I hope many of you got the chance to watch The Masters this past week. I know for me it is definitely “a tradition unlike any other”. I’ve been fortunate to attend 10+ times starting when I was just 6 or 7 years old. I absolutely love the thrill of walking in the gates and seeing the beauty of Augusta National that not even the best HD TV can come close to capturing. But the part I like the most is the chance to watch the players warm up. I could spend the majority of my day down there sitting on the practice area watching the players warm up.

You may not be able to hit the ball like the pros do or putt like they do but you can certainly learn a few things from how they go about warming up and getting ready to play. Notice how deliberate they are when hitting balls on the range. They don’t just hit balls to warm up, they go through their routines, pick targets and watch what the ball does. Many times they use an alignment stick to insure they are accurately aimed at their target. They ALWAYS hit chips, pitches and bunker shots. Most players will tell you that if they only had a few minutes to warm up they would hit some short game shots instead of full swings. Change of greens from one course to another is the most inconsistent factor you will face as you play tournament golf. Try to make sure you take the time to hit different shots around the green so that you will understand how the ball will react once it lands, how the sand in the bunker is and how the greens are rolling.

Every tour player has a different way of warming up. Tiger sets up two tees just outside of his putter face and works on stroking through the ball at impact with a square face. Phil likes to make a certain number of 3 foot putts in a row before his round. Some players have training aids they use as they warm up to make sure their fundamentals are where they want them to be. There are many different ways you can approach your pre-round warm up. The main thing to keep in mind is to have a plan of action for your warm up and focus on the process as you go through each swing. Pay attention to short game shots and learn how the ball will react on the greens. Also make sure you get to the first tee in plenty of time so that you aren’t rushed before your tee time. Take some deep breaths and relax.

For more information about college recruiting and being a complete player contact Recruit PKB College Consultant Brandi Jackson at bjackson@pkbgt.org.