We’re all guilty of hurrying to a tee-time, but just because you didn’t build in time for a practice session, that doesn’t mean you can’t warm-up for your round. Jennifer Fleischer, a Golf Digest 50 Best Golf-Fitness Trainer in America, says to do each of these three exercises for 40 seconds, and this two-minute warm-up can get you ready to rip it off the first tee. Best of all, you can do it while your group is waiting to tee off.
Club reach-outs
Grab a club and hold the shaft with both hands a few feet apart. Get in your setup position and turn back like you’re going to hit a shot. Once your left arm (for righties) is parallel to the ground, pause and extend your arms further out, away from your body. Repeat on the other side.
This exercise improves rotation and extension, two key elements to hitting it further.
Pelvic twists
Hold the top of your club with your arms fully extended and the clubhead resting on the ground. Plant your feet hip’s distance apart and rotate your pelvis to the right and left while keeping your upper body still.
“The pelvic twists are great for creating more disassociation between the movements of the upper body and the movements of the lower body. That separation is key when it comes to avoiding sway and slide, which are often the result of the entire body moving as one unit in the swing,” Fleischer says. “The pelvic twist drill is also ideal for golfers who come over the top, because it gets the lower body moving independently from the upper body, which can help encourage the lower body to lead the downswing rather than the arms.”
Knee drives
Set up like you did for the pelvic twists and lift one leg at a time, leading with your knee, bringing it up and across your body. Fleischer says to imagine you’re trying to tap someone standing next to you with your knee. Once the knee has reached about hip height, quickly return that foot to the planted position. Repeat on both sides.
“The knee drives help prevent excessive lateral movement by improving internal hip rotation,” Fleischer says. “A lot of golfers sway and slide because they lack the critical hip mobility needed to create an efficient coil. As a result, it can be tempting to cheat the exercise by driving the knee up rather than coiling it around the standing leg.”
This exercise also improves balance and stability.
