Pre- Competitive Round Practice Time?

[lahinch69]

Would like to get some input as to what the average time a tour players spends warming up
before a competitive round? I have a 15 year old girl I teach who is becoming a great player
and want to get a few things in order. Her dad has written up a pre-round practice plan
that list the optimal pre-round time commitment at 2.5 hours. Seems like a little much.

Her dad in very knowledgeable as he has been around the professional tours for years
as a club company owner and club designer. Just think he may be pushing his daughter
a little to hard at times.

Also, I got through to him that handle dragging to create lag was hurting her swing
after a few conversations and with him viewing the improved ball flight/control she
immediately experienced.

Thanks for your comments.

 

[Jared Willerson]

Most PGA Tour professionals spend no more than an hour before the round. There are exceptions to this of course, but in general 1 hour broken down by 25 minutes range time, 15 minutes short game pitches, chips and bunker play and 20 minutes putting. Or, some combination thereof.

 

[SteveT]

I have a 15 year old girl I teach who is becoming a great player
and want to get a few things in order. Her dad has written up a pre-round practice plan
that list the optimal pre-round time commitment at 2.5 hours. Seems like a little much.

Out of curiosity, what must she do in her dad's pre-round practice plan? Do you agree/disagree with any aspect of the plan?

 

[lahinch69]

The Plan

Below is the entire plan as sent to me. I appreciate any/all comments.



PRE TOURNAMENT ROUND PRACTICE REGIMINE

MINIMUM TIME REQUIRED: 90 Minutes
OPTIMAL TIME:...................: 2.5 Hours

Every round that is played whether it is a tournament or not needs to be viewed as the most
important round of our life
because it is the round right in front of us. It is vital that the game be played correctly...such
that the lowest score can be achieved. Every shot that is hit is the most important shot of
our lives. Why? Because it is the one right in front of us. If it is a 6” put in practice (100%
probability of success) or a driver between the chute on the 72nd hole of THE MASTERS
on # 18 we still need to follow all the steps to hit the best shot possible. If this mind set
can be fully achieved, there is no boundary that cannot be crossed, no tournament that
cannot be won, no score that cannot be shot, no goal that cannot be achieved.

1. 12-18” Putts: 5-10 minutes.
a. The first thing that we need early on in the day is to succeed. Hear the ball falling
in the hole; see the ball falling in the hole. Making perfect strokes.
2. Plumb, chalk line: 15-20 Minutes.
a. Find a perfectly straight putt.
b. Create a line on the green to the hole using a plumb device, either laser or chalk.
c. From 8-10 feet hit putts. Concentrate on perfect alignment and stroke quality. All
putts should have perfect roll & Stroke quality. Treat every single putt as though it were
an actual putt in a tournament. Try to sink at least 15 to 20 puts in a row from that distance.
3. Wedge Play warm up: 15-20 Minutes. All wedge shots should be hit with the goal
of sinking the shot!
a. A few chip shots from a fairly easy place with the goal of sinking 10-20%.
b. A few simple cut lobs
c. A few simple bunker shots
d. Long distance bump and runs
e. Cut lobs from rough
f. Little golf shots from rough
g. Finish with a short easy chip shot

4. Driving Range: 30-45 Minutes
a. Stretching: Loosen the body up by doing isometrics, full torso rotations, knee
bends, toe touches...etc.
b. Two clubs warm up swings: 10-20 swings
c. Short iron swings: 5-20 swings aiming at a blade of grass or an old divot.
d. Wedge shots: Use a 54 deg wedge to hit short shots (75-80 yards) the goal
here is to hit perfectly solid shots and enjoy success with the first full shots of the day.
e. Full shot ladder: Hit 4-6 shots with progressively longer clubs, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5h,
4h, 5w, 3w. All shots should be hit at a target and to specific distances. We are
focused on swing quality, solid contact, trajectory and desired ball flight, shot shape...etc.
f. Driver: Hit a few solid drivers focusing on FAL.
g. Cleansing wedges; Hit a couple wedge shots just to continue solid ball contact
h. PLAYING PRACTICE: ROTATIONAL SHOT-MAKING: begin hitting shots at random...
with every club in the bag never repeating the same club twice. Note: Wedges and
short irons should be at least half of the shots. Hit 20-35 balls. Every shot should be
a complete rehearsal of the coming round. Go through the entire series of steps from
setup to finish. Get behind the ball; pick targets and all other aspects of pre-shot
routine. Here accuracy is very important. If there is any prevailing problems with
ball striking it will show itself and allow you to make the correction before moving on.
i. Finish range practice with 3 perfect wedge shots to 80 yards.

