Welcome to Play Smart, a regular GOLF.com game-improvement column that will help you become a smarter, better golfer.
One of the coolest things about the Masters (for golf-swing nerds, at least) is the Range Tracker feature on Masters.com. With it, you can track every ball hit by every player in the field all week long.
The information is a useful insight into how pro golfers spend their practice time on the range. And also, how many balls they hit to warm up before competition rounds.
When recreational golfers get to the course before their rounds, they seldom have a plan. Some might wander around the pro shop checking out merch, while others head for the grill to grab a hot dog or beverage. Few will go to the range for a proper warmup — and even fewer will have a plan once they get there.
The story is quite the opposite for pro golfers. Seemingly every minute of their day prior to their tee time is scheduled out. And it’s not just for show. Pro golfers know that putting together a solid round of golf starts well before they strike their opening tee shots. With the Masters Range Tracker feature, we can see this play out in real time.
Dug into the Range Tracker data to see how many balls players hit to warmup.
Least: Vijay Singh (8 balls Rd1, 16 Rd2)
Most: Gary Woodland (63 Rd1, 94 Rd2)
Most consistent: Kurt Kitayama (40 Rd1&2); Ryan Gerard (28 Rd 1&2)
Least consistent: Jose Maria Olazabal (30 Rd1, 76 Rd2)— Zephyr Melton (@zephyrmelton) April 11, 2026
How many balls should you hit to warmup?
After tracking the number of range balls hit by every player in the field before their Thursday and Friday rounds at the 2026 Masters, the average comes out to 43 balls per warmup. While this figure doesn’t account for time spent in the short-game area or on the putting green, it offers a useful snapshot of how many full swings pros typically make before a competitive round.
Of course, there’s no one-size-fits-all warmup routine in golf. Still, this average provides helpful context. Hitting just over 40 balls allows players to loosen up and get a feel for their swing on a given day — without overdoing it and risking fatigue before they even reach the 1st tee.
The data also reveals some notable outliers. For instance, 2000 Masters champion Vijay Singh hit just eight balls before his Thursday round and 16 before Friday. At the other end of the spectrum, Gary Woodland hit 63 balls ahead of his opening round and 94 before his second.
Ultimately, there’s more than one way to get ready for a round of golf. The key is finding a routine that works for you and committing to it every time you step onto the course.
