Arriving early gives golfers chance to warm up, practice

Do you often hurry to the golf course, rush to the first tee and then take four holes to warm up?

If so, you are not alone.

Arriving 45 minutes in advance will give you the opportunity to take some full swings and practice your chipping and putting.

After some warmup exercises, start on the driving range with a short iron (8 iron), and progress up to the longer clubs. It isn't necessary to hit a large bucket of balls. Instead, hit 20 or 30 balls and loosen up slowly.

Try to get a "feel" for your swing, but do not start tinkering with your swing and making changes.

Remember, this is simply a warmup, not a practice session. Save a few balls from the warmup bag and practice a few bump and run shots, lofted shots and bunker shots to get a good sense of feel.

By hitting some chips, you will be more confident on the course.

Remember, about half the shots taken in a round occur around the green.

When practicing your putting, you are there to get a sense of speed for the greens, not to work on your putting stroke. Practice longer putts (around 30 feet) and try to lag them close. Next, sink some short putts to build your confidence.

We all know how difficult it is to get a few extra minutes in our daily lives, but if you make the effort to get to the course early it will pay off. Your confidence will not only improve, but you will be ready to play on the first tee rather than the fifth.

Following these techniques will greatly improve your chances of scoring and will only add to the enjoyment of your day.