Could your body be limiting your golfing potential?

By Trent Malcolm

Are you trying to change your golf swing and finding it difficult to get into the positions your coach is asking for?  If this is the case then maybe your physical make up is slowing your progress.  Perhaps you are too stiff around your back or shoulders, maybe the co-ordination/timing of your body movements is a little off or maybe you are swaying and sliding in your swing?  A conditioning program specific to your body and your swing priorities can fast track your golf improvement and reduce the likelihood of injury.

Figure 1

 
In a standing position with your arms across your chest, rotate your shoulders around as far as you can without moving your head laterally (Figure 2).  Pause for a second and rotate to the opposite side.  Gradually increase the range of this dynamic stretch as you complete 20 repetitions.

Figure 2

Does the timing and co-ordination of your swing feel a little out?

Bishop also says “A physical issue or poor swing concept can produce timing and sequence problems in the swing. The upper body has furthest to rotate in the back swing so should lead the motion followed by the lower half. This is reversed in the downswing. Think of any throwing or hitting motion you have ever performed and you will better understand the correct sequence.”

The following movements work on increasing rotation into both left and right hips and are designed to give you the feeling of improved hip release (for better sequencing) from the top of the back swing.

In figures 3 and 4, imagine your pelvis and spine make up a steering wheel and the column it is attached to.  Turn the steering wheel (your pelvis) to the left and the right in isolation (no lateral movement) to improve the co-ordination and range of motion of your pelvis.  

The next exercise (Figure 5) is a lot more advanced, and the previous steering wheel analogy can also be used here.  In the position shown, turn the steering wheel (your pelvis) to the right, pause for 5 seconds then turn to the left.  Your upper body is working hard to stabilise your shoulders and the muscles through your trunk to your pelvis are creating this rotational movement.

Both these exercise are designed to help you dissociate your upper and lower body, important in good swing mechanics.

Does your body move too far laterally throughout your swing?

Lower body strength is imperative in golf.  Bishop says “The lower body is the foundation of the golf swing.  If you lack strength in your lower body you will not be able to provide the stability and balance necessary for your upper body to rotate, which can lead to unwanted lateral movement and inconsistent ball striking”.

Stand with a broomstick across your shoulders, your feet wider than shoulder width apart and your toes turned out 45 degrees.  Squat down and rotate your shoulders, ensuring your back is flat and head focused forward (Figure 6).  Alternate your shoulder turn after each repetition.  In this position your inner thighs (the adductors) are targeted, to help stabilise your lower body throughout the swing and the turn of the shoulders will also help improve the range of your back swing.

 
In the next exercise, lie on your back with your heels up on the ball and raise your buttocks off the ground to form a straight line from your ankles to shoulders (starting position).  Now raise your right leg (about 20 cm) and rotate your pelvis to take your leg over to the opposite side (Figure 7).  Hold this position for 5 to 10 seconds and return to the starting position; alternate legs.  This more advanced exercise will increase the strength of important muscles around the outside of your hip (like gluteus medius) that resist lateral movement in your swing.

There are two important questions you need to ask yourself: what am I trying to improve in my golf swing, and could this be related to my body’s physical limitations?  To maximise your golfing potential, a golf-specific exercise physiologist will design an exercise program which integrates information from your coach and golf-specific physiotherapist.  If most tour players are doing it to enhance their performance and reduce the likelihood of injury, why shouldn’t you?

Trent Malcolm is an Accredited Exercise Physiologist, specialising in golf-specific strength and conditioning.

For your own personally designed golf-specific exercise regime you can contact Trent via email at tmalcolm@optusnet.com.au or call him on (03) 8707 0830.

Note: Before commencing any conditioning program it is recommended you consult a Medical or Allied Health Professional

1. RUSHING TO THE GOLF COURSE

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Disruption of golf rhythm
• High anxiety levels, in turn leading to tension
• Poor control of breathing

Common injuries possible:

• Wrist - to tendons, cartilage or bones
• Neck - to joints, discs, ligaments or muscles
• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems

2. DRAGGING GOLF BAG AND CLUBS

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Poor alignment in address position
• Poor posture at setup
• Excessive strain through particular muscles e.g. wrist & neck
• Increased gripping

Common injuries possible:

• Neck - to joints, discs, ligaments or muscles
• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems
• Shoulder & rotator cuff - muscle strains, tendon injury/tears

3. BOUNCING IN FORWARD FLEXION

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Bad flexion postures
• Reduced activity of flexor muscles
• Stiffens back, leading to poor sequencing of golf swing

Common injuries possible:

• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems
• Hamstring strainsww.golfmed.net

4. POOR ROTATION SEQUENCING

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Compensatory sway in swing
• Poor weight transference
• Poor balance
• Poor shoulder position on backswing and follow through