5. PRE-ROUND PUTTING
a. Ladder drills:
i. Flat: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 12 feet...out to
90 feet or so with the last ball being about a club length off of the fringe. Focus
on solid contact and good rolling of the putt...distance control. Try to get all of
the puts inside of a 18-36” radius around the hole. Perform this drill 3-4 times
before moving on.
ii. Up-Hill Straight: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 10
feet. Focus on solid contact and good rolling of the put...distance control. Try
to get all of the puts inside of a 18-36” radius around the hole... however on this
drill we are trying to leave the longer ones under the hole such that the 2nd put is
an easy up hill put. Perform this drill 3-4 times before moving on.
iii. Down-Hill Straight: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 10
feet. Focus on solid contact and good rolling of the put...distance control. Try to
get all of the balls inside of 24” with a preferably up-hill 2nd put.
iv. CURVING/BREAKING LADDERS: Do this both up hill and down hill. Set balls up
along the break line out to 90 feet.
b. SLIDERS & SLINGERS: (right and left breaking putts) Here we are getting ready
for the round...just about to tee off. Use 3 balls from both sides of the hole... up hill
and down hill. Putts should range from 3-15 feet. We are focused on stroke quality
“solidness”, committing to the line and horse power of the putt.
c. Final putts: The last 5-10 putts should be from 2-4 feet...focus on sinking all
of them. STROKE QUALITY AND SOLIDNESS IS EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!

6. The First Tee: Take a few loose swings with the driver. Then a few complete
rehearsal swings aiming at a single blade of grass. As you set the tee in the ground,
try to envision that you are on the 7th or 8th hole...you are already playing the round!

 

[jimmyt]

Below is the entire plan as sent to me. I appreciate any/all comments.



PRE TOURNAMENT ROUND PRACTICE REGIMINE

MINIMUM TIME REQUIRED: 90 Minutes
OPTIMAL TIME:...................: 2.5 Hours

Every round that is played whether it is a tournament or not needs to be viewed as the most
important round of our life
because it is the round right in front of us. It is vital that the game be played correctly...such
that the lowest score can be achieved. Every shot that is hit is the most important shot of
our lives. Why? Because it is the one right in front of us. If it is a 6” put in practice (100%
probability of success) or a driver between the chute on the 72nd hole of THE MASTERS
on # 18 we still need to follow all the steps to hit the best shot possible. If this mind set
can be fully achieved, there is no boundary that cannot be crossed, no tournament that
cannot be won, no score that cannot be shot, no goal that cannot be achieved.

1. 12-18” Putts: 5-10 minutes.
a. The first thing that we need early on in the day is to succeed. Hear the ball falling
in the hole; see the ball falling in the hole. Making perfect strokes.
2. Plumb, chalk line: 15-20 Minutes.
a. Find a perfectly straight putt.
b. Create a line on the green to the hole using a plumb device, either laser or chalk.
c. From 8-10 feet hit putts. Concentrate on perfect alignment and stroke quality. All
putts should have perfect roll & Stroke quality. Treat every single putt as though it were
an actual putt in a tournament. Try to sink at least 15 to 20 puts in a row from that distance.
3. Wedge Play warm up: 15-20 Minutes. All wedge shots should be hit with the goal
of sinking the shot!
a. A few chip shots from a fairly easy place with the goal of sinking 10-20%.
b. A few simple cut lobs
c. A few simple bunker shots
d. Long distance bump and runs
e. Cut lobs from rough
f. Little golf shots from rough
g. Finish with a short easy chip shot

