The best way to ensure that your game improves this season is to properly prepare for it. April is usually a cool and wet month, which means that most courses will not open until the first week in May.
The first thing that you should be doing to prepare yourself for the upcoming season is to look at your health and fitness level. If you have any physical issues that will affect your golf swing, I would suggest that you visit your physician for treatment.
This proactive approach will ensure that your body is ready to play golf and will help prevent nagging injuries that may sideline you from the game this season.
The next thing that you need to do is get in shape to swing a golf club. There is a definite correlation between performance in golf and your fitness level. There are three areas that I suggest you work on to prepare your swing for the upcoming season. Flexibility training, aerobic training, and general strength training are all important components of a good golf swing.
First, work on stretching your golf muscles and improving your flexibility. As our bodies age, we usually lose our flexibility and range of motion. Combine this factor with a six-month layoff from the game and the result is usually a shortened and less powerful swing.
The key muscles to work on include your core (abdominal) muscles, shoulders, back, and hips. Full rotation in a golf swing usually translates to increased power and club head speed in your golf swing. It is important to maintain your flexibility throughout the entire golf season. This means that you constantly need to properly stretch and warm up before you play or practise.
Playing a round of golf requires a lot of walking. Aerobic training will help give you the energy and stamina to walk a round of golf. You can start by getting outdoors if the weather is dry and simply start walking. Gradually increase the lengths of your walks until you feel like a nine hole round will be “a walk in the park”. You can also improve your aerobic fitness level by riding your bike. If the weather is cold and wet then take your training indoors and work either on a stationary bike or treadmill. Again, gradually increase the length of your workouts over the month to improve your cardiovascular performance.
Strength training involves working on your golf-specific muscles that are needed to develop a powerful and consistent swing. Muscles that you should focus on are your abdominals, back, shoulders, legs, and wrists. Full hip rotation is critical to a good golf swing. By strengthening the muscles in your lower body this will help to build a good solid foundation for your golf swing.
For a full list of exercises that will help you prepare for your golf season, simply contact me and I will send them out to you.
Cameron Burechails is the Head Golf Professional at the Meaford Golf Club. You can contact Cameron at: (705) 441-0865 baygolfacademy@bell.net
