by Brett Cohen
Titlelist Performance Institute Golf Fitness Instructor,
C.H.E.K Institute Golf Performance Instructor

When temperatures rise and the birds begin chirping, we get inspired to resume
our warm-weather activities. For golfers that means hitting lots of balls at the
driving range or hitting the links.

Every golfer wants to play better golf! The desire to lower one’s handicap is
present from the tour professional down to the recreational golfer. However, the
most common method used for improving your golf game is either lessons from a
golf professional and/or a lot practice. Although this seems like a logical
approach, it is the very reason most golfers rarely reach their potential.
Did you know that: 80% of golfers suffer from some sort of pain or injury?
According to a Golfers Health study by Golf Digest in 2006, 64% of all golfers
suffered from low back pain.

By following this three-step formula for success, you can avoid pain and injury
and have your best swing yet!

Step 1: Know Before You Go.. Get Assessed..
Most golfer go out and hit ball not realizing that their body is quite ready for the
repetitive and ballistic nature of hitting a golf ball. The only way to know if your
body is ready to swing is by having a proper screening, assessment or
evaluation. A physical golf evaluation looks at a golfer’s movement patterns,
posture and overall flexibility as it relates to golf. The objective of an evaluation is
to determine a player’s physical limitations and injury risk potential by identifying
movement deficiencies that may lead not only to a break down of the body over
time, but to a host of common swing faults.
This information allows the golf fitness professional to customize a stretching and
strengthening program that allows the golfer to overcome his/her performance
challenges.

Step 2: Attack Your Weaknesses
Now that you know the physical factors that are the cause of your swing faultswork
on improving your body. Of the 5 factors that determine the flight and
destination of the ball:

1. Clubface alignment
2. Swing path
3. Angle of attack at impact
4. Hitting the sweet spot
5. Clubhead speed

The first 4 are under the direct control of flexibility/mobility and stability of the
body. Implementing a corrective stretching program will help you get your body
into the best possible position to execute the most consistent swing pattern
possible for you. Besides.. you’ll feel better too.

Step 3: Learn How to Warm-Up for Golf
A proper warm-up is something every great athlete does. A thorough pre-golf
warm-up is something many golfers ignore. A golf-specific warm-up will lubricate
your joints, warm your muscles and connective tissues, and activate your
nervous systems. All in all, it will help to improve your game!
Golfers that perform a golf-specific warm up just prior to hitting practice
commonly experience increased consistency, hitting distance and a reduction on
previously problematic swing faults.

Brett’s Bottom Line:
If a golfers goals are to:
• Increase driving distance
• Increase ball speed
• Have more consistent scores
• Reduce risk of playing related injures
• Have Better energy on the course
…then following a carefully designed exercise program which conditions the
golfer specifically for the game is your best bet. “No matter how technologically
advanced the equipment, it cannot endow the golfer with the physical capacity
that he or she does not possess. Even the best clubs don’t play the game for
you!” – Paul Chek, author of: The Golf Biomechanics Manual