A good golf warm up fits into about 15 minutes: five of mobility with dynamic movements, five hitting balls from short clubs to long, and five with the putter. The exact time matters less than building up gradually and not spending it on long, still stretches. At La Roca Golf, 30 minutes from Barcelona, you can do the whole routine at the Training Centre before heading to the 1st tee.
Very few amateurs get it right. A study that watched 1,040 amateur golfers in Australia found that only just over half (54%) did any kind of warm up. The most common was a few practice swings on the tee, done by almost 89% of those who warmed up (Fradkin et al., British Journal of Sports Medicine, 2001).
And if you’re visiting Barcelona on a golf trip, it matters even more: you’ll be playing a course you don’t know, often after a morning in the car.
The essentials in 20 seconds
- How long: we suggest 10 to 15 minutes. Studies don’t set a figure; what counts is building up gradually.
- What: dynamic movements (rotations, leg swings, easy swings), not long, still stretches.
- In what order: body first, then balls from short clubs to long and, last of all, putts.
- Where, at La Roca Golf: a 33-bay Driving Range, 21 of them covered, and a 1,000 m² putting green.
Why warm up before a round of golf
The swing is a fast rotation of the whole body, and the first shot of the day is the one on the 1st tee, with your body still cold if you haven’t warmed up. Warming up means getting that shot ready so it isn’t your first.
So how should you warm up? A review of 23 studies on golf warm ups concluded that dynamic warm ups tend to improve performance. Static stretching, on the other hand, performed worse than the other methods and may even be harmful (Ehlert and Wilson, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2019).
On injuries, the same review is cautious: studies linking warm ups with fewer injuries show mixed results. So we won’t promise what science hasn’t yet shown. What you will notice is something else: reaching the tee without tension, with your body moving and your head in the game.
A 15-minute golf warm up routine, step by step
Three blocks of about five minutes, in this order:
| Block | Minutes | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Mobility | 5 | Rotations, hip hinge, leg swings and swings without a ball |
| Balls | 5 | 20 to 30 balls, from the wedge to the club you’ll tee off with |
| Short game and putting | 5 | A few chips, long putts and short putts that drop |
1. Mobility exercises: 5 minutes
If you have an injury or any discomfort, adapt these exercises with your physiotherapist. Use a club to help you and do each exercise without bouncing, with a little more range each time:
- Trunk rotations: club across your shoulders, held with both hands. Turn to one side and the other, 10 times.
- Hip hinge: club against your back, touching your head, back and hips. Bend from the hips into your address position without losing those three points, 10 times.
- Leg swings: leaning on the club like a walking stick, swing one leg forwards and back, then sideways. 10 per leg.
- Shoulder and arm circles: 10 forwards and 10 backwards.
- Swings without a ball: half swing, three-quarter swing and full swing. About 10, a little faster each time.
2. Balls, from short clubs to long: 5 minutes
20 or 30 balls are plenty. Start with half swings with the wedge, move on to the 7-iron, then a hybrid or a wood, and finish with a few drivers. Hit the last ball with the club you’ll use on the 1st tee: that way your first shot on the course is your second of the day.
Ten of the covered bays have Toptracer Range, which tracks the flight of every ball on screen. It’s very handy for warming up: it tells you how far your 7-iron is flying today, and you take that distance out onto the course. Everything the centre offers is in Driving Range in Barcelona.
3. Short game and putting: 5 minutes
A few short chips to feel the contact with the ball, then over to the putting green. There, start with long putts of 10 or 15 metres to get the pace of the greens that day. Then five or six short putts that drop. You head out having seen the ball go in the hole, and that warms you up too.
If you want to get more out of this part, the drills are in short game in golf and how to improve your putting.
The most common warm up mistakes
- Long static stretches just before you play. In a study with 15 young golfers, 20 minutes of static stretching before hitting lowered club head speed by 4% and distance by almost 6%, compared with a dynamic-only warm up (Gergley, Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2009). Save the long stretches for after your round.
- Emptying the basket with the driver at full power. Warming up isn’t practising: if you reach the tee tired, you’ve overdone it.
- Trying to fix your swing before you go out. A warm up isn’t a lesson. If something isn’t working, play with what you’ve got today and note it down for your next practice session.
- Arriving with no time to spare. If you get there about 30 minutes before your tee time, you have time to change, warm up and walk to the tee relaxed.
In the colder months, a few minutes more
In winter, add a couple of minutes to your mobility work and take off layers once your body is moving. On a fresh morning, the covered bays of the Driving Range let you warm up under shelter. Everything else about playing at this time of year is in winter golf in Barcelona.
Where to warm up at La Roca Golf
The La Roca Golf Training Centre has five areas, and four of them are especially useful for warming up:
- Driving Range: 33 bays, 21 covered and 12 on the artificial grass Tee Line, with floodlights and Toptracer Range in ten bays.
- Putting green: 1,000 m² with all kinds of slopes and putts of up to 50 metres.
- Approach area: a raised green with a bunker and several pin positions.
- Bump and run area: a flat setting for straight approaches, with shots of up to 40 metres.
It’s open to members and visitors.
“Before you go out, build up gradually: get your body moving first, then a few easy shots and finally a few putts. Fifteen minutes like that and the first shot of the day won’t catch you cold.”
La Roca Golf Academy
Frequently asked questions about the golf warm up
How long should you warm up before playing golf?
We suggest 10 to 15 minutes. No exact figure has been proven by studies; what matters is that it’s progressive: body first, then balls from short clubs to long, and putting last.
Is it bad to stretch before playing golf?
Long, still stretches just before hitting can cost you club speed and distance, according to a review of 23 studies and a trial with young golfers. Before playing, dynamic movements work better: rotations, leg swings and easy swings. Save static stretches for after your round.
How many balls should you hit to warm up?
20 or 30 balls are enough. Start with half swings with the wedge and work up through the bag to the club you’ll use on the first tee.
What if I don’t have time to go to the range?
Do the five minutes of mobility and a few practice swings without a ball before you tee off. If you have time, a few putts. That way, at least, you don’t start cold.
Can I use the La Roca Golf Training Centre if I’m not a member?
Yes. The Training Centre is open to members and visitors.
Reach the 1st tee with your body ready
Fifteen well-spent minutes change how your round begins: the first shot stops being a guess and you enjoy the course from the 1st hole. If you’d like to see the Training Centre options or book your tee time, check our services and rates and we’ll see you at the Driving Range.
