Site Search

Eternal Fairways and Greens...7 Tips That Will Keep You Playing Golf for a Life Time

By Robert L. Selders, Jr.

If current estimates are correct, over 60 million people worldwide participate in golf. It easily continues to be one of the fastest growing sports among all age groups. Golfers are also notorious for spending big bucks on new equipment, the best teaching pros, and high-tech training aids in an effort to make drastic improvements in their games. In fact, golfers spend over $26 billion a year on golf equipment and fees alone.

Golf-related injuries are also proving to be more frequent and costly. More than 60 percent of the amateur golfers have sustained one or more golf-related injuries over the course of their playing years. Over fifty percent of touring professionals have had to stop playing because of injuries. Many of these injuries were attributed to a strength deficiency, lack of conditioning, or poor posture.

A number of golfers have been enlightened to the importance of maintaining and investing in the most important piece of golfing equipment out there. Unfortunately, the majority still fail to realize that the piece of equipment that will ultimately determine their golfing success and allow them to play well for years to come is their own BODY.

So while you're reaching for your counterforce brace, analgesic balms, or trusted anti-inflammatory, consider why you need to make the effort to prepare your body now if you plan to continue playing for a life time.

  1. Golfers ARE athletes! While the golf swing is performed in a different plane, its rapid, forceful movement requires numerous muscles to fire in the right sequence and synchronously with one another to produce a coordinated, harmonious swing. Whoever said golf is not a sport has probably never experienced the estimated 75-90 mph force that accompanies an average golf swing.
  2. Get checked before you get wrecked. Instead of scheduling a lesson that will only correct your swing faults, consider booking an appointment for a functional assessment of your body. This type of assessment can detect deficiencies and assist in developing your individualized conditioning program.
  3. You need a solid foundation. Improving the strength, balance, and stability of your lower body will give you the support necessary to properly shift your body-weight and generate loads of rotational power.
  4. Flex for the X. By incorporating flexibility training into your fitness program, you will not only increase your X-Factor, but also help ensure optimal performance and reduce the risk of injury.
  5. Don't forget the Core. Core strength and stability are essential in order to be consistent and maintain correct posture during the various positions of the golf swing. Without this integral piece, your ability to generate sufficient rotational power will be severely impaired.
  6. You won't become a 'muscle head'. It isn't necessary to 'lift the gym', but golf does require a specific type of strength to handle the stresses your body is subjected to with each stroke. Strengthening these stabilizing and force producing muscles will add dimensions to your game that will make you the envy of your 'non-golf-fitness-program-participant' playing partners.
  7. No 50 yd Sprints or Boston Marathons. Golf doesn't require you to sprint from one shot to the next or run any marathons. However, playing and walking 18 holes in the Texas summer heat can leave you feeling as if you had. You can improve your endurance capacity by performing at least 20-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise like brisk walking, swimming, or cycling at least 3 times a week. This will allow you to remain as mentally focused on the 18th hole as you are on the 1st.

There is a strong correlation between the physical condition of a golfer and their ability to produce a fluid and powerful golf swing. The nice thing about incorporating a regiment of fitness and strength training into your schedule is that you are never too old to do it or to enjoy the benefits. Whether you are in your early twenties or late eighties, you can increase your strength dramatically.

A well designed golf fitness program will allow you to make more effective use of the additional tools you select to improve your game, and allow your golf teaching pro to help you get the most from your golf lessons. While it doesn't promise to give you a body that will end up on the pages of a bodybuilding magazine, it will give you a better conditioned body overall that will allow you to pursue your passion for a lifetime.

***robertlseldersjr..shtml***