The 2003 golfing season is under way. The PGA tour is in its
third week, and Tiger Woods is already 1.8 million dollars behind
Ernie Els on the money list.
The 2003 golfing season is under way. The PGA tour is in its third week, and Tiger Woods is already 1.8 million dollars behind Ernie Els on the money list.
The new Senior Champions Tour and the LPGA tour begin this week.
So as you can see, the players don’t have much time to rest. During the offseason, most of the tour players are over seas playing in exhibition and corporate tournaments. This can be very demanding on the body.
I though I would begin this year with a mini series on nutrition, strengthening and stretching. There has been some misconceptions that golf is a non-physical sport.
All of the fundamental requirements golf places on the body for rotation, motion, strength, balance and eye coordination are very much the same as in any sport.
Let’s begin with stretching. If you spend 10 to 20 minutes each day stretching, you can regain the flexibility that the body needs to move and function properly and avoid injury. I seldom see golfers stretching before they play or practice.
When we conduct a lesson or have have a session of golf school, we spend a few minutes of stretching before we begin hitting balls. The best way to increase function is by doing what are called static stretches.
Hold each stretch for 20 to 30 seconds at a time without bouncing or moving. Some of the muscle groups you should concentrate on are the calf, hamstrings, quadriceps, triceps, hips, trunk, upper body, shoulders, neck, hands and forearms.
There are many different stretches you can perform to improve your flexibility. My favorite is to stand straight up with one foot in front of the other a foot apart. Holding a club in each hand extend your arms out and bend forward from the hips keeping your back straight until the clubs touch the ground. Push the clubs away from you slightly.
You should feel some resistance in the back and hamstring muscles. Now move your hands to the right and hold for 10 to 15 seconds. Feel it?
If you’re not conformable with certain stretches or exercises, consult your doctor or a certified trainer.
Don Leone is the assistant head pro at Coyote Creek Golf Course and a certified Nicklaus/Flick instructor. For more information about classes call 463-8024.
