So I went out today for my first 18-hole round in quite a while. Knowing that I was in it for the long haul and also knowing that I would be playing with some ladies from my club, I arrived a half hour early and started warming up at the range.

This isn’t remarkable in itself other than the fact that I never “hit the range” before a round of golf. Why? Because I usually play with my husband, and he would rather poke needles in his eyes than arrive a half hour early to warm up before a round of golf. He’s more of a screech into the parking lot two seconds before his tee time kind of guy, throwing on his shoes sitting on the back bumper of the car, then letting fly his first swing of the day right there on the first tee.

After nine years as regular golf partners, we’ve finally compromised to the point where he’ll allow us to arrive five minutes early so I can use the potty before we head to the first tee. If you knew my husband, you’d know that was a major victory for me. And you’d also know that it’s only because it makes him crazy when I tell him I have to use the potty. “Woman, why didn’t you go before we left the house!” Ha ha, the joke’s on him–I did!

So during my 30 minutes on the range, I observed a pattern emerging. My playing partners and I arrived at about the same time, performed some gentle stretches, then simultaneously pulled out our pitching wedges and began hitting pitch shots into little baskets 50 yards out.

Meanwhile, two foursomes of men were also gathering for their matches. One of them pulled two clubs out of his bag and began muscling them through the air. Another reached straight for his driver, gave a few practice balls some whacks, and said loudly, “Let’s go, we don’t want to waste all our good shots.”

Us ladies, meanwhile, worked our way up gradually from pitching wedges to seven irons, to fairway woods, and eventually our drivers, then back down again ending with a few chip shots. We moved on to the putting green where we were surprised to find a few men who were actually practicing their putting. Turns out they were only there because they were waiting for the last player in their foursome. As soon as he got there, still lacing his shoes, they were off like the proverbial prom dress.

Now I don’t know how you learned the great game of golf, but I can guarantee any instructor you talk to will tell you the same thing: we women are right. We don’t think of warming up as wasting our good shots, we think of it as getting the bad ones out of the way.

Practice is a good thing. So’s warming up. If I could compare it to any one thing, I’d compare it to, pardon the pun… foreplay. And considering the two genders’ relative takes on the concept of foreplay, I really shouldn’t be surprised by the way this particular issue breaks between the two sexes. But guys, you should really try it some time. The benefits–well, let’s just say your game will appreciate the effort.

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