4. Driving Range: 30-45 Minutes
a. Stretching: Loosen the body up by doing isometrics, full torso rotations, knee
bends, toe touches...etc.
b. Two clubs warm up swings: 10-20 swings
c. Short iron swings: 5-20 swings aiming at a blade of grass or an old divot.
d. Wedge shots: Use a 54 deg wedge to hit short shots (75-80 yards) the goal
here is to hit perfectly solid shots and enjoy success with the first full shots of the day.
e. Full shot ladder: Hit 4-6 shots with progressively longer clubs, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5h,
4h, 5w, 3w. All shots should be hit at a target and to specific distances. We are
focused on swing quality, solid contact, trajectory and desired ball flight, shot shape...etc.
f. Driver: Hit a few solid drivers focusing on FAL.
g. Cleansing wedges; Hit a couple wedge shots just to continue solid ball contact
h. PLAYING PRACTICE: ROTATIONAL SHOT-MAKING: begin hitting shots at random...
with every club in the bag never repeating the same club twice. Note: Wedges and
short irons should be at least half of the shots. Hit 20-35 balls. Every shot should be
a complete rehearsal of the coming round. Go through the entire series of steps from
setup to finish. Get behind the ball; pick targets and all other aspects of pre-shot
routine. Here accuracy is very important. If there is any prevailing problems with
ball striking it will show itself and allow you to make the correction before moving on.
i. Finish range practice with 3 perfect wedge shots to 80 yards.

5. PRE-ROUND PUTTING
a. Ladder drills:
i. Flat: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 12 feet...out to
90 feet or so with the last ball being about a club length off of the fringe. Focus
on solid contact and good rolling of the putt...distance control. Try to get all of
the puts inside of a 18-36” radius around the hole. Perform this drill 3-4 times
before moving on.
ii. Up-Hill Straight: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 10
feet. Focus on solid contact and good rolling of the put...distance control. Try
to get all of the puts inside of a 18-36” radius around the hole... however on this
drill we are trying to leave the longer ones under the hole such that the 2nd put is
an easy up hill put. Perform this drill 3-4 times before moving on.
iii. Down-Hill Straight: 8-10 balls...stagger balls in a straight line about every 10
feet. Focus on solid contact and good rolling of the put...distance control. Try to
get all of the balls inside of 24” with a preferably up-hill 2nd put.
iv. CURVING/BREAKING LADDERS: Do this both up hill and down hill. Set balls up
along the break line out to 90 feet.
b. SLIDERS & SLINGERS: (right and left breaking putts) Here we are getting ready
for the round...just about to tee off. Use 3 balls from both sides of the hole... up hill
and down hill. Putts should range from 3-15 feet. We are focused on stroke quality
“solidness”, committing to the line and horse power of the putt.
c. Final putts: The last 5-10 putts should be from 2-4 feet...focus on sinking all
of them. STROKE QUALITY AND SOLIDNESS IS EVERYTHING!!!!!!!!!!

6. The First Tee: Take a few loose swings with the driver. Then a few complete
rehearsal swings aiming at a single blade of grass. As you set the tee in the ground,
try to envision that you are on the 7th or 8th hole...you are already playing the round!

Are you kidding me......knowledge or not this father is off the chart nuts doing all of the above prior to a round......WOW

 

[magicmarker]

I'm tired and all I did was read that.

For an early tee time, does she bring flashlights or use night vision goggles?

 

[bgoodyear]

All this sounds like an afternoon of practice not a warm-up.

2 putting sessions pre-round?

 

[Jared Willerson]

That is off the charts silly. That sounds like a golf practice, not a pre-round warm-up.

I take it the father of this poor girl couldn't play dead in a war movie. Those are the only types of people I know who are neurotic enough to think this type of warm-up is productive.

 

[ZAP]

Holy burn out Batman! Maybe he needs to pay a little more attention to what the best players in the WORLD do.

 

[jimmyt]

Holy burn out Batman! Maybe he needs to pay a little more attention to what the best players in the WORLD do.

