Rushing to the first tee is a recipe for trouble. When it’s time to play a round that counts, it’s always best to arrive early to hit the range and the practice green.
One warmup mistake to avoid, however, is treating the practice green like the driving range by throwing down three or four balls and putting them in succession. Unlike striking a ball with woods or irons, putting is more mental than physical. Whereas beating successive balls on the range can help you get sufficiently limber for the demands of the full golf swing, putting a bunch of balls on the green can put you at a mental disadvantage.
If you practice your pre-round putting by hitting the same shot with three or four balls, you run the risk of rushing things. If you hit a bad putt, you will probably hurry to hit the next putt to get it out of your mind. Which ball will you focus on? All of them? None of them? You’ll only have one ball on the green for the next 18 holes, so might as well get used to it before you start your round.
Therefore, consider practicing your putting with one ball in order to prepare yourself for the focus required for a consistent setup and for the consequences of each putt. Ten focused pre-round putts will serve you better than 30 rushed strokes with multiple balls.
An excellent tip!
I always see guys plopping down a handful of balls and it does start to look like the goal is to get them all in the hole as fast as possible.
Taking the time to center before a round is time well spent.