Being Stronger can help your Game

For most golfers the Winter is a time to put the clubs away and find some indoor activities to tide you over until the spring. So, why not spend this winter getting stronger? There are many benefits to getting into shape. Aside from the obvious health related reasons for maintaining a good fitness regime, the fruits of a consistent winter workout program could pay great dividends to the overall improvement of your golf game.

In the hundreds of lessons that I gave last year the primary concern was distance, or lack there of. It’s simple: if you want to hit the ball further you have to generate more clubhead speed. All of today’s new ball and club technology today is geared toward distance augmentation and the optimal way to take advantage is by being stronger. I was fortunate to host a PGA Tour event at my facility last year and the one thing that stood out was how muscular all of the players were—the noticeable results of spending time in the gym. I asked some of the pros about the keys to gaining more power and they all acknowledged a fitness routine that combined strength and flexibility.

The Core Muscles

The key to power in your golf swing is rotation. Working on your core (abdominals) with resistance will improve power. The more torque you can build up in your core, especially on the backswing, the more clubhead speed and power you will generate at impact. Improving your strength from a core rotational standpoint is the answer to longer drives.

Strength Exercises for a Stronger Core

Core strength for golf can be improved by using weighted medicine balls, exercise tubing, stability balls and dumbbells. Nothing more! The important thing to remember is making each core movement as similar to your golf swing as possible.

Get in your golf posture and make turns back and through with a medicine ball, exercise tubing or a single dumbbell. You can’t get anymore golf specific then that. When you hear golfers talking about strength training, this is it. By using resistance specific to your swing, isolating your core muscles, and generating a higher more powerful rate of speed with every movement you will increase clubhead speed.

Core Training Specific to your Golf Swing

As I mentioned above, the more specific you can get to your golf swing the quicker you will see results in your power and driving distance. Assume your set up position, weight on the balls of your feet, bent at the hips and knees flexed. Begin to take full swings.

This awkward position needs to be sustained throughout each exercise for maximum benefit. Finding creative ways to challenge your core golf strength while in this position should be your goal.

Using these techniques will not only boost your strength and flexibility, but will decrease your chances of injuries as well. Take advantage of all the money you have been spending on the newest equipment by getting yourself into golf shape. Ask a personal trainer for core specific exercises. Being stronger can help your game. See you in the spring.