It’s a familiar scene at the start of a round.
You pull into the parking lot, grab your bag, and head to the first tee. Maybe you take a few practice swings while waiting for your group… maybe roll a few putts…
Then it’s go time.
But a few holes in, something feels off.
Your swing feels tight. Rotation feels blocked. You just can’t find a rhythm.
And then—around hole 4 or 5—it finally starts to click.
Most golfers think, “That’s just how it goes.”
It’s not.
More often than not, it’s not your swing…
It’s how your body was (or wasn’t) prepared before you even teed off.
And showing up 5 minutes late is not doing you any favors!
The Problem With Most Golf Warm-Ups
When most golfers think about a golf warm-up, they think:
- Touch your toes
- Stretch your hamstrings
- Take a few half-speed swings
Quick easy, just get it done.
The problem is that doesn’t actually prepare your body for the golf swing.
The golf swing isn’t just about being "loose."
It’s about:
- Rotation
- Balance
- Staying in posture
- Creating power from the ground up
Stretching alone doesn’t train any of that.
So what happens is:
Your body starts warming up… during the round.
That’s why the first few holes feel off and why things finally feel better later.
Why Stretching Isn’t Enough
The golf swing is a full-body movement.
It needs your body to work together, not just be flexible.
A better golf warm-up routine prepares your body to:
- Stay stable while you move
- Rotate through your hips and upper body
- Connect your lower body to your upper body
- Build speed without losing control
This is what we call the body-swing connection.
When your body is ready, your swing feels smoother earlier.
And you’re not forcing it until hole 5.
A Simple Golf Warm-Up That Actually Works
The good news is you don’t need a 30-minute routine!
You just need to hit the right things.
1. Wake up your hips & posture
Start with simple movements like hip hinges or bodyweight deadlifts.
This wakes up your posterior chain of muslces and fascia so you can maintain posture while moving.
This gets your body ready to move while staying in posture.
2. Add rotation (the right way)
Upper body and lower body dissociation rotation drills encourage the hips and torso to move independently of each other like the golf swing!
This is how the golf swing actually works.
Think: hips move… then torso follows.
This also taps into your body’s connective system (like the spiral line) that helps transfer power through your swing.
3. Build up to speed
Start your practice swings slow, then gradually increase speed.
This helps your body shift from “warm-up mode” to “let’s play.”
Instead of forcing the first few holes to loosen you up, you’re ready from the first tee!
Why This Matters (Not just today, but all season!)
Most golfers only think about warming up when they feel stiff.
But this goes way beyond that.
A proper golf warm-up:
- Helps you stay consistent from hole 1 to 18
- Reduces stress on your back, hips, and shoulders
- Improves how your swing feels and performs
- Lowers your risk of injury over time
When your body moves well, everything else gets easier.
So instead of asking:
“What should I stretch before I play?”
Start asking:
“Is my body actually ready to move?”
Small adjustments in preparation can make a noticeable difference in how the swing feels during the round.
Conclusion
At On Point, we focus on how your body moves and how that impacts your golf swing.
Using systems like the Titleist Performance Institute model, we look at the movement patterns that drive both performance and longevity.
Because when your body is prepared, your swing feels more natural, you move more efficiently, and you’re not thinking about your body every swing.
You’re just playing the game you enjoy.
Dr. Ryan A. DiPrimo
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