by Susan Hill
Are you seeing the same decrease in your handicap that reflects
your hard work and efforts? Do you consistently fall short on your
drives or feel exhausted at the end of 18 holes? Do you carry the
disappointment of a missed putt over into the next hole? If you
are plagued with problems like these then it is time to give your
golf game a boost. Change your golf game for the better by focusing
on the following five areas: flexibility, strength, endurance,
nutrition, and mental toughness.
Flexibility:
Have you ever rushed to the golf course, quickly stepped up to
the tee and felt stiff when you swung your golf club? Warming up
your muscles can help relieve stiffness, but it is better to be
more proactive in your approach. Therefore, it is essential to
stretch on a regular basis. This allows you to increase and maintain
your flexibility. You only need a small investment of your time
in order to see significant gains in your range of motion.
Strength:
Have you incorporated strength training into your exercise routine?
Many golfers are tempted to swing as hard as possible when hitting
the golf ball. There are several adverse side effects of doing
this. Your muscles may not be physically prepared for the intense
strain and you may become injured. Increasing strength will enable
your body to tackle the demands of the golf swing and prepare it
for the action ahead.
Endurance:
Do you lose your intensity or feel tired after a few holes? If
so, then focus on your endurance. At first glance, golf may not
appear to be a game in which aerobic fitness is necessary. However,
golfers that walk the course can walk nearly five miles over the
course of 18 holes. Try to work in 20-45 minutes, 3-5 days per
week of cardiovascular activity.
Nutrition:
Your body needs the proper fuel to work efficiently. Common sense
dictates that loading up on junk food is a bad idea. So what exactly
should you eat? An optimal sports nutrition menu plan will include
high quality carbohydrates, lean protein, fruits, vegetables, and
plenty of water.
Mental Toughness:
Are you still thinking about the drive you sliced on the first
hole as you set up to tee off at the second hole? This negative
thought pattern will adversely affect your game. How you perceive
the situation affects each shot. One way to increase your mental
toughness is not to relive missed shots. Visualize a good shot
to help erase the missed shot from your mind.
Take these five facts into account and you’ll likely see
better results with your game. It will take some time to make these
activities a habit, but will be well worth the effort.
Susan Hill is a CHEK Golf Biomechanic and President of FitnessforGolf.com,
a private, member’s only, online golf fitness website
dedicated to the improvement of golfers worldwide. For more
information on her golf products and services, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.
