How early do you show up for your tee time?

[DerekB54]

I’m the first one off most days. I usually show up 30 min. If I’m playing later in the day, I show up 30-45 min before my tee time, and will get out as soon as I can lol. 

[Alan Scalzi]

54 minutes ago, Javs said:

You hit balls at home also?

Yes I do, putting money away to up grade to a simulator!

[Al_Mack]

I am surprised I do not see frequent mentions of taking 5 mins or so after the stretching and warm up routine to mentally relax and then focus. I do that if I am not rushed, which honestly I am rushing more than I would like to admit. I usually have the best rounds when I allow for that extra time as a sort of halfway zen session and just observe nature and the course around me.

 

Cheers.

[Javs]

4 minutes ago, Alan Scalzi said:

Yes I do, putting money away to up grade to a simulator!

Very nice!

[crickster]

I usually get to the course 45 min to an hour before so I can check the competition on the range, LOL

I also like to shoot the breeze with the guys, we have about 45 people in the group and usually have 9 tee times on wednesday afternoon.

[David Leighton Reid]

If I am playing solo, I am usually the first one off the tee box, so I don't arrive early.  However, if I am playing in a group, I like to arrive 30 - 45 minutes early so I can chip and putt.  

[Hacker60521]

I’m pretty much with the majority here. I try to arrive 30-45 minutes before the tee time. I’ll stretch before getting in the car.  My warmup is then light stretching followed by about 20-30 balls and then putting. 

[Fore67]

9 hours ago, Mr_BogeyPro said:

I try to get out of the house as quickly as possible LOL

I get there about 40 minutes before tee time which is enough time for a small bucket to warm up and some putting. I like to enjoy the day and not rush to the first tee.

Love the pic of the Stooges! I used to have this in my games room (in another earlier version of me). Always brings a smile to my face!!

Cheers + FORE!

Mike

 

[Fore67]

There are two extremes for me.

The best one is where I have plenty of time before hand and I get to the course at least an hour ahead of tee time. I do a complete stretch, get to hit a warm-up bucket (30 balls) and spend a good deal of time on the putting and chipping greens to get a good feel for how my game is going to go.

The other is when I finish my work shift and am on the tee within a half hour. That 30 minutes is action packed, change clothes, get my clubs organized, head to the proshop to pay and check in, then possibly to the restaurant to grab a sandwich and a road pop for the first tee. I get a few quick stretches, a few practice swings, maybe a few putts and hit the first hole after getting up at 4:30 and putting in 6 or 7 hours on the maintenance crew. 

My best results are when I get the time to properly prepare, but I have had a number of games under par coming from the second situation. I do find that, I usually run out of gas on the 3 or 4 closing holes of a very long day. The days I don't are usually memorable.

FORE!

Mike

[buckpillar]

All depends when I roll in the night before, normally about 30 minutes before, sometimes 5 minutes before. 

A few chips and putts ... I'm good to go, sometimes with no warm up, just stretching I've played my best rounds.

It's all in the golf gods hands how you day turns out.

[TylorJudd]

Always a minimum hour. 2 isn’t terrible if I want to eat prior. If it’s SIM golf I’ll play the course before playing when it counts But only need to swing an 8 iron, a wedge, driver, roll putts. Don’t need much time just need to stay warm.

[bama no 1]

I personally like to get there an hour before.  I dont like to rush as it seems to hurt my game, so i take it leisurely.  I breakdown my warm up session as noted below:

15 mins stretching

15 mins wedge irons

10 mins Driver/woods

15 mins on putting

Then Im off to the first tee.

[Chriso]

I like to shoot for at least an hour before. I like to warm up with a half bag of balls, then I pitch and chip the other half. Then putt until tee off. Yesterday I went to my grandson's school play and got to the course just in time to stretch and drive. It basically took me nine holes to warm up and shoot +10 (front nine). I quietly promised myself I wouldn’t do that again. 
 

[Air4444]

Usually at least 60 minutes.

[Flanpro]

Minimum 30 mins before but usually 45 mins to 1 hr depending on who is in my group - guests, members, my usual group or my better half. Each one of them presents a different requirement for check-in, warm-up etc. 

[Hacker60521]

15 hours ago, Michael.Sandoval33 said:

In my short time golfing, I have never showed up early to practice anything beforehand. I feel like having too many swing thoughts, which I practice other days, would be detrimental to me in my round. I never putt beforehand which may be why the first couple of holes are usually the toughest in that area, but yeah, so far, no warm ups. Get there and go.