Common injuries possible:

• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems
• Neck - to joints, discs, ligaments or muscles

5. WARMING UP WITH MULTIPLE CLUBS

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Compensation movements in arms
• Altered proprioception
• Altered weight control
• Overswinging
• Reversed C positions & reversed pivot

Common injuries possible:

• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems
• Left hip strains
• Shoulder & rotator cuff - muscle strains, tendon injury/tears

6. HITTING WOODS TO START WARM UP

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Alters feel due to practicing power before feel
• Over swinging
• Incorrect sequencing
• Use of incorrect muscles

Common injuries possible:

• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems
• Shoulder & rotator cuff - muscle strains, tendon injury/tears

7. HITTING BALLS INTO NETS OFF HARD SURFACES

Common technical breakdowns caused:

• Jarring of body
• Altered co-ordination

Common injuries possible:

• Neck - to joints, discs, ligaments or muscles
• Shoulder & rotator cuff - muscle strains, tendon injury/tears
• Low back - muscle strains, disc injuries, joint problems

Ramsay McMaster is an industry leading golf specific physiotherapist who has worked with thousands of average golfers, with leading tour pros and coaches, with major golf organisations in Australia and around the world and is the founder of the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

For further information, individual assessment or advice on programs email Ramsay at golfphysio@golfmed.net or visit golfmed.net

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Your 5 Minute Golf Warm-up

That’s good news for (the many cartless) older golfers and means that even if your score starts to skyrocket as your aging body deteriorates, at least you’ll still have the mental capacity to add it all up at the end of the round.

The University of Western Australia study was conducted over 18 months with 170 participants aged over 50 who felt they had memory problems.

The participants were divided into two groups and for six months one group aimed to walk for 50 minutes three times a week or participate in other moderate exercise.

The other group continued with their usual activities.

Results revealed the exercise group performed better on cognitive tasks and had superior delayed recall than the other group.

The landmark study was published this week in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Lead researcher, Nicola Lautenschlager of the University of Melbourne, said the improved memory occurred not only during the trial but for 12 months after the end of the physical activity program.

“We have known for a long time that exercise is a great way to improve cardiovascular health, but it may be that in the future exercise can also be recommended to protect against the ageing brain,” she said.

“The improvement on the memory testing was significant and it was higher than in previous drug trials with Alzheimer’s (disease) medications in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Professor Lautenschlager said she believed this was the first ever trial to demonstrate that exercise can boost memory in older adults at risk of developing conditions such as Alzheimer’s.

She said brisk walking was the safest form of exercise for older people and the results suggested 20 minutes of daily exercise could possibly delay the onset of conditions such as dementia.

“We are not talking onerous, dramatic physical activity but (walking 20 minutes is) something which I think most people would feel, ‘yeah that is something I could incorporate into my daily routine’.”

Playing golf for four plus hours, including all the walking and associated physical activity, would have to more than fit the bill. We’d have to concede that even those using carts are still getting enough exercise to keep some blood flowing to the brain.

The Australian study comes on top of a recent Swedish study that found playing regular golf can actually prolong your life.

The study showed the death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status. See Golfers live Longer

Sequencing Your Golf Warm Up to build up the correct `feel’ in your golf swing

1. The golf exercise drills will gradually build up the correct “feel” for golf performed in the correct sequence.

2. Maintain good breathing and tempo control throughout each golf exercise drill.

3. Maintain good upright posture throughout each exercise drill.

4. Use pistol grip on both hands with each exercise drill.

5. Repeat each exercise for between15-30 seconds 2-3 times depending on time and ability to maintain form.

• Stop if you experience sharp pain, dizziness or have an acute condition. Always consult your health professional.

### Ramsay explains all the moves in the new video attached below ### 

1.BUILDING UP YOUR `GOLF FEEL’ 

Using the Flexibility & Mobility Warm-up Drill

Combined Hip Trunk & Shoulder Stretch 

Get into the lunge position, feel stretch at right hip. Maintain an upright posture and tuck in your lower abdomen. Hold golf club above head with pistol grip. Bend trunk to left side, keeping head aligned on shoulders 

2. BUILDING UP YOUR `GOLF FEEL’

Using the Balance & Static Posture Warm-up drill

Standing upright in the `angel wings position’ against the wall, place a golf ball between the balls of your feet. Keep your nose and belly button in line with the ball. Tuck in your chin and look at the bottom of your lower eyelids. Keeping your arms by your side and forming a pistol grip in both hands, slowly lift the ball

up with your feet. Feel yourself getting taller as you pump up.

3. BUILDING UP YOUR `GOLF FEEL’

Using the Core Stability Golf Drill

Push

Slowly extend your arms and thrust the body in a slow pushing movement against an imaginary truck. Feel your shoulders, neck, abdominals, gluteals and legs all work together as if you are simulating an hydraulic pump.

