GOLF SNACKS – WHAT TO EAT AND WHEN

Ever had that feeling where you are having a great round and then get to the 14th or 15th hole and start to make silly mistakes? Wrong club, misjudge the wind, 3 putt from nowhere??

Always score better on the front 9 than the back 9?

Feel like you throw away too many good rounds by coming home on the bogey (or double bogey) train?

Playing consistent golf all the way through a round has a lot to do with being able to maintain concentration. Maintaing concentration has a lot do with keeping energy levels up. Keeping energy levels up is all about FOOD!!

So what should we eat? And when should we eat it? Continue Reading→

Anyone who plays golf whether professionally, competitively through club leagues and even the casual golfer understand the physical demands of golf. The load placed on the body in the full swing is tremendous and even practising long and short games can wreak havoc on a player’s back. How can one alleviate pain or mitigate the impact on the body?

Sport specific fitness can help all levels of golfers with their game, reducing their handicap but more importantly will help extend their golf playing abilities.

So how does being fit for golf translate to improving your game and what exactly is golf fitness? Continue Reading→

A Slide is defined as any excessive lower body lateral movement towards the target during your downswing.  This swing fault makes it very difficult to stabilize your lower body during the downswing, which will eventually rob power and speed from the upper body through impact.  Your upper body needs a stable lower body to accelerate around during the downswing.  Once the lower body starts its forward shift into the downswing its job is to transfer energy to the upper body and stabilize the extreme rotary forces that are created in the upper body, arms, and club.  If there is no stable platform to rotate around, players will lose power and try to develop speed in an inefficient sequence.

What causes me to Slide and how do I correct it?

In order to coil around your lead hip during the downswing several physical characteristics must be developed. First and foremost, lead hip internal rotation is paramount for full rotation into the lead hip without any lateral sway. If the body is unable to rotate around the lead hip due to joint or muscular restrictions than lateral movements will dominate the pattern.

Finally, the ability to laterally stabilize your lead leg during the downswing is directly proportional to the strength and stability of your gluteal musculature (your butt). When it comes to lower body lateral stabilization the glute medius is the king. This muscle helps prevent the lead hip from elevating and shifting lateral during an aggressive downswing rotation.

I would strongly recommend being evaluated by a golf specific physiotherapist or similar to get a better understanding of your personal physical  characteristics.

Source Peak Performance

What is the biggest mistake that seniors make in relation to their body and golf?

Most senior golfers try to get fit through golf and very few for golf. Many senior golfers will play more golf per week then when they were in their thirties and forties however they do not invest in physically preparing their body for the increase in golf that they play. A good anecdote, is imagine driving your car 4 times further every week without giving it service or an oil change. The difference is that you can replace your car not your body.

Am I too old for this?

No, you are the right age for this program.

Our bodies get weaker and stiffer with reduced balance and posture as we get older. This means reduction in our overall function which reduces our overall ability to perform on the golf course.This aging dysfunction process may result in reduced participation in golf as you get older which can result in you being incapable of playing golf.Most senior golfers are highly successful and have worked hard throughout their lives to play good golf but are unaware of golf specific training. Many senior golfers will spend thousands of dollars on new clubs and equipment but have spent no time in, investing in the actual machine that is behind the clubs and that is your body.

Why should I do this golf fitness package when I am already working out in the gym?

A Golf specific program is unique in that it customises your golf specific exercises with your body and your swing to maximise function.Most gym programs are generic and not golf specific. Some of the general exercises are detrimental and may even harm your swing. Eg. bicep curls / sit-ups etc.

Source Ramsay McMaster

Good abdominal muscle group tone protects the spine and promotes good coil and recoil, thus producing power in the golf swing.

If you work these muscles in harmony with the lower-back muscles (latissimus dorsi and the glutei muscles), you will succeed in rotating just above the pelvis and maintain good lower-body stability in the swing. This will also result in more power being generated through the lumbar pelvic area.