@Michael.Sandoval33 on your next few rounds compare your shots on the first few holes to your shots on the last few holes. If the later shots are better and you’re more consistent then consider warming up. 
 

Also, as you play the game more you’ll hear a lot about how a pre shot routine is important to playing consistently and well. I extend that to my warmup routine as well. That way by the time I get to the first tee my mind is clear, and it’s just another shot just like I did during the warmup. No jitters 

[ckramer3]

I’m typically about 30 minutes earlier so I can hit a few chips and putts and not be rushed to the tee box. Maybe slightly earlier if it’s been a few weeks and the course has a range.

[Fore67]

23 hours ago, David Leighton Reid said:

If I am playing solo, I am usually the first one off the tee box, so I don't arrive early.  However, if I am playing in a group, I like to arrive 30 - 45 minutes early so I can chip and putt.  

I'm one who likes to be the first one out of the blocks too! Unfortunately, I'm too old to go out without stretching at least! Even for a 6:00AM time, I still have to be in the parking lot for around 5:15 latest, to properly prepare for the game. When starting work at 5, I'm up for about 3:50 (nuts, I know), but getting up at 4:30 to tee off by 6 feels like sleeping in. Crazy heh?

FORE!

Mike

[chisag]

... What an interesting thread! I am a live in the moment kinda hippie from the 70's and I play 4 or 5 times a week. IF I got to the course an hour early thats 4 or 5 hours a week, 20 hours a month and 240 hours a year spent waiting to do something.  I dislike being late more than being early so I am very rarely either. But I err on the side of being early. 

... I stretch before leaving home as I have a twice surgically repaired back and my winter home course is 5-7 minutes from my house. When I get to the course I do another few minutes of stretching, hit 4 or 5 range balls and putt a few to see how the green is rolling. I get to the course 15-20 minutes before my tee time and get to the range with 10 minutes to spare. I like to keep moving and loathe waiting. My summer course is a 25-30 minute drive and I like to get there no more than 10 minutes before my tee time. I don't hit range balls before my round when it is 110* and higher and waiting around in that kind heat with no shade is never a good idea. 
 

[David Leighton Reid]

20 minutes ago, Fore67 said:

I'm one who likes to be the first one out of the blocks too! Unfortunately, I'm too old to go out without stretching at least! Even for a 6:00AM time, I still have to be in the parking lot for around 5:15 latest, to properly prepare for the game. When starting work at 5, I'm up for about 3:50 (nuts, I know), but getting up at 4:30 to tee off by 6 feels like sleeping in. Crazy heh?

FORE!

Mike

My wife thinks I am weird that I enjoy my solo rounds as well as rounds with friends.  Okay, I admit, I am weird, but there is something very enjoyable about being the first one off the tee in the morning, even if I am playing solo.  

[Fore67]

29 minutes ago, David Leighton Reid said:

My wife thinks I am weird that I enjoy my solo rounds as well as rounds with friends.  Okay, I admit, I am weird, but there is something very enjoyable about being the first one off the tee in the morning, even if I am playing solo.  

It is one of the times I get to really relish! I follow the greens crew (and I know them all, they know I'm there so they do a nice job). I see the sunrise, I smell the cut grass, I get the newly cut holes and newly mown greens! I also usually get to play in around 3 hours! I'm home before my girl has her first cup of coffee! 

I get in my own rythym! I know I have to wait until the greens crew finishes work in front of me so I get to work on slowing myself down, pre-shot routine and breathing. If I catch the guys mowing fairways, I like to challenge myself to NOT hit it to the side of the fairway that hasn't been cut yet (so my co-worker doesn't have to get out of his machine to move my ball or to stop doing a pass just to wait for me). 

It truly is a wonderful time of day. Every once in a while I get to tee off before the first time of the day. Play as a single and get a head start on the rest of the tee sheet.  Working on the crew does have a few advantages!!

FORE!

Mike

[Fore67]

48 minutes ago, chisag said:

... What an interesting thread! I am a live in the moment kinda hippie from the 70's and I play 4 or 5 times a week. IF I got to the course an hour early thats 4 or 5 hours a week, 20 hours a month and 240 hours a year spent waiting to do something.  I dislike being late more than being early so I am very rarely either. But I err on the side of being early. 

... I stretch before leaving home as I have a twice surgically repaired back and my winter home course is 5-7 minutes from my house. When I get to the course I do another few minutes of stretching, hit 4 or 5 range balls and putt a few to see how the green is rolling. I get to the course 15-20 minutes before my tee time and get to the range with 10 minutes to spare. I like to keep moving and loathe waiting. My summer course is a 25-30 minute drive and I like to get there no more than 10 minutes before my tee time. I don't hit range balls before my round when it is 110* and higher and waiting around in that kind heat with no shade is never a good idea. 
 

