Golf Competition Tips. How to Prep the Morning of a Golf Competition: A Comprehensive Guide

Updated for 2026 with UK club golf context, WHS handicap references, and local competition guidance.

If you're preparing for a golf competition, you know that what you do in the hours leading up to teeing off can make a significant difference in your performance. From warming up your muscles to ensuring your golf bag is well-organised, starting your day right can set the tone for a great round. In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about how to prep on the morning of a golf competition. We’ll delve into the importance of a good warm-up routine, using the driving range and putting green effectively, and organising your gear and scorecard. With the right preparation, you’ll be ready to play your best golf on the first tee and throughout the course.

Golf Competition Tips: The Importance of a Proper Warm-Up Routine

One of the most overlooked aspects of golf is the warm-up. Many golfers arrive at the course just minutes before their tee time, rushing through a couple of swings or putts or golf warm up exercises without properly warming up their bodies. This can lead to sore muscles and subpar performance, especially in the early part of the round. Incorporating golf stretches into your routine can further enhance flexibility and readiness for the game. A proper golf warm-up routine will help you avoid injury, increase blood flow, and improve your flexibility, giving you the best chance to swing freely and confidently from the first hole to the last.

Benefits of Warming Up

• Warming up before a golf game is essential for golfers of all ages and skill levels. A proper warm-up routine can significantly enhance your performance, reduce the risk of injury, and prepare your body for the physical demands of golf. By incorporating a warm-up routine into your golf preparation, you can:

• Increase Blood Flow: Boosting blood flow to your muscles improves flexibility and range of motion, which is crucial for a smooth golf swing.
• Enhance Mental Focus: A good warm-up helps sharpen your mental focus and concentration, leading to better decision-making on the course.
• Reduce Muscle Soreness: Properly warming up reduces muscle soreness and fatigue, allowing for a more enjoyable and productive round.
• Improve Consistency: A warm-up routine helps you find your tempo and speed control, leading to more consistent swings.
• Set the Tone: Establishing a pre-round routine sets a positive tone for a successful and enjoyable game.

Why a Warm-Up Routine is Essential

Golf is a sport that requires a unique combination of power, flexibility, and control. A well-rounded warm-up helps activate key areas of the body—like the upper body, hips, shoulders, and legs—while increasing blood flow to those muscles, ensuring they are loose and ready for action. Properly warming up will also help with distance control and speed control, two crucial factors for a successful round. When muscles are tight, your swing may be restricted, affecting your long game and short game when playing golf.

Creating a Golf Warm-Up Routine

• Creating a golf warm-up routine tailored to your needs and preferences is crucial for optimal performance. Here are some tips to help you develop an effective warm-up routine:

• Start with Light Cardio: Start with light cardio exercises, such as jogging or jumping jacks, to get your heart rate up and loosen your muscles.
• Incorporate Dynamic Stretching: Use dynamic stretching exercises that target key areas like the shoulders, hips, and lower back. This helps improve flexibility and range of motion.
• Use Resistance Bands: Incorporate resistance bands or light weights to strengthen your upper body and enhance your golf swing.
• Practice Your Swing: Spend time practicing your golf swing with a focus on proper technique and tempo. This helps you find your rhythm before hitting the course.
• Mental Preparation: Use mental preparation techniques, such as deep breathing and visualization, to improve your focus and concentration.

Essential Stretches for Golfers

• As a golfer, incorporating stretches that target key areas such as the shoulders, hips, and lower back is essential. Here are some stretches to include in your warm-up routine:

• Shoulder Rolls: Start by rolling your shoulders forward and backward in a circular motion to loosen and relax your shoulder muscles.
• Hip Circles: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and move your hips in a large circle, first clockwise and then counter clockwise.
• Knee Lifts: Stand with your feet together and lift one knee towards your chest, holding for a few seconds before switching to the other knee.
• Calf Raises: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and raise up onto your toes, holding for a few seconds before lowering back down.
• Chest Stretch: Stand in a doorway with your hands on the doorframe at shoulder height and lean forward, stretching your chest and shoulders.

