8 Things You Need To Do Before A Round Of Golf

Make sure you do these things before your next round.

8 Things You Need To Do Before A Round Of Golf

Ever wondered why you rock up on the first tee with a hangover and just seconds to spare only to play terribly? Fail to prepare then prepare to fail, as they say.

But by implementing these suggestions from Kit Alexander in your pre-round routine, you give yourself the best chance of playing good golf. He covers everything from how to correctly warm up the most important body muscles, groove your technique and even get your mind in the correct state to score better. Give them a go, what have you got to lose?

8 Things You Need To Do Before A Round Of Golf

1. Clean your clubs

Dirty golf clubs can have a very negative impact on your performance especially when you are trying to generate spin on approach shots into greens, and on those finesse shots.

Therefore you want to make sure your clubs are as clean as they can be. What you want to do is leave them to soak for a while in warm, soapy water. Then take them out and use an old toothbrush, or a groove cleaner to remove dirt in the grooves.

Related: How to clean your golf clubs and grips

2. Get a good nights sleep

Sleep is incredibly important when it comes to playing golf and you probably don't want to be playing hungover either.

3. Plan your day

You do not want to be rushing around and getting frazzled before you get to the club and golf course. So therefore plan your day properly. Leave yourself plenty of time to get to the club, and then go through your entire routine before teeing off. Also, be sure to leave yourself a little bit of extra time because of traffic.

4. Build a strategy for the course you're playing

If it is your home club, you probably know it like the back of your hand when it comes to where to go, where not to go, and which clubs to hit. But we still recommend writing it down and make sure you have a clear idea on how you are going to attack the golf course. Of course this is especially important when it comes to playing a golf course you haven't played before or are unfamiliar with.

Also, be sure to stick to that strategy you laid out too, regardless of how you are playing.

Related: 11 Driving Range Mistakes

5. Eat and drink properly

What you eat and drink has a huge impact on how your mind and body feels both on and off the golf course. So it is really important you eat right and stay hydrated before you play and also during the round too.

This will of course depend on your tee time. If you have a morning time, then maybe a bowl of porridge or something with slow release energy is great. If you would normally be eating around when you are supposed to be teeing off, then adjust your meal times around the round of golf.

Additionally we overlook staying hydrated too which can have a negative impact on concentration.

6. Stretching

When you get to the range, it is important to have a stretch before you hit any golf balls. This will warm up the muscles and get them nice and loose which not only will help you athletically make the golf swing, but also stop you from getting injuries.

One particular stretch we recommend is whilst standing, crossing your legs over and stretching downwards to the floor. This will stretch the back of your legs and lower back.

Another is a simple rotation of the hips, and finally grab a golf club and put it behind your shoulders, then just turn as far as you can to improve your turn.

7. Hitting golf balls

When it comes to hitting shots before the round, do not go straight for the driver. Go with a wedge first because it is an easier swing to make an it allows you to really ease yourself into the session.

From there we recommend working your way up your golf bag, you do not have to hit every club but every two or three is recommended.

This is to create some familiarity with the swing before you get to the tee, and it will also give you an idea of where the ball is going, and what you are going to be able to do on the course that day.

One final tip is with the last few shots on the range, play some of he first few holes in your head and hit the corresponding clubs.

8. Chipping + Putting Green

Going to hone these parts of your game is also vitally important as well.

Chipping in particular saves a lot of shots and not only are you practicing the aspect of the game, but you also gain a better idea of how firm and fast the greens are. When it comes to the actual chipping, also give yourself a good variance when it comes to lies which will prepare you for different shots on the course.

Then go to the putting green to get an idea of the pace of them so you can calibrate your stroke. Then introduce holes too with putting drills like the around the world drill.

The final thing you should do before heading to the tee is see the golf ball go into the hole so you are full of confidence too.