Exercise For Golf

The appropriate amount of proper exercise for golf can be the difference between earning a college scholarship and being forced to get even more resourceful with regards to paying for college. While lesser motivated golfers may lazily fall into the argument that if John Daly (pictured to the left) could be a successful golfer in the PGA for over a decade despite being an obese three hundred pound man who smoke and drank then clearly optimal physical fitness is not of the utmost importance.

John Daily himself would admit that he should not be a role model for anyone and that his physique is clearly the exception in an increasingly competitive field where even the slightest edge can mean the difference between winning a tournament by a stroke and advancing to the next stage in a prosperous career or coming up short and never realizing untapped potential for success. We'll never know how good John Daly could have been if his physical fitness and personal life would not have dragged down this man with uncanny talent.

PGA, LPGA, and NCAA rules mandate that all players, baring a physical handicap, walk the entire 18 holes that comprise every round of golf. For most players this means walking anywhere from four to five hours per round. Despite hills and varying terrain this physical exertion should not be confused with the physical conditioning required to complete an iron man triathlon. Having said that a healthy body and sharp mind are the best ways to insure that fatigue will not play a predictably negative role in competitive play.

For many female golfers one of the most challenging aspects of maintaining a consistent year round workout routine is inclement weather. Perhaps it should be no surprise that a disproportionate amount of successful golfers come from warm climates like Florida, Hawaii, and Southern California. Year round golf weather means both more days out of the year for actual practice as well as an increased amount of opportunities for traditional cardiovascular exercise like jogging and cycling.

There is good news though for the majority of golfers who do not live in the select few year round temperate climates. The encouraging news is that there are a surplus of exercise routines at home that can be performed year round from the comfort of a young golfers living room that will help put them in the best position possible for long term success. Aside from the obvious tools like treadmills and stationary bicycles for cardio exercise there is the extremely simple yet often overlooked routine of regular stretching. While cardio exercise and general strength training are essential components to maximizing golf potential perhaps neither one is as important as the underrated act of a consistent stretch program.

Golf is no different than negotiating with regards that most of the power is derived from leverage. While the world of negotiating is dictated by positions and trade offs, leverage as it relates to golf is purely a physical attribute as it pertains to flexibility and torque. Hitting a drive over 300 yards almost always has less to do with muscle mass or how much a golfer can bench press and almost everything to do with flexibility and the whipping action that occurs when a well trained ball striker uncoils her hips and swings open her shoulders and chest while the driver rapidly wraps around the torso and smashes the golf ball off the tee and into the fairway. For many golfers the previously described swing in conjunction with the pure sound of the ball being perfectly struck on the sweet spot is complete golf nirvana.

Complete exercise routines at home that incorporate, strength training, cardio, and flexibility are the best way to ensure year round performance in the tee box.

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