The majority of golfers who play intensively have tight hip flexors. Prior to carrying out abdominal exercises, golfers should stretch their hip flexors to ensure these muscles are not used instead of the abdominals. These muscles also help to maintain good spinal angle throughout the golf swing. Dysfunction in this area will result in a reverse pivot and, possibly, a sheering or jamming of your back at impact.

Source Ramsay McMaster

Flexibility has been singled out as one of the most important components of the golf swing. Any time you have tight muscles your body responds in restricted movement. So, optimal flexibility becomes the key to freedom of movement in the swing. Any time you can enhance your flexibility, you have the potential to lengthen your golf swing and create greater club head speed. A golfer’s focus should always be on restoring normal range of motion before progressing onto more advanced strength programs.

Dynamic stretches are highly recommended prior to each round of golf. Dynamic stretches are those that keep your body in motion throughout the full range of the stretch. It should not be a time consuming process. It should only take 10 or 15 minutes of your time and should be part of a full warm up program you perform prior to play. This includes time to warm up your muscles, practice your technique and mentally prepare yourself for the round ahead.

The ultimate goal is to increase the functional range of motion around the joints affecting the golf swing. Limited range of motion contributes to improper mechanics, fatigue, and injury. Here is a comprehensive list of benefits you’ll see by increasing your flexibility through a regular stretching program.

• Increases range of motion allowing you to stretch and reach further
• Improves distance, power, accuracy and consistency
• Reduces the incidence and severity of low back pain
• Improves your power in explosive activities
• Improves circulation and blood flow
• Relieves muscle soreness after intense physical activity
• Improves posture and muscle balance
• Increases muscle coordination
• Promotes a more fluid and natural golf swing
• Increases neuromuscular coordination Increases level of golf performance
• Allows you to feel more free through the full range of movement

Source Susan Hill

Low back pain is the most common injury seen in golfers of all ages and skill levels, from beginners to touring professionals. Low back pain in golfers is
usually due to overuse, or repetitive strain, rather than due to a single incident, and often has many factors that contribute to its development. Poor posture at address, and throughout the swing, places extra stress through the discs, joints, ligaments and muscles of the lower back. Poor postural habits at work, when sitting in the car or at the computer, and while watching TV, all impact on your posture on the golf course. This poor posture places your spine in a vulnerable position and greatly increases the risk of injury.

Restrictions in other parts of the body often result in injury to the lower back. The golf swing requires rotation, and most of this rotation occurs in your upper back and hips. Tightness in these regions is very common and causes increased rotary stress on the lower back, resulting in injury. Several swing faults have also been identified as causes of low back pain in golfers. Often these swing faults are due to physical restrictions that cause you to swing in a certain way, which can result in injury to the lower back.

For a thorough assessment of your low back pain, including a comprehensive assessment of the relationship between your golf swing and your body, consult a Golf Specific Physiotherapist.

Source High Performance Golf

Builders take great time and care to ensure a building’s foundations are stable and correct, otherwise the building can’t be developed correctly. So it is with a golf swing. You can identify a good golfer by the way they stand to the ball, likewise a golfer with poor posture is identified as one who limits their potential.

Ground force: why great golf swings start from the feet Continue Reading→

Run and Hit -Pitching

Around the green create a shot easy or more difficult to a specific target.  Using 1 ball, you must hit 10 shots to that same target.   Before hitting each shot you must run around the green.  Once back at the ball, run through your full pre-shot routine prior to hitting each shot.   After you have hit your shot pick up your ball and start to run around the green again.  Repeat 10 times.  It is important to note the quality of shots early in the drill compared to the last half of the drill.  Do they drop off?  What can you do to help deal with the lack of breath or the heart beating more quickly?  Allocate points in relation to where the shot finishes.  5 points if you hole out, 2 points if the ball finishes within 1 club length, 0 points if outside of 1 club length.

Repeat this drill a various stages of you practice.