the driving force — however don’t fear, as a result of it’s lastly time to let the massive canine eat.
So Mulligan says that that is all about dialing in your goal off the tee, ensuring you understand precisely the place you need the ball to land as you search fairways.
“When you get the driving force out close to the top of your warm-up, I like the concept of getting an goal stick taking place there throughout your ft,” Mulligan says. “Now you’re going to take every part we’ve achieved within the warm-up and groove in an ideal routine as informal as you’ll be able to, letting the ball get hit along with your swing.”
When you’re utilizing your driver right here, the purpose isn’t to realize swing pace or maximize distance throughout the warm-up. As a substitute, it’s to ensure you’re aimed and aligned correctly, which ought to be capable of be replicated throughout your spherical.
Lastly, Mulligan says that is the kind of warm-up routine that he’d use with a pro-level participant — with the highest trainer working with the likes of Patrick Cantlay and Nelly Korda.
“This might be a warm-up that we’d undergo and can be much like what I’m seeing from most Tour gamers,” he provides. “So the very first thing you’re doing is getting your physique mild and comfy, then you definately’re simply attempting to get just a little mantra so as to make your movement — which, on this case, is to remain tall and permit the membership to fall down.”
Nick Dimengo
Golf.com Editor