Golf Performance Training: Play Without Pain
Author: Kyler Crouse, CSCS, TPI-Certified Instructor
Golf is a unique sport; the ability to participate is not limited by age or skill level. Unlike many other sports, participants tend to play more as they grow older (rather than less). Unfortunately, many players end up quitting due to pain associated with play.
Most golf-related pains are caused by overuse injuries. Overuse injuries are sports-related microtraumas that result from repetitively using the same parts of the body. They can include small injury to a bone, muscle, tendon, or ligament. Though common, most overuse injuries can be avoided/ managed with regular attention to strength, mobility, and flexibility. While attention to these areas is proven to reduce the risk of overuse injuries, very few golfers participate in regular exercise to prevent injuries.
Exercise programs, or training, have been found to not only prevent injuries, but also increase a player’s performance on the course. In golf, hip and upper back strength and flexibility are paramount. A more flexible hip may produce a more powerful backswing, which can result in a longer drive. See the correlation?
Training and golf lessons are not the same, but rather, go hand in hand. A performance coach addresses your physical advantages and limitations, while a golf pro fine tunes your technique and identifies equipment needs. A golf pro can help address any swing characteristics that may be contributing to bad mechanics. An efficient swing with proper technique produces greater distance and accuracy, and may also reduce the risk of overuse injuries.
During training, it’s common for a skilled training or instructor to find small adjustments that can be made to accommodate unchangeable physical capabilities of a player. A player with a shorter torso is going to have to work harder on core rotation than his taller counterpart, while a player with long legs will benefit by addressing ankle mobility, and so forth. By taking these micro adjustments into account, you can prepare your body better for the demands of golf when you step out onto the links, be it for a round or for a session with the golf pro.
Training to stay in the game does not mean you have to hit the gym every single day. With a well-developed sport-specific conditioning program integrating weekly muscular strengthening, flexibility, and aerobic exercise, along with practical pre-game warm-up routines, a player can extend their years (and their yards).
Boost your performance on the course with a golf-specific training program. Gain distance, build strength and endurance, and play without pain.
Kyler Crouse is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist at Barton Performance, as well as a Titleist Performance Institute certified Level III Fitness and Level II Power Instructor. He is coaching a Performance Golf Series, Thursdays at 12 p.m. at the Barton Center for Orthopedics & Wellness. Drop-ins are welcome. Learn more at BartonHealth.org.
