A few years ago I began an arduous physical fitness routine for health reasons not golf. I worked out 6 days a week, alternating days of cardio and strength training, lost 30 lbs and felt as good as I did in high school. As I got fit an interesting thing happened my golf game improved. I hit the ball longer, straighter and still felt strong on the 18th tee instead of tired and wiped out. My handicap dropped too. I was consistently shooting in the mid eighties with more low eighty scores creeping in. So was it only the physical training that helped, no. But it was a major factor.
Getting in shape gave me the energy to practice more without tiring, play longer without fatigue with a mental sharpness that improved my focus on each shot. All things that are requisite to a good personal game of golf. We have all gone to the range and hit a couple of buckets of balls, aimlessly most of the time, thinking that we have done something to improve our game. Reality Check: You tired out unfit, untrained muscles teaching them bad memory habits which translated into your game and you wondered why, when you worked so hard your game did not improve, maybe even got worse.
Gary Player, quite probably the first true golf fitness guru, at a Champions Tour event in Atlanta during a post round practice range session turned to the crowd and said "Look up and down this range, you'll not see anyone over 60 out here who is really fat. That's because fat bodies wear out. The creator gave you a wonderful piece of machinery, and man created this wonderful game we call golf. To play the game forever you have to keep your body in shape."
It simple, get fit, work on flexibility and get help for good mechanics.
You can do some training at home, Roger Frederick has a good in home flexibility DVD program endorsed by Arnold Palmer and Gary Player, Cindy Reid the director of instruction at TPC Sawgrass in Florida has a great book "Get yourself in Golf Shape". The Wii from Nintendo has some great fitness programs. But if you are like most of us, then getting personalized help is the only way to go.
My friend Courtney Rudolph the LPGA teaching pro at Indian Peaks Golf Course in Lafayette, Colorado has started a 6 week off season get in shape course. The Golf Fitness class will be held on Wednesdays starting January 13 through February 18, at 2:45 pm and runs until 4:00 pm. The course will cover proper mechanics, golf flexibility and muscular endurance. A great benefit is the small groups which will give more individual attention to each golfer and it's only $150 for the entire 6week course. That's just a couple of rounds of golf folks, a reasonable price for a season of better golf. Contact Courtney at courtney@city of lafayette.com or call Courtney Rudolph at 303 666 4706. While your there sign up for some swing lessons, if you are serious, get serious.
Start the 2010 with the right mental and physical attitude.
