The degree of your preparation will depend on your GOAL for the day. Some of you will see the day as an opportunity to get out from behind the desk and into the great outdoors. You will have little expectations of your golf game and simply want to have a bit of fun.

Others will be eyeing off a trophy or two and will be taking their game a little bit more seriously. Regardless of your goal for the day and your playing ability I am sure you will enjoy the day a bit more if you can connect cleanly on a shot or two. To do this requires some pre-round preparation as opposed to the "grip it, rip it and hope for the best" approach.

All the top professionals have a ROUTINE they follow religiously before a round of golf. This routine will be developed over many years and has the aim of getting the player to the first tee knowing they are ready mentally, physically and technically. You don't need to be as meticulous as the Pros but there are a few things you can consider to get the most out of your day.

The Day Before

Know the Course

Pros will walk and play the course prior to the tournament to know what to expect and to plan their strategy for each hole. You don't have the luxury of doing this and you don't really need to for that matter. But you can visit the course and obtain a hole-by-hole summary through the Find a Golf Course section on the GOLFSelect web site.

Equipment

If you haven't played for a while it may be worth digging the clubs out and giving them a clean and to ensure all the clubs are in the bag. Many a player has taken the putter out to practice on the carpet and forgotten to put it back.

Put the clubs in the car or at least in a place that will be visible as you leave the house. Even the Pros have forgotten to take their clubs to the course at least once.

On the Day

Arrival Time

Know what time you are playing and leave more time than you think is necessary to get there. If you are rushing to get to the course you will be rushing your first few shots also.

Tips for Afternoon Players:

  • Book in some free time prior to departure to allow for any unexpected business.
  • To ensure you don't take your work with you to the course make a list of people you need to contact and things you need to do before you leave the office.
  • Use the journey to the course as an opportunity to leave the office stress behind. Take the opportunity to do some deep breathing at any red lights and listen to a favourite tape or CD.

Warm-up

There are three parts of your game you need to warm-up:

  • Physical
  • Technical
  • Mental

Here are two simple suggestions to help get the right feel and focus before hitting any balls.

Feel Warm-Up

This drill involves doing practice swings without the ball varying your muscle tension on a scale of 1 (very relaxed) up to 5 (tight). Start by doing 3 swings at a level of 1 where it feels like you will almost let go of the club because you are so relaxed.

Next do 3 more swings at a tension level of 5 where you are really gripping the club tightly and feeling tension in your whole body. Continue this process moving to a tension level of 2 then 4, and then finally to 3. For most people this 3 level is ideal. Refer back to this 3 feel throughout the day if you lose your rhythm.

Concentration Warm-Up

To ensure you have a narrow focus on the ball do more than just look at the ball, actually pick a part of the ball to focus on, e.g., the logo, a dimple, a dirt mark, or mark it with a texta. If you are looking at this mark then you will definitely be keeping your eye on the ball.

Once you have completed the warm-up you are now ready to move to the first tee and start your round.