Uhh....Duhhhhh

 

[dschultz6072]

Start off putting, do a bit of chipping and short pitches, go to the range and get warm, hit some tee shots, practice your first tee shot for the last few balls. It's a warm up. I think it's kind of dumb to get in a ball striking rhythm only to leave the range and go putt again and get cold.

Keep it an hour or less. Arrive at the tee with some time to spare so you aren't feeling rushed.

 

[ZAP]

Uhh....Duhhhhh

I am just a cape short of a Captain Obvious costume!

 

[dwurzer]

Wow! She needs a hour of recovery time before she plays. Parents!

 

[SteveT]

Her dad: "Every round that is played whether it is a tournament or not needs to be viewed as the most important round of our life because it is the round right in front of us."

"..of our life"... "..in front of us"....... sounds like a father obsessed with his daughter's golf and living his deluded life through her.

Unless the girl shares her father's obsessive-compulsiveness over golf, I suspect a breakdown and rejection... soon.

 

[Robbohank]

Unfortunately I'm not surprised by that laundry list.

Anyone play in a state am practice round and have the good fortune to get stuck behind a 4-some of today's college players? It's an absolute joke. It's like these cats don't ever practice, when in actuality (in many cases) they practice more than they study. Put your 6-hour hat on cause you'll get to see 4 chips, 2 bunker shots, and 8 putts on every hole.

Somewhere the train got off the tracks with junior golfers and based on this thread it's only getting worse. Quite scary.

 

[Rick Dandy]

Unfortunately for some, thinking, is and should be, something left for the laureates and scientists. I have never worked for a PGA Tour player who stayed longer than 45 minutes anywhere before a round. For the keener players, most of the day was spent on practice after the round. The players you do not remember would leave early after a round and relax in various forms, and on into the night.

For the players that had a brain here is the typical day with a 7:30 tee time.

Rise 3:30 a.m.

Breakfast

Arrive 1 hour before a tee time

Warm up on Tee

Hit a few putts,

and GO!

After the round at least two hours to six hours or longer on the tee.

Dinner

Bed

 

[Rick Dandy]

The Plan is positive. Digest in very small pieces.

 

[rcw]

Overkill

I agree the range plan is overkill. But what is the most concerning is the mindset he is attempting to establish with his daughter.
It seems every thought he is giving her is outcome oriented. The first paragraph seems to me ALL wrong.

"Every round that is played whether it is a tournament or not needs to be viewed as the most
important round of our life
because it is the round right in front of us. It is vital that the game be played correctly...such
that the lowest score can be achieved. Every shot that is hit is the most important shot of
our lives. Why? Because it is the one right in front of us. If it is a 6” put in practice (100%
probability of success) or a driver between the chute on the 72nd hole of THE MASTERS
on # 18 we still need to follow all the steps to hit the best shot possible. If this mind set
can be fully achieved, there is no boundary that cannot be crossed, no tournament that
cannot be won, no score that cannot be shot, no goal that cannot be achieved. "

With so much focus early on with these kinds of thoughts this poor girl is going to be paralyzed. This is NOT how the best players in the Game think or have thought. She needs to be PROCESS oriented not OUTCOME oriented. The latter will freeze you up in competition. When focusing on the process she needs to develop a practice routine that is process oriented as well as a pre shot that is the same. This will give her the best chance at he subconscious executing the motion versus he conscious which is substantially less capable.
The quicker this guy can realize that everything in that mental approach is going to hurt and not help her, the better off they will both be.

Damn, I really hope you can steer this guy to some good info. I suggest "With winning in Mind" by Lanny Basham. That will be eye opening to him.

 

[rcw]

The outcome thoughts are OK when preparing both short and long term goals but should not be mixed with actual playing or warm up. In fact those thoughts need to be far from her mind when
competing.

 

[Kevin Shields]

It doesn't seem hes the kind of guy you are going to have much influence.

I agree with the people who said it could be a good practice routine. It's just not a pre round warm up. How bout that 7:48AM tee time? I'm not there but this guy seems a little over the top, though.