Fitness in golf

Perhaps one of the biggest changes in the golf world today is the increased emphasis on fitness for golf especially flexibility.

Being flexible is in my opinion more important than building muscle, it helps in creating a more powerful swing by allowing more turn and movement through the ball but just as importantly flexibility certainly helps in preventing injuries, particularly at this time of year in the UK.

The golf swing is a very complex movement, requiring much from the body. Only if the body is flexible and strengthened, can one expect consistent and powerful golf swings. No matter what your current physical condition or your handicap, your golf game can benefit by regular stretching with flexibility in mind.

I know though that finding both the time and enthusiasm to do exercise is difficult and that it’s not something many of us eagerly look forward to doing, however the benefits are immense. Just by setting aside 20mins every day your flexibility will start to improve in a matter of a couple of weeks. Do stretches even when sitting in front of the TV and make it fun!!

Below are just two stretching exercises to do over the next couple of weeks and see how you progress. Start by measuring how far you can stretch before you start with these and then measure yourself again in 2 weeks time the results will be startling!

The first golf stretch is the Lying Leg Crossover:

• Lie on back with legs extended.
• Raise one leg and bend at knee to 90 degrees in knee and hip.
• Cross that leg over extended leg, while opposite shoulder stays on ground.
• Go until you feel a slight pull in the butt and lower back.
• Hold for 15 seconds and repeat once more.
• Switch legs and do opposite side.

This simple golf stretch will not only make your back feel better, but it will improve your ability to make a bigger turn, with less hip movement, creating torque and energy.

The second golf stretch is the Backswing Stretch:

• Extend left arm (for right-handers) out in front of you.
• Take right hand and put under left wrist.
• Pull with right hand against left wrist and make as big a turn on backswing as you can.
• Hold for at least 15 seconds, repeat once more.
• Switch to your other side, going the opposite direction, for the follow through.

This simple golf stretch will loosen up the muscles in the back of your shoulders and your upper back for more freedom on both your backswing and follow through.

Do these two stretches daily and you'll start seeing improvement in your game, including more yards off the tee.