Tiger Woods' ex-coach has a 4-word reaction to the idea of golf courses having a warm-up hole

Tiger Woods' former coach, Hank Haney, recently reacted to a social media post suggesting that golf courses should include a dedicated warm-up hole. The idea drew attention after a photo from Meadow Farm Golf Course was shared online.

A post by NUCLR Golf on X (formerly Twitter) showed an image of a sign at Meadow Farm Golf Course featuring a “WARM-UP HOLE,” a Par 4 that measures between 230 and 361 yards depending on the tee. Unlike driving ranges or putting greens, this is a full practice hole where players can play a complete warm-up shot. Along with the photo, NUCLR Golf asked:

“⛳️🏌️‍♂️Thoughts on having a warm-up hole? 🧐”

Haney reposted the image and responded with a short four-word reaction:

“Great idea, love it.”

Haney has long emphasized the importance of warming up before a round. In an earlier Golf Digest article, he suggested players do at least five minutes of warm-up involving stretching and swinging with a couple of irons to prepare the body for play.

Hank Haney coached Tiger Woods from 2004 to 2010. Woods won 31 PGA Tour titles and six major championships during that time. It was one of the most successful eras of his career.

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What does Tiger Woods' warm-up routine look like?

During Tiger Woods's peak years, his strong starts were often the result of a solid warm-up routine. In 2022, during a Q&A at the TGR Jr. Invitational at Pebble Beach, Woods spoke about how he used to struggle with his first tee shots as a junior golfer. To fix that, he created what he called a “dress rehearsal.” (0.04 onwards)

He shared, “I used to struggle on the first tee shot so badly as a junior — I missed every fairway, every single time. So I came up with this dress rehearsal. I still do it to this day if you watch.”

Woods explained that he goes through his entire bag before starting a round. He begins with a sand wedge, then hits shots with an 8-iron, 4-iron, 5-wood, 3-wood, and driver. Then, he circles back to the 8-iron and 60-degree wedge before finishing with the club he plans to use on the first hole.

Tiger Woods said the key is to treat the last shot on the range like the real first tee shot.

“I go through the bag and I pick out the club, envision the shot. I know the wind, I know what the fairway’s doing, I know where the pin is. And I hit that shot. And if I hit it wrong, club back in the bag, towel off the hands, put it back up, I re-do it. And when I get to the first tee, I say, it’s just like the range. It’s the same thing. Same shot. And I started having a lot more success. I started winning more junior tournaments that way, and it just kind of built upon itself," he said.

This method helped Tiger Woods gain confidence before rounds, contributing to his 15 major titles and 82 PGA Tour wins. Looking at his recent performances, Woods hasn’t played a competitive event since The Open at Royal Troon in July 2024.