Olympian Q & A
By Joe Thiel, 2007
Dear Joe, What would be a good pre-game routine to follow for preparation to play? I would think it is a bit unique for each player but maybe you could share some common habits and rituals your players use?
Ken Bourland
Joe:Ken you are right that each player needs to find a typical warm up and pre-performance plan that seems to fit them. However there are many important things that each reader must do for performance consistency and safety for sure. These include just a few minutes of stretching out very important portions of the body that help us to be lubricated on the first shot rather then having to wait 4-5 holes before we seem to be able to move well. Even developing a rhythm and tempo routine, (Field Tempo we call it) in this warm up portion of your preparation is essential to start well in the competition. (5 minutes) Next depending on your time commitments create a simple consistent plan of preparation that seems to ready you mentally and physically. Let me give a few ideas for the competitive player that seem to have worked well and then based on your time allotment, cut and splice it creating your own plan and time.
The one hour and 15 minute pre-performance plan
Starting with putting always first. 10 minutes of 3, 4, and 5 foot putts around the hole getting a good feel for the greens and building a ton of confidence.
Next move to the practice tee and start with the wedges and work diligently thru the bag, even number irons on one day and odds the next. The big key here is with each warm up club you hit before you change clubs go thru at least two full routine shots the same as you would on the course, creating imaginary targets hopefully similar to your approach iron shots you will likely hit on the course your about to play. Builds a ton of confidence and game preparedness. Do the exact same with your metal woods. I love to have all players at this point before they move on to hit one teed up shot to each par three they are about to play going thru the entire routine. Finally play the first hole your about to start on complete with tee shot, second shot and so on to prepare and relax the mind. 25 minutes.
Next move to the chipping area and bunker areas hitting just a few chips, pitches, running shots, and bunker shots to get a feel for release speeds both up and down hill. 15 minutes
Next get that last bathroom break in here and then back to the putting green.
On the green once again remind yourself of how good you are from 4-5 feet then start longer speed putts really getting comfortable with the green speed. Up hillers, down hillers, side hill putts etc. If there is no room on the putting green due to traffic then putt to the fringe or tees you put in the ground where no one else is putting getting your basic feel this way. I have players all carry little white circles in their bags that represent cups for just this purpose.
Again here before you tee off make a portion of this practice real time where you go thru the entire ritual of marking your ball, lining up your putt and then putting it just as you will do on the course. (15 minutes) This is so important for you to prepare this one shot at a time mentality in your entire warm up period and actually general day to day practice as well. Now based on this cut and splice this plan to fit your time commitments.
Joe