Resistance Band Exercises for Shoulders

• Resistance band exercises are an excellent way to strengthen your shoulders and improve your golf swing. Here are some exercises to include in your warm-up routine:

• Shoulder Rotations: Hold the resistance band with both hands and rotate your shoulders in a circular motion, first clockwise and then counter-clockwise.
• Lateral Raises: Hold the resistance band with both hands and lift the band out to the sides, keeping your arms straight.
• Front Raises: Hold the resistance band with both hands and lift the band forward, keeping your arms straight.
• Reverse Fly: Hold the resistance band with both hands and lift the band backward, keeping your arms straight.

Dynamic Warm-Up Exercises

• Dynamic warm-up exercises are an excellent way to prepare your body for the physical demands of golf. Here are some exercises to include in your warm-up routine:

• Leg Swings: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and swing one leg forward and backward, then switch to the other leg.
• Arm Circles: Hold up your arms straight out to the sides and make small circles with your hands.
• Hip Swivels: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and swivel your hips in a large circle, first clockwise and then counter clockwise.
• Torso Twists: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and twist your torso to one side, then the other.
• Golf Swing Simulations: Practice your golf swing with a focus on proper technique and tempo, using a weighted club or resistance band to add resistance.

Five Exercises for a Golf Warm-Up

• To properly warm up, it's essential to target key areas like the legs, shoulders, mid-back, and hips. Here's a five-exercise dynamic warm-up routine to get your body ready for action:

Resistance Band Warm-Up Using a resistance band, wrap it around a post or your golf bag and perform exercises like pull-aparts to warm up your shoulders and upper body. This will get the blood flowing to your shoulder blades, chest, and arms, and help prevent injury.

Dynamic Stretching for Hips and Shoulders Perform leg swings and arm circles to loosen your hips and shoulders. These dynamic stretches help improve flexibility and range of motion, vital for a smooth golf swing.

Reverse Lunge with Rotation This exercise targets your legs, hips, and mid-back. Take a reverse lunge with your left leg, rotating your torso towards your right arm. This move mimics the twisting motion in a golf swing, ensuring your body is ready for rotation.

Torso Twists Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, hold a golf club in front of you with both hands extended, and rotate your torso from side to side. This dynamic stretch targets the muscles in your core and lower back, both essential for power in your swing.

Shoulder Stretch with Golf Club Holding a golf club horizontally in front of your body, pull one end towards the ground while keeping the other end upwards. Switch sides after 30 seconds. This exercise stretches your shoulders, helping prevent strain during your round.

These exercises should take 10-15 minutes and will ensure your muscles are properly warm, your blood is flowing, and you’re mentally prepared to play your best golf. Gradually increasing the intensity of these movements will also help avoid injury during the swing.

Using the Driving Range for Long Game and Warm-Ups

After completing your dynamic warm-up routine, it’s time to hit the driving range. Some golf clubs may have restrictions on driving range access, so it's important to adapt your warm-up routine accordingly. This is where you can get your golf swing into rhythm and dial in your long game.

Starting with Wedges and Gradually Increasing the Clubs

Start with your wedges or short irons. This allows you to get a feel for your swing without trying to hit the ball too hard right from the start. Focus on making smooth, controlled swings with proper balance and technique. Hitting shorter shots first will warm up your muscles, allowing you to gradually increase your range of motion.

• Focus on Key Areas: As you work your way through the bag, focus on key areas like balance, tempo, and rhythm. You don’t need to hit every club, but it's important to cover a range of shots, from wedges to long irons to your driver.

• Aim for the Target: Pick a target on the range and practice aiming for it. This will help you with distance control and speed control, skills that will be crucial once you’re out on the golf course. Adjust your focus as you progress from short to long clubs, ensuring you stay dialled in for the first tee.

Hitting the Driver

After warming up with your short and mid-irons, move on to your driver. Take a few swings, but don’t overdo it. Focus on making solid contact, maintaining balance, and hitting with proper technique rather than trying to blast the ball as far as you can. Over-hitting before a round can lead to fatigue, so keep it smooth.

