7 Tour Warm-Ups That Can Help Your Game

By Luke Kerr-Dineen

September 10, 2013

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Avoid the crowd. Go putt.

Nick Watney's pre-round routine is basically just a holdover from his days at Fresno State, when he had to endure countless shotgun starts at college tournaments. "Everyone would rush straight to the driving range, so I went to the putting green and waited for the range to clear," Watney said. "It kind of just worked for me, so I stuck with it."

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It's all in your head

For D.J. Trahan, pre-round warm-ups are as much about the mind as they are the body. Before a big round, Trahan always makes time to think through what's ahead. "I like to visualize some of the key holes I'll be playing, some of the shots I might hit," Trahan said. "Just relax and focus."

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Always stretch before Dufnering

He may not look like the most athletic guy in the room, but that doesn't mean the 2013 PGA Champion doesn't take care of his body. "I usually go to the gym for a little bit before I play," Jason Dufner said. "Nothing too heavy...just some stretching so I'm feeling good and loose."

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Nice and easy

Rory McIlroy exudes a laid-back, freewheeling vibe, so it makes sense that his pre-round routine follows a similar course. "In the morning I'm in the gym doing some warm-up exercises to avoid any stiffness, some stuff on the treadmill," McIlroy said. "After that I'll eat and get to the course about an hour before [my tee time] to hit a few balls."

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Down to a science

Everything about Zach Johnson's game, even his warm-up routine -- he likes to get to the course precisely 50 minutes before his tee time -- is all part of a carefully-concocted plan. After stopping by the tour's fitness trailer, where he works with a physical trainer to "get my muscles firing," he heads to the putting green. "I do a couple of different putting drills really making sure to dial in on the short ones."

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Rolling pure

Bo Van Pelt is known as one of the nice guys on tour, and he keeps his warm-up routine nice and simple. He stretches a little then spends most of his time on the greens so he can get used to their speed and receptiveness. "I don't really hit all that many balls," he said. "Just enough to get loose."