Golf fitness is no longer optional

If you watch golf in person or on TV, you can’t help but notice that the best golfers in the world look quite different than the golfers from previous decades. Today’s golfers are strong, fit, and look like superb athletes. Although there’s nothing wrong with looking fit, competitive golfers are generally after something different. They understand that if they move well, are strong, and can swing fast, they’ll play better golf. Today’s game at every level is dominated by the fastest golfers.

It’s not just the pro game that’s changed. Junior golfers today play a much different game than their predecessors did just a few years ago. Now younger players are bombing the ball farther than ever. The challenge for these long hitters is to train their bodies to be able to withstand the rigors of year-round training, practice, and competition.

I’ve seen first-hand what happens when committed juniors with speed ignore or de-emphasize work in the gym. In the last month, we had two high school students test positive for stress fractures and one high school student just return from a stress fracture. In all three cases, the required break from golf is six months without certainty that the fracture will completely heal. Also, in all three cases, the injuries were likely caused by poor physical conditioning.

Now that I’ve piqued your interest as to the importance of fitness for developing juniors, let me describe it’s benefits and the best way to get started.

Benefits of Physical Training

1. Preventing injuries – Mastering the golf swing requires a high volume of repetition and with each swing, the body has to rotate, bend, and tilt at high speeds. It’s no wonder there are so many injuries – even though it’s a non-contact sport. A well-designed fitness program will attack limitations and weaknesses that can lead to injury.
2. Moving better – Athletes that move well have an easier time developing coordination and skill and have to compensate less for unwanted movements. In my experience, when golfers are sufficiently mobile, stable, and strong, they find it easier to adapt to changes they are making in their golf swing.
3. Getting faster – Powerful swings require strength and speed and both strength and speed can be trained in the gym. We have seen significant increases in club speed from our golfers who are training in the gym.
   

Tips for Getting Started

1. Find a golf fitness facility that has a history of training competitive golfers. These days, it seems there’s a gym on every corner but most of these gyms don’t have extensive experience working with rotational athletes and the unique needs of golfers.
2. Start your training with a physical screen or evaluation. All of our golfers get screened quarterly so that we can properly asses their strengths and weaknesses. Without an evaluation, we’d be flying blind when it comes to putting together a workout program.
3. Tie your physical training to your technical training. When developing a fitness program, an experienced fitness professional will create a program that considers the technical changes that a golfer is attempting to make. Often these changes can be reinforced or even accelerated with the right work in the gym.

 
If you need more convincing as to the value of fitness for today’s competitive golfer, here’s what Tyler Duncan, recent first-time winner of the RSM Classic, said in his interview after the round. When asked how he got his game good enough to win on the PGA Tour, Tyler attributed his success to the “stuff I’ve been doing has paid off.” The follow-up question asked him to clarify and Tyler said, “Training harder in the gym.” Join Tyler and the majority of pros, college players, and competitive juniors by getting started with and sticking to a comprehensive golf fitness program.