The Best Golf Warm-Up: Try These Moves Before Teeing Off

It's easy to go right from the golf shop to hitting practice balls to the first tee without thinking you need to stretch. However, you owe it to yourself this year to at least incorporate a few moves that can minimize future injuries, pain and stress on your body throughout a round. We asked a few PGA of America Golf Professionals to share their go-to warm-up moves that can be easily incorporated into any pre-round routine. We even have a bonus video for the times when you're really late! Check out the exercises below. Posture Primer Awaken your shoulders, open your chest and cue up your upper back for better posture.  Stand with your feet as wide as your shoulders.  Hold the club in front of your legs with the arms relaxed and hands palms down and shoulder width apart.  Lift the club overhead and then bring it down behind your head to tap the top of your shoulders.  Return to the starting position and repeat 8-10 times.   Elevated child pose For those with a stiff back, look no further than this stretch. It’s a golf mobility that stretches your back and muscles around your hips, which will help you rotate more comfortably and produce more power. To begin this pose, place the driver standing tall, with both your hands on top of the grip and three feet away from the club. Then, slowly bend at the hips and extend your arms out in front of you as your head lowers to your biceps.  This position is a perfect way to relax lower back muscles and relieve tension. Hold for at least 45 seconds to loosen up your lower back. Reverse lunge rotation This warms up your full body before you start swinging the club. Stand with the club horizontally in your hands and step back with one foot into a reverse lunge position. From there, bring that foot up in front of your body and rotate your torso. Do four reps per leg. This is a great warmup to engage your spine, lower body, and core — three main elements you’ll rely on all round. Bonus: Use your golf cart! PGA of America Golf Professional   Pablo del Olmo , who serves as a Lead Coach at the  PGA Coaching Center  in Frisco, Texas, has plenty of players who come to him seeking a proper warm-up. In the short video below, del Olmo walks through a simple and easy five-minute warm-up you can do at the first tee to get loose and be ready to roll for that first tee ball.