Played lots of winter golf in Palm Springs, but never had the opportunity to play in 100+ temps. I expect my stretching routine would be quite different if my body was warm all the time. I don't mind sweating if I'm working out, but sweating in 100+ heat would mean I probably wouldn't want to be too early to the course to endure that for more time than necessary!

Maybe I move south for 6 months (less a day) a year to enjoy what you are speaking about!!

FORE!

Mike

[chisag]

1 minute ago, Fore67 said:

Played lots of winter golf in Palm Springs, but never had the opportunity to play in 100+ temps. I expect my stretching routine would be quite different if my body was warm all the time. I don't mind sweating if I'm working out, but sweating in 100+ heat would mean I probably wouldn't want to be too early to the course to endure that for more time than necessary!

 

... Hard as it is to believe, you don't visibly sweat even at 115*. It is so dry and whatever moisture is leaving your skin, dries up before it can even form. But you can drink 64 oz of water and never make a restroom stop so moisture is certainly leaving your body at a rapid pace. Staying loose isn't an issue. 

 

 

[No3PuttLaLa]

Always strive for an hour early. Go through stretching, hitting some balls, chipping then putting until I tee off.

If time were an issue, I’d always stretch and hit some putts. Have to always get some kind of feel for the greens. Try to prevent the first tee double

[Mike10487]

I always try to pay online. Two reasons, I miss the lines in the clubhouse, and I don't end up with another towel or shirt. LOL    It depends on the tee time. Sunday morning dew sweeper 1st tee time. 20 minutes. It's still dark, no reason to do anything other than swing the rope to warm up and roll a few putts just for speed. Later in the day rounds normally an hour. Stretch at the truck, load up, swing the rope, get the speaker set up, fill the water cup, putt and chip for 15 minutes and if time allows, bang a few shaggers from the bag. Waiting at the first tee 7-10 minutes before our tee time. If the group in front of us are horrible players a lot of time they will let us tee off ahead of them. BONUS!

Edited April 28 by Mike10487

[Mike10487]

10 hours ago, chisag said:

 

... Hard as it is to believe, you don't visibly sweat even at 115*. It is so dry and whatever moisture is leaving your skin, dries up before it can even form. But you can drink 64 oz of water and never make a restroom stop so moisture is certainly leaving your body at a rapid pace. Staying loose isn't an issue. 

 

 

We learned this last August in Scottsdale. Being from Florida where you sweat standing still in the shade to 107 and not sweating freaked me out. We hydrate with the best of them but, that was definitely a different experience. Can't wait to do it again!

[Swood1994]

I try to make it there at least 30 minutes before to stretch and putt if the course doesn’t have a range. If they do have a range I’ll give myself an extra 15-30 minutes, so 45-1 hour total.

This was all before kids, however, and now with a 1 year old I try help in the morning as much as I can so that eats away at my warm up time.

[Byrnzee]

I typically like to show up at least a half hour before a tee time to stretch, hit the range and putt. I would say 45 minutes before is probably my ideal window to feel like I'm not rushing my warm-up routine.

However, that much lead time doesn't always make sense based on the course we're playing and what time we're teeing off (hard to get there 45 minutes before if I have an hour commute to a 6:30am tee time).

Also, some courses I play at don't have much of a range or practice facilities so getting there 30 or more minutes before a round feels pointless.

[IndyBonzo]

This is a great thread.  Interesting differences, yet quite a bit of consistency in responses.

I shoot for 60 mins to stretch, hit some balls, then chip and putt, and fuss over all the accessories being in the right places.  When coming in hot and rushing from the car to the tee I don’t start well at all.  But that happens too frequently.  I need to work on that.

I like the suggestion of putting first before the range.  I typically do the opposite, but now plan to switch it around.  I wish I could say the practice greens on my usual courses were predictive of the course greens’ speeds, but … nay.  Such is the life of the muni golfer.  Ha. 

[bama no 1]

17 hours ago, David Leighton Reid said:

My wife thinks I am weird that I enjoy my solo rounds as well as rounds with friends.  Okay, I admit, I am weird, but there is something very enjoyable about being the first one off the tee in the morning, even if I am playing solo.  

To be honest I like going solo no matter what time of day.  I feel like I can challenge myself more when playing alone, work on different shots, otherwise I feel compelled to keep up with my playing partners.