Golf Tutorials

How to Prepare for a Round of Golf

By Spencer Lanoue
July 24, 2025

The difference between a great round of golf and a frustrating one often happens before you even step onto the first tee. Proper preparation arms you with confidence, eliminates unnecessary stress, and primes your body and mind to perform. This guide offers a complete timeline for preparing for a round of golf, breaking down what you should be doing from the days leading up to your finish on the 18th hole.

The Days Leading Up: Laying the Foundation for a Good Round

Success on the golf course is built on a solid foundation, and that foundation is laid in the days before you play. A little proactive effort here saves you a lot of on-course stress and lets you focus on hitting good shots.

Check the Forecast and Plan for It

Look at the weather forecast two or three days out. This simple step influences everything from what you wear to how you strategize. Is it going to be windy? You might need to practice hitting lower, more controlled shots. Is rain forecast? Time to find your waterproofs and pack an extra towel and a few extra gloves sealed in a plastic bag to keep them dry. Hot and sunny? Sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and a plan for hydration are a must.

Do Your Homework on an Unfamiliar Course

If you're playing a course for the first time, spend a few minutes looking it up online. Most club websites have a scorecard and a course map. Look for things like:

  • The overall length and par: Is it a long course that will demand more woods, or a shorter one where accuracy is the main thing?
  • The "trouble spots": Where are ponds and out of bounds most in play? Which holes seem to have the most bunkers? A quick visual from a course flyover on a page like Youtube will provide great insight.
  • Yardages on par 3s: Know what clubs you’ll likely be using for the a day of golf so you know what you are doing on the range.

This scouting mission isn't about overthinking. Taking the time to prepare yourself mentally removes the shock factor and helps you to a create simple game plan.

Light, Purposeful Practice

Your pre-round preparation at the a driving range on the days leading up to golf should not be a technical session with six things to be changing in your swing. Instead, go to the range a day or two before you play with a clear purpose: wake your body up and re-familiarize wit ball-striking. Practice some simple chip shots and get a feel for how hard you struck those to help guide you a day later on the course.

The Night Before: Setting Yourself Up for A Good Morning

What you do the evening before a round can impact your an day performance just as much as a great warm-up a day after. The goal here is organization and peace of mind.

Pack Your Bag for Peace of Mind

There is nothing worse than running around like a headless chicken on the morning of right before leaving searching for tees or your lucky glove. Get everything packed and ready the night before to avoid the early morning chaos. Your game will notice the stress-free experience getting ready.

Your Pre-Go Bag Checklist:

  • Clean aClubs: Take a wet cloth and an old toothbrush to the club heads and grooves. Clean aclubsf spin the ball and perform more predictably. This simple act of getting your gear rady can be weirdly good..
  • Golf Balls: Pack at least a dozen - even if you are a great player - you just never know how things will go during an off-day...
  • Gloves: pack two or three in ziplock-type bags.. if one becomes to dry or wet it is good to have an alternate one a quick reach.
  • Course Essentials: Refill your a tee supply, track down your favorite ball marker and pop in a two a divot repair tools (since one always seems to run away some time during the a half game).
  • Proper aAttirea: Put oyur attire out based on the forecast and the golf club’s dress rules. And always pack a couple extra a pair of socks - fresh half way through a round that is hotter than a motherload of a day in can really impact your game positively. Don.don’t froget to pack sunglasses anda a hat too.
  • Snacks a and Water Bottle: pack a water a bottle water (that ayou can also add some sugarfree electrolytes). Also remember ot pop in protein bars, bananas, bananas, walnuts,... Your adriving aand chipping will need energy - your ahitting good is energy at the right time.

The aMorniingo pf: The a Preprationa Continues

Your actions on the game of your mroingn have to have an outzized impact on the golf game. This phase requires balancing nutrition, light physical activity, and get on time at the course.

Eat a Good BreakfAst and Get Yourself Someh HysdraiotnA Well

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Spencer has been playing golf since he was a kid and has spent a lifetime chasing improvement. With over a decade of experience building successful tech products, he combined his love for golf and startups to create Caddie AI - the world's best AI golf app. Giving everyone an expert level coach in your pocket, available 24/7. His mission is simple: make world-class golf advice accessible to everyone, anytime.

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