Welcome to Play Smarta regular GOLF.com game improvement column that will help you become a smarter and better golfer.
One of the coolest things about the Masters (at least for golf swing nerds) is The beam tracer feature on Masters.com. With it, you can track every ball hit by every player on the court throughout the week.
The information is a useful insight into how professional golfers spend their practice time on the range. And also, how many balls they hit to warm up before the competition rounds.
When recreational players hit the course before their rounds, they rarely have a plan. Some may wander around the pro shop checking out merchandise, while others head to the grill to grab a hot dog or drink. Few will go to the range for a proper warm-up—and even fewer will have a plan once they get there.
The story is quite the opposite for professional players. Apparently, every minute of their day before the start of their date is planned. And it’s not just for show. Professional golfers know that putting together a solid round of golf begins long before they hit their initial shots. With the Masters Range Tracker feature, we can see this game in real time.
Dig into the Range Tracker data to see how many balls players hit to warm up.
Fewest: 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 do you have to hit to warm up?
After tracking the number of balls hit by each player on the course before their Thursday and Friday rounds at the 2026 Masters, the average comes out to 43 warm-up balls. While this figure does not account for time spent in the short game area or on the putting green, it does provide a useful snapshot of how many full swings the pros typically make before a competitive round.
Of course, there is no one-size-fits-all golf warm-up routine. However, this average provides some useful context. Hitting just over 40 balls allows players to loosen up and feel their swing on a given day – without overdoing it and risking fatigue before reaching the first tee.
The data also reveal some notable differences. For example, Masters 2000 champion Vijay Singh hit just eight balls before his Thursday round and 16 before Friday. On the other side of the spectrum, Gary Woodland hit 63 balls before his first round and 94 before his second.
After all, there’s more than one way to prepare for a round of golf. The key is to find a routine that works for you and commit to it every time you go through the course.