Using the Putting Green: Distance Control and Speed Control

Once you've warmed up your long game, head to the putting green. This part of your warm-up is essential for developing feel and touch around the greens, which can often be the difference between a good score and a great score.

Practice Short Putts

Start by practising short, straight putts from 3-5 feet. This will help build confidence as you see the ball go in the hole repeatedly. Focus on keeping your head still and your stroke smooth, and use these practice strokes to develop a consistent feel for how the ball rolls off your putter.

Work on Distance Control

Next, move on to longer putts, where distance control is key. Aim for different points on the green, practising putts from 20, 30, and 40 feet. Pay attention to how the ball rolls on the green and adjust your stroke accordingly. The goal here is not necessarily to sink every putt but to leave the ball close enough to make the next one easy.

Tackle Tricky Putts

Spend a few minutes working on tricky putts that you may face during your round. These could include putts with severe breaks or uphill/downhill putts. Getting a feel for these challenging putts during your warm-up will give you more confidence when you encounter similar situations on the course.

Organising Your Golf Bag and Scorecard

Your golf bag is your toolkit for the round, and having it well-organised will ensure that you’re not scrambling for golf balls or a specific club during your round.

Golf Bag Essentials

• Make sure your golf bag contains everything you’ll need for the day:

• Golf Balls: Ensure you have enough golf balls for the round. Carry a mix of new and slightly used balls to accommodate any unexpected mishits.
• Tees: Pack a variety of tees, both long ones for your driver and shorter ones for iron tee shots.
• Golf Gloves: Check that your glove is in good condition, and pack a spare in case of rain or wear.
• Towel: Attach a towel to your bag to clean your clubs and golf balls throughout the round.
• Range Finder: If you use a range finder, ensure it’s in working order and easily accessible.
• Water and Snacks: Staying hydrated and energised is key to maintaining performance, especially if your round lasts over four hours.
• Golf Clubs: Ensure you have the right set of golf clubs for the round, including any specialty clubs you might need.

Check Your Clubs

Make sure all your clubs are clean, especially your wedges and irons, as dirt can affect how the ball flies. Check that you have the full set you need, including any hybrid clubs or long irons you might use. If there’s rain in the forecast, pack rain gloves and an umbrella to keep your clubs dry.

Preparing the Scorecard

Before heading to the first tee, grab your scorecard and mark down any necessary notes. If you’ve played the course before, note the tricky holes and where you need to be more cautious. If not, jot down key information about hazards and distances. Preparing mentally for each hole before you step onto the course will help you stay focused throughout the round.

The Final Minutes: Focusing on the First Tee

After warming up your body, practising at the driving range, and working on your short game at the putting green, it’s essential to mentally prepare for the first tee. This is where focus becomes critical.

Visualise the First Hole

Standing on the practice green, close your eyes and visualise the first tee shot. Picture your swing, see where you want the ball to land, and focus on your target. Visualisation is a powerful tool that helps calm nerves and ensures you’re mentally prepared for your first swing of the day.

Stay Relaxed

It’s natural to feel nervous before the first shot of a round, especially in a golf competition. Keep your shoulders relaxed and your breathing steady. Focus on your golf swing technique, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart and maintaining balance through the swing.

Summary: The Perfect Morning Prep for a Great Round

Prepping for a golf competition starts long before you step up to the first tee. A proper warm-up routine ensures your body is ready, while time spent on the driving range and putting green hones your feel and accuracy for the day. Organising your golf bag and scorecard gives you peace of mind, knowing you’re fully prepared for anything the course throws your way.

By gradually increasing the intensity of your movements, focusing on your short and long game, and staying mentally sharp, you’ll give yourself the best chance of playing great golf. Whether you're warming up with resistance bands, practising tricky putts, or visualising your opening drive, remember that preparation is key. Take care of your body, focus on your golf swing, and maintain a positive mindset as you approach the first tee. With these golf competition tips, you’re well on your way to a successful round!