GOLF CONDITIONING:

Are you ready to improve your golf game?

Sixteen per cent of Americans are actively participating in golf.  These individuals (including you??)  spend billions of dollars each year in the pursuit of the perfect game.  A set of clubs can cost upwards of $4000.  The technology in golf keeps improving every year, but the average handicap for men and women has not decreased in over 15 years.

A good set of clubs is wonderful, and when fitted properly can make a great improvement in your game.  But what happens when they fail to live up to their expectations?  Many blame the clubs and begin the quest for the perfect set.  What some people forget is that no matter how good the clubs are, they are only as good as the individual swinging them and the swing is only as good as the ‘Swinger”.  Therefore, to improve the golf swing, the first step is to improve the golfer (YOU!)

At this point, most golfers turn to a pro.  The golf pro can help improve your stroke and teach the correct swing by addressing the five factors that control ball flight: clubface alignment, swing path, angle of attack, hitting the sweet spot, and club head speed.  As the pro observes your swing, he can identify the aspects that are causing the problem and attempt to correct the faulty mechanics.  Often, more than one of the flight factors needs to be addressed.  The pro will introduce swing modifications that may include stance, swing amplitude, hip/shoulder rotation, grip and so on.  These “corrections” are often necessary to compensate for imbalances in the musculoskeletal system.  An experienced pro can often supply the golfer with an alternative and help the player “correct” the swing fault.

Unfortunately, many times the real problem is not being addressed.  Often, it is a biomechanical issue that will be compensated for, but may cause more problems down the line.  A better alternative might be turning first to a conditioning specialist to improve your game.

There are five neuromuscular factors that affect the golf swing: muscular balance, flexibility, static and dynamic posture, strength and power.  Most golf pros can recognize the faults of a golf swing, but only a few are able to connect it to the underlying physiological factor.  This has motivated many golf pros to team up with conditioning specialists to work in a combined effort and make permanent corrections to swing faults by establishing the connection to the neuromuscular system.

Muscular balance, flexibility, and static and dynamic posture have the greatest influence on the golf swing.  These will effect the golf face alignment, swing path, angle of attack and ability to hit the sweet spot.  By identifying any deficiencies in these three factors, improvements in joint mechanics, muscle recruitment and consistency of movement can be made.  Once these issues have been addressed, strength and power can be worked on to improve club head speed.

As you may have guessed, most individuals begin a conditioning program by first focusing on strength and power development.  Often times, this increases the imbalance in the musculoskeletal system and although they may see improvement in club head speed, it is the main cause of poor and inconsistent swing mechanics.  (Now your slices and hooks go 250 yards out of bounds, instead of 200.)  Therefore, our goal is to improve the player, not the club.