Pre-round preparation part II

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The time before a tee time on the PGA TOUR is an integral part of a round. As discussed last week this time frame is used by professionals to physically, biomechanically and mentally prepare for the round ahead.

Sean Cochran

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA TOUR regularly and works with TOUR professionals, most notably Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson.
He has been involved in the production of numerous golf fitness videos and books including Core Golf Fitness. He has authored numerous articles with publication credits in Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated, and Golf Magazine.
In addition to working with Mickelson, Cochran has worked with LPGA Champion Hee Won Han, U.S. Open Champion Corey Pavin, world-renowned golf instructor Rick Smith and short game expert Dave Pelz.
Cochran continues to speak at seminars and clinics around the country on golf fitness. In his free time he enjoys golf and surfing. He resides in Del Mar, Calif.
To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs, click here

All too often the amateur is unaware of the importance of this time frame and has a tendency not to prepare for the upcoming round. The results on the course can be less than satisfactory if one is not prepared physically to execute the required shots on the course, unaware of their swing characteristic for that day and not mentally focused for the task at hand.

These are all questions about one's game for that day answered during a pre-round warm-up. As stated last week, the PGA TOUR players utilize the time frame prior to their tee time to: 1) physically prepare their bodies to swing a club, 2) become attune with their swing characteristics for the day on the practice range, and 3) mentally get "dialed in" for the round.

Last week we began developing a pre-round preparation program for the amateur. The goal of the program is to provide the amateur player with a meaningful pre-round game plan to do exactly as the pros do -- prepare for the upcoming round. The benefits for the amateur will be a body physically ready to execute the golf swing, a conscious awareness of their swing characteristics for that day and a degree of mental focus going into the round.

The time frame allotted for the amateur's pre-round preparation is obviously less than that of a PGA TOUR professional, and for that reason the preparation plan from start to finish will be approximately 20-25 minutes in length.

The pre-round preparation routine begins with getting the body physically ready to execute the golf swing. This process will get the muscles and joints of the body "loose", active, and ready to swing a club. The first exercise in our series discussed last week was Torso Rotations. Once complete with this drill, move immediately onto the second exercise in this section, Rotators. It is an exercise we have discussed previously in our off-season golf fitness program but, as a result of the benefits of this exercise, it is ideal for your warm-up program as well.

The reason this is such a great exercise to add to your pre-round warm-up is the following: this exercise dynamically stretches the hamstrings that are commonly "tight" on a golfer. This exercise loosens up the lower and upper back. All of which are "trouble" areas for many golfers.

To execute this exercise begin with your feet shoulder width apart, arms extended overhead, hands clasped together, and eyes looking forward.

Slowly extend the hands towards the top of your feet. Extend downward to a level where a stretch is felt in either your hamstrings or lower back. Pause for one second and return to the starting position of the exercise. Rotate your torso, shoulders, arms and head to the right. Extend your hands downward toward the outside of the right foot. Pause for one second and return to the starting position of the exercise. Repeat the same exercise sequence to your left. Perform 5-10 repetitions of the exercise.

Remember pre-round preparation has many benefits to your game and score. The first step in this process is preparing the body through a series of warm-up drills and exercises.