Pre-Season Conditioning

With the 2009 golf season less than a couple of months away it is important that golfers consider a pre-season conditioning program to get you into shape following the winter layoff.

The physical demands of golf are often underestimated!
Many golfers take the physical aspect of the golf game for granted because of its slow pace, but this should not be the case. According to the book, Complete Conditioning for Golf (Westcott and Draovitch), “the golf swing is one of the most unnatural, explosive movements in sport…you must prepare your body to both produce and withstand the forces required for powerful drives.” Most golf injuries stem from poor swing mechanics, which are often related to lack of strength training, balance and flexibility.

Golf conditioning should focus on strengthening the muscles used in game and should work to improve flexibility, balance and stability.

A pre-season conditioning program
A pre-season golf conditioning program should be performed a minimum 4 days/week, for at least 10-15 minutes per session. It is very important to pay strict attention to form and technique.

Consider including the following types of exercises in your pre-conditioning training:

• Cardio exercises - consider walking for a few minutes followed by a short burst of running; or go for a more lengthy walk several times a week, increasing your pace of walking each week.
• Strength exercises - work on strengthening your core muscles. Use a medicine ball to help strengthen your obliques (the abdominal muscles along the side of your waist), which are the main muscles used in rotating your spine during your golf swing. Don’t forget about exercises to strengthen your upper back and shoulder areas.
• Flexibility exercises - when your muscles are relaxed they lengthen and longer muscles result in few injuries. Flexibility and stretching exercises, such as the cat stretch (stretching the lower back) and hamstring stretches are simple ways to warm up and relax your muscles.

There are many resources available to help you build your own pre-season golf conditioning program. Head to your local gym and talk to their trainers, or visit your local bookstore to research information on golf specific fitness.

Golfers spend a lot of money on their golf equipment, but in fact, your own body is your most valuable piece of equipment when it comes to your game, so a pre-conditioning program will well worth the investment!

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