How Many Balls Should I Hit Before a Round of Golf?

Golfers that warm-up prior to a round of golf are often afraid they are going to get tired before they head to the first tee. Depending on your handicap level, physical stamina, and golf handicap, you may want to be careful about how many golf balls you hit prior to a round of golf. Here are some basic tips to let you know how many balls to hit before a round and when a warmup session turns into a practice session.

How Many Balls Should I Hit Before A Round?

Most golfers do best, hitting about 30-40 golf balls before a round of golf. Many driving ranges will sell a small bucket of about 25 or 30 golf balls to help players warm up to play. This is a perfect amount to get your swing feeling loose and your tempo in place for the day.

Make sure to vary which clubs you hit and don’t hit 30 drives; this won’t help you as you make your way through the golf course that day. Here are a few other tips for deciding how many golf balls to hit before a round.

Incorporate Chipping Into Pre Round Warm Up

Golfers should also practice chipping and putting before a round. The swing is important, and warmup exercises are essential but chipping and putting practice give you an idea of the speed of the greens.

Most golf courses have a chipping and putting practice area, and you will see great players warming up here before a round.

A Few Good Drives Is Enough

Don’t overdo it with the driver. Many players make the mistake of swinging incredibly hard with their driver to try and get the ball to go further. Most of the time, if you can hit three or four straight drives, you are ready for the course.

Remember, as important as the driver is; you will take many more iron shots in the course of a round than driver shots.

Also keep in mind that hitting a bucket of golf balls before a round of golf is about getting the feel, tempo and of course getting your body warmed up and ready for the 18 hole round. 

Hitting Extra Golf Balls Is Fine For the Avid Golfer

For great players with stamina, hitting 50 or 60 balls before a round of golf is not a problem, but usually 30 balls is more then enough if you consider some extra practice swings, plus chipping and putting warm up. If you start to feel tired when hitting, chances are you have overdone it, and you may struggle on the back nine.

The goal of warming up is not to put in a practice session; it’s to warm up your muscles.

Try To Aim Each Shot You Hit

When you hit just 20 or 30 golf balls, you should be taking the time to aim each of the shots you hit. Aiming will help ensure accuracy and let you transfer this warmup out to the golf course. Hitting shots rapidly does not help you get off to a great start.

Bonus tip

This is a tip I like to give to every golfer which asks me about the golf driving warm up. To carry a good feeling from the warm up to the course, hit 1 or 2 last balls with the club you'll be hitting on the first tee box.

Imagine you're on the first hole and how wide the fairway is, set the target and try to hit it the same as on the golf course. If you hit the ball good, don't hit a second one, but carry the good feeling to the first tee. If you're not happy with it, you still have a second ball to improve the feel.

This will help you get the idea what exactly you want with your first tee shot of the day and it's also very good as a confidence booster 😉

Conclusion

Remember that your pre-round warmup is not the same as a practice session. Take time to incorporate some of what you want to think about on the golf course, but don’t overthink things on the driving range. You main goal is to swing the ball the way you feel that day...even if you're swing doesn't feel right that day, try to make the most of it and adjust your game strategy.