You love golf and you want to play it forever, especially now that you’ve retired or about ready to settle into retirement. But your game isn’t quite up to speed like it used to be and/or your playing time has become limited due to an annoying ache that’s disrupting your ability to play.
It’s a scenario that’s all too common for the Baby Boom and Senior golfer, but one that can often times be addressed with a sensible golf fitness program. Take it to the bank, a knowledgeable Golf Fitness Instructor (GFI) can work magic with the “seasoned” player in (re)gaining distance, improving playing performance and satisfaction, and keeping those nagging golf-related injuries in check.
As we age our bodies naturally change and there’s a perception that those changes, for the most part, will negatively impact how we feel and look. We just assume that with each passing year we’ll get a little flabbier, lose some muscle tone, and slow down as part of the aging process.
Granted, we will lose a step with each decade, but this assumption that the better years are behind us is bogus and one that research tells us isn’t necessarily true. Most of the negative physiological changes that take place in our bodies are not from getting older, but are fueled mainly by the fact that we become less active. It’s the inactivity that, above all, results in muscle weakness and tightness, an increase in body fat, and a reduction in cardiovascular function.
These debilitating consequences have a direct effect on our ability and desire to perform a task like swinging a golf club or, for that matter, even going out and playing a round of golf. The good news is that it’s all preventable!
Let’s be perfectly clear. There is no quick fix and a little sweat equity is required. There’s no magic pill or golf ball that will instantly change you into a better golfer overnight, but working with an experienced GFI will definitely optimize the physical makeover. In doing so, safer and more productive outcomes will be realized sooner out on the golf course. You’ll also feel better and be able to accomplish the activities of daily living with more ease.
Identifying your individualized starting point is crucial, however, and can only be accomplished with an up-front golf fitness assessment. This physical assessment is non-labor intensive, takes about 20-minutes to administer and offers a unique body blueprint, if you will, that identifies your specific musculoskeletal deficiencies (muscle tightness, weakness and imbalances). It is these deficiencies that impact swing mechanics, distance and playing performance, and are the triggers for both acute and chronic injury.
It can’t be said enough how vital the golf assessment is and why, if you love to play this game, you need to seek out a GFI and get screened. With this information in hand, you and your GFI can chart a course of action and develop a customized exercise program that will target the exact areas that need attention.
This will make for a much safer, more productive program. Your time will be better managed and that equates to quicker improvements both on and off the golf course. If consistent with the corrective exercise program, you should see and feel a difference within a few short weeks.
For older golfers the main focus for most will be on flexibility and range of motion. I’ve worked with hundreds of Senior golfers over the years and the biggest problem is lack of mobility. For some it’s upper body, for others it’s lower body, but for most it’s the entire body. Inactivity, heredity and/or the neglect of a regular stretching routine are usually the main culprits. It is amazing, though, what a little bit of stretching will do to overcome the tightness and limited range of motion most of these seasoned players present with during the initial assessment. It’s also amazing how much influence this little bit of stretching will have on (re)gaining distance.
Once the identified physical deficiencies have been improved, your supervised program should progress into golf-specific strength and balance exercises. This again is essential for the golfer, especially middle aged and up, as it will help to offset much of the muscle loss that naturally occurs in both men and women as we age. Special attention should be given to the lower body as a greater degree of muscle loss occurs in this area. A dedicated strength component will help with lower body stability during the swing and is extremely beneficial for balance. These two components are crucial for reducing the incidence of falling, as well, which is all too common among the Senior population.
Sitting back and growing older gracefully is old school. Today’s 70 is yesterday’s 50. Baby Boomers and Seniors are more active today and doing things their parents would never have dreamed of at their age. Playing better, healthier golf into the 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, and even 9th decade is definitely one of those.
If you want to re-gain the distance you once had, if you don’t want to ache the day or two after a round of golf, if you want to be able to bend down more easily to tee the ball up or pick it out of the hole (who needs those gadgets at the end of your putter?!), if you love the game and want to play it forever, you need to get yourself into a credible golf fitness program. Find a certified GFI in your area and go through the golf fitness assessment and training. No doubt, it’ll be the best investment you’ll make.
Article by: Bob Forman, MS – Exercise Physiology, Certified Golf Fitness Instructor, Author, Speaker
Website: www.golfitcarolina.com
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