The Perfect Golf Warm-Up Routine: Stretches and Exercises for Better Performance

When you don’t warm up for a round of golf, there are a few things you risk.

The most important reason to warm up is to prevent injury. However, once you are sure you are safe, you’ll also want to warm up to shoot lower scores.

Without a golf warmup routine, it may take you until the 5th or 6th hole before you really play well.

Here are some of the best warm-up stretches and exercises to ensure you are ready for your next round of golf. Don’t skip this step, even if it takes just 10 minutes.

Golf Warm-Up Routine (Key Takeaways)

If you don’t have time to go through the specifics of this golf warmup routine, here are some of the most important things to take with you.

• Warm up both your body and your mind; professional golfers start working on visualization and positive thinking as part of their warm-up routine.
• Warming up doesn’t take long — this 15-ball routine is efficient and effective.
• Start with body movement, not ball striking.
• Use smaller swings and wedges to find clean ground contact.
• Gradually build up swing length and speed.
• Finish by rehearsing the shot you’ll hit on the first tee.
• Use HackMotion to check wrist angles and ensure solid impact.

Prefer watching over reading? Watch the video below to see the perfect 15-ball golf warm-up routine in action.

Golf Warm-Up Exercises & Actionable Tips

Step 1: Start With Movement, Not the Ball

Before you hit a single golf ball, your focus should be on warming up your body from the ground up.

Think of it as checking in with your joints not forcing a stretch, but giving your body permission to move.

The golf swing asks a lot of your body and if you haven’t started to warm up a little you could end up injured.

A few great warm-up movements include:

• Ankle circles and rotations
• Leg swings to loosen up the hips
• Mini squats to wake up the lower body
• Arm circles to get blood flowing to the shoulders

You can also place a club across your chest and rehearse a few slow-motion swings. Focus on the turn and tilt, not speed or shape.

These movements don’t take long, but they’ll help you prevent injury and improve mobility before you start swinging.

Step 2: Rehearse Contact With the Line Drill

Once your body feels loose, grab a wedge and do one of the most effective warm-up drills in golf, the Line Drill.

• Spray or draw a line on the grass.
• Make a few mini swings without a ball.
• Focus on brushing the turf just after the line.

This isn’t about distance or trajectory. It’s about training low point control and preparing your body to strike the ball cleanly.

If you can control your low point well throughout the round your contact will always be better.

Step 3: Hit 15 Balls With Purpose

Here’s where the warm-up really starts. You’re going to hit just 15 golf balls for this warm up but each one has a clear purpose.

Balls 1–5: Wedge

Start small. Just a hip-high to hip-high swing.

• Focus on clean turf contact.
• Match the feel of your body to the feedback of the club.
• Let the swing lengthen naturally as you go.

Balls 6–10: Mid-Iron

Move into something like a 7-iron a club you’re likely to use early in the round.

• Keep your focus on contact not distance.
• Use half or three-quarter swings at first.
• Gradually let your swing and speed increase.

If your golf course starts with a par 3 or a short approach, practice those shots here. Build confidence with clubs you’ll actually use.

Balls 11–15: Tee Club (Driver, 3-Wood, or Hybrid)

Finally, grab the club you’ll use on the first tee and rehearse that shot.

• Tee it up like you will on the course.
• Visualize the hole and shot shape.
• If your natural shot is a draw but the hole calls for a fade, practice the adjustments now.

You want to finish your warm-up with a confident swing and a clear picture in your mind. If your last ball is a great one walk away and take that feeling with you to the course.

How to Use HackMotion in Your Warm-Up

Wrist mechanics don’t just matter in your full swing, they’re critical during your warm-up.

Wearing your HackMotion as you warm up for a round can clue you into some key issues that you may face in the course of a round of golf.

Use your HackMotion to:

• Check for a flat lead wrist at the top of the swing.
• Monitor lead wrist flexion at impact.
• See whether your trail wrist maintains extension through the downswing.
• Ensure your hands are placed on the club in a consistent way each time..

Even a quick 5–10 minutes with HackMotion before your round can alert you to bad habits like early extension, flipping, or casting.

---

Level 1

Release drill Train your release before working on other aspects of your swing

Level 2

Dynamic transition drill Train your sequencing and pivot, as well as punch shots or your wedge game

Level 3

Impact full swing challenge Train your maximum power swing

Explore HackMotion Today

Additional Warm Up Tips

Even if you follow the 15-ball warm-up routine step-by-step, there are a few other small habits that can give you an edge before the first tee.

Get Moving Before You Get to the Range

If you have time, the morning of your round, go for a short walk. Even if it is just a mile it will get your legs moving and give you a head start. 

A brisk walk helps increase blood flow, loosen up the lower body, and wake up your muscles before you ever pick up a club. You don’t have to overdo it. The goal is to feel more energized and mobile by the time you step onto the range.

Use Your Club to Stretch

Your golf club can be a great warm-up tool. Hold it across your shoulders to rehearse turns and rotation, or use it as balance support while doing light squats or hip hinges.

These movements mimic what you’re about to do in your swing and they can improve rotation and reduce tension before you hit a shot.

Give Yourself Enough Time

A good warm-up doesn’t take forever but you still have to plan for it.

Set aside at least 20 minutes before your tee time. That gives you space to stretch, make a few practice swings, and go through your 15-ball routine without rushing.

Have Go-To Drills You Trust

Some players like structure. Others just want a few reliable moves they can lean on. That’s where go-to drills come in.

If you’re short on time or feeling stiff, use something like the Line Drill to establish clean contact or the Combined Top Drill from the HackMotion app to lock in a consistent backswing. These simple checkpoints help you tune up quickly and eliminate doubt before you play.

Take a look at the HackMotion Golf Drills Library to find drills that match your warm-up goals.

How do the Professionals Warm Up

Every golf professional has created a warm up routine that works for them.

These routines may change a bit on a practice day when compared to a tournament day. However, the key is the players all understand the importance of a proper warm up.

As an example, this is the warm-up routine of Phil Mickelson. You can see it works on different areas of the game, from mental to physical.

In addition, he leaves the range feeling confident in his ability to tackle a round of golf.

• Band Shoulder Work: Attach resistance bands to a golf cart and perform shoulder exercises to activate shoulder muscles.
• Single-Arm Movements: To balance and activate muscles, perform single-arm band exercises, both slow for muscle engagement and fast for explosiveness.
• Core Activation with Anti-Rotation: Hold arms out and do circles to engage the core and improve stability by resisting rotation.
• Leg Stretches: Spread your legs and perform stretches to relieve pressure on the back and stretch hamstrings.
• Deep Squats: Perform deep squats to stretch the lower back and activate leg muscles, maintaining toes pointed straight.
• Practice Short Shots: Hit shots at set distances (30, 45, 60, 75, 90 yards) to build references for short game precision.
• Use Heavy and Light Clubs: Swing heavier clubs to build muscle strength and lighter clubs to activate the nervous system.
• Visualize and Execute Shots: Practice various shots with different clubs, visualizing specific scenarios and targets on the course to prepare mentally and physically for the round.

His warm-up routine takes about 30 minutes, and he has adapted it through the years as his body changes.

Final Thoughts

Now, you can get to work building your perfect golf warmup routine. Start by carving out enough time, learning some stretches, and determining how you can make clean contact prior to your round.

Wearing your HackMotion as you complete your golf warm-up exercise will help alert you to any issues you may see in your wrist action and ball striking. This can make all the difference when you head out to the golf course.