When the sun is shining and the weather is perfect there’s no place you’d rather be than on the golf course. And let’s face it, anything you can do to end the day with a better score is a big win. The truth is, better golf scores aren’t all made on the green. If you want a better golf game, you’ll need to put in the work in the gym.
As Ryan Blackburn, a golf personal trainer, points out, your “golf swing is one of the most precise movements in sports. It requires you to utilize every muscle in your body in a specific sequence, in specific ranges of motion, and in correct tension relationships to all of your other muscles.” Working with a golf trainer near you who can identify the muscle groups that are holding back your golf swing and design a personalized fitness plan can change your handicap.
Think about how many swings you take through eighteen holes. For the average golfer, it’s roughly 100 strokes. Even a small improvement to your golf swing can make a huge difference. A personal trainer with a golf training certification can create a personalized fitness plan that concentrates on the following areas that will improve your golf game:
- Improve your muscle strength
- Increase your flexibility/mobility
- Improve your stability
- Add power to your swing
How Muscle Strength Affects Your Golf Swing
Strength is the primary factor in a golfer’s ability to send the ball sailing down the fairway. Want to increase your clubhead speed? Increase your strength. If strength training isn’t a regular part of your fitness plan, you’ll be surprised at how fast you can see improvements in your golf game.
For most golfers, the weakest part of their body is the core. The core is also the part that golfers need to the most to have a great golf game. Putting in the work to strengthen the muscles in your stomach, hips, lower back and butt will make all the difference in your golf swing. It can also help you reduce your risk of injury.
Your golf swing is a sudden movement that come from the same side of your body over and over. That can result in muscle imbalances and overuse injuries. A certified golf personal trainer can create a fitness plan that addresses any muscle imbalance you might have that is affecting your golf game.
Why Your Golf Game Needs Flexibility & Mobility
How you spend your time off the golf course can be a big reason for a lack of flexility or mobility in your golf game. The time you spend sitting while at work or watching TV on the couch can affect how you golf. That regular lack of movement must be counteracted with a workout plan that focuses on keeping your spine, hips and shoulders flexible.
Think about your golf swing. The three major joints that make up your rotation are the left and right hips, and the spine. If you don’t have a good range of motion in your hips, you’re at a higher risk for injuring your lower back. But even if you avoid injury, your swing will be losing power due to early extension, sway and slide.
Working with a certified golf training professional will help you improve your flexibility so you can get the most out of your swing.
Why Stability Is Key To Your Golf Swing
If mobility is related to your movement, stability is responsible for your ability to control those movements. Without stability, your golf form will suffer. Adding stability exercises into your golf workout plan will allow you to improve your golf swing from your shoulders to your hips and down to your feet.
Stability exercises that can improve your golf swing include:
- Unilateral exercises like pistol squats and one leg deadlifts
- Rotational exercises such as cable chops and split stance medicine ball toss
- Destabilizing exercises with a bosu or balance board
How Power Helps Your Golf Game
Think of power as how you’re able to unleash explosiveness when you’re swinging the club. It might seem like practicing your swing over and over again is the key to power, but actually power comes from a combination of strength, force and speed. When all of those factors come together, you’ll be able to send the ball sailing down the fairway with better results than you expected.
Improve Your Game With a Certified Golf Training Professional
To get the biggest improvement out of your golf game before the next season rolls around, make the most of your time in the off-season by working with a certified golf training professional who can design a workout program that focuses on your biggest areas of opportunity.
Whether it’s building muscle strength, increasing your flexibility and mobility, improving your stability and balance, working with a golf personal trainer on a personalized workout program will make your golf game better.
Joe Rindone, NCPT holds a Titleist Performance Institute Level 2 certification for golf training, is a certified personal trainer, and the Founder of Inspire Fitness Studio in Arlington, MA. Joe’s passion for fitness has motivated him to become one Greater Boston’s best personal trainers. An athlete throughout high school and college, Joe has always enjoyed being active. Currently he enjoys road races, working with his boxing coach, kettlebell training and getting out for a round of golf in his spare time.