It’s no secret; summer has come to an end. With the warmer weather fading, most golfers will start hanging up the clubs. Unfortunately, most amateur golfers believe that there isn’t anything that they can do to help their game throughout the cold season. When in reality, this couldn’t be any further from the truth! So what should we learn from the world’s elite golfers in this situation? Easy, you need to make a commitment to staying flexible and fit, especially throughout the off-season. A game plan should be developed with proper exercise prescription aimed at correcting imbalances, with focus on specific frequency, duration and repetitions. If you are not able to have a professional evaluation completed, my own professional golf and rehabilitation experience has shown me four key areas that most average golfers need to focus on:
- 1. Athletic Posture – To create speed and power in your golf swing, you must create an athletic base of support with your feet to the ground. Most of us know how vital this is, but the vast majority continue to have a weak starting point for their swings. To try and optimize posture, imagine yourself assuming the starting position of a baseball shortstop, basketball player on defense, or hockey goalie. This will help you get into a stable foundation.
- 2. Dynamic Mobility – The ability to move a specific joint through the full range of motion, with control. Mobility is critical in every arena of athletics, especially for golfers. Sports, recreational activities and daily routines can result in reduced range of motion for any participating joint. When this occurs, surrounding joints must take the slack, creating altered movement patterns and stress all around. Pain and lack of motion soon follow.
- 3. Stability – To play successfully, you need to be able to support each athletic movement properly. When a specific part of the body is not strong or stable enough to support movement or positional change, compensating tissues become recruited, creating improper and potentially damaging patterns. Areas of focus in golfers are glute (buttock) and core stabilization, both of which are needed for consistent speed, impact and distance.
- 4. Power and Strength – This is straightforward. Courses have gotten an average of 400 yds longer over the last 20 years. That’s almost 25 yds per hole! Every golfer needs to focus on power exercises if they want to stay competitive with the rest of the field. So don’t be afraid to pick up the weights, cables, therabands, and medicine balls!
Winter season tends to be the worst time of year for golfers, but you can make the most of it by setting some goals and getting in shape. Try it, you’ll begin to feel better and play better. This can have a profound effect on both your scorecard and your life.
Being a former pro at TPC Deere Run and Eagle Ridge Golf Resort, I have a strong passion for working with recreational golfers. If you have any questions or concerns, or would like to setup an evaluation, please feel free to email me at jgreen@pssmnewtown.com or call the office at Newtown, PA: 215-504-2223, Lawrenceville, NJ:609-588-8600.