4. BUILDING UP YOUR `GOLF FEEL’

Using Core Stability & Rotation

X-Factor Check

Keep yourself in an upright and stable posture. Place your elbows in by the side of our ribcage. Slowly rotate your trunk to the right maintaining your hips in a stable position to the front. Keep your elbows into your ribcage, feel the tension between your inside thigh and lower abdominals.

5. BUILDING UP YOUR `GOLF FEEL’

Using Core Stability, Rotation & Dynamic Posture

The Cross Over Golf Exercise Drill

Stand in an upright position and maintaining good spinal posture at all times, cross your right elbow to the top of your left knee. Then cross your left elbow on to your right knee. The movements should be smooth and the speed of the exercise gradually increased.

Ramsay McMaster is an industry leading golf specific physiotherapist who has worked with thousands of average golfers, with leading tour pros and coaches, with major golf organisations in Australia and around the world and is the founder of the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

For further information, individual assessment or advice on programs email Ramsay at golfphysio@golfmed.net or visit golfmed.net

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The 7 Deadly Sins of Warming-up

Ramsay is a groundbreaking golf specific physiotherapist and has worked with thousands of average golfers, with leading tour pros and coaches, with major golf organisations in Australia and elsewhere and is the founder of the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

Ramsay’s vast experience working not just with professional players on all world tours but with more than 5000 average weekend players of all ages makes his insights on the game and on golf and the body invaluable.

Ramsay has some simple advice and exercises that can not only help prevent injury and prolong golfing longevity but can also improve overall mobility, stability and posture and give you a better basis for a consistent golf swing and of continued game improvement.

Just by effectively warming up, staying ‘warm’ throughout your round and warming down correctly afterwards you stand a good chance of preventing injury and playing better, more consistent golf. 

For those who do have injuries or chronic conditions affecting their golf, there are also pointers to effective treatments, programs and individual assessments.

Just by effectively warming up, staying ‘warm’ throughout your round and warming down correctly afterwards you stand a good chance of preventing injury and playing better, more consistent golf

Ramsay, an A Grade golfer himself, was the first therapist to realise the need to develop a practice specifically to service and treat golfers.

He established the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic in 1992 and has continued to build a talented multi-disciplinary team dedicated to the treatment and wellbeing of golfers of all ages and abilities.

The clinic provides a range of services including physiotherapists specifically trained to work with golfers, golf specific myotherapists, remedial massage therapists, orthotists “working with golf orthotics”, 3D swing analysis, golf specific exercise programs, Fitball classes for golfers, “Get fit for golf” lectures for golf teams and clubs, and a number of others.

There are also new and unique programs including the “Train like a Tour Player” program and “GUR: Golfers Under Repair”.

For individual advice and assessment visit http://www.golfmed.net/ or email Ramsey at golfphysio@golfmed.net

Ramsay consults to a number of organisations including The Australian Institute of Sport Golf Unit,  the PGA of Australia and the PGA ‘s of Britain, US, Ireland and New Zealand amongst others. 

Golf Fitness Articles: Ramsay McMaster and the Melbourne Golf Injury Clinic.

Your 5 Minute Golf Warm-Up 

The 7 Deadly Sins of Warming-up

Top 50 LPGA Teaching Professional Lynn Bernadett says loss of flexibility is a major concern for anyone in the 40 and above age bracket.

“In golf, flexibility is a major factor in creating an effortless swing,” Lynn says. “Whether male or female, you will lose a good percentage of your flexibility as the years go by.

“If you are in this category, the majority of swing flaws that occur could be from a, “trying to do, like I used to do”, syndrome. You can do like you used to do, but it may be a scaled-down model.

“This means that you will be able to produce the same distance and the same accuracy with less in your swing. No matter what level your swing is at, less is more in golf.

Lyn says that unlike most other sports activities, golf is a game that you can play for the rest of your life.

“Involve yourself in some sort of regular exercise in order to maintain a healthy mind and body,” she says. “The older you get, the more important it will be that exercise becomes a part of your everyday life. In golf, do not expect to increase your mobility without involving yourself in some sort of extracurricular exercise.

“Swinging within yourself” is to swing within the natural boundaries of ones own sense of balance. The speed at which you chose to start your swing will only increase as you continue your motion. Flexibility and balance cannot be achieved if your swing speed is too fast. You need to find a rate of speed that keeps you on your feet, and in balance, through to your finish position. You want to create a “low and slow” takeaway as you start your club back. “Low and slow” benefits the stability throughout your swing and definitely maintains flexibility, and a steady balance check.

“At the top (or end) of your backswing, turning your shoulders to a 90-degree angle to the target line (or your back completely to the target), may no longer be your goal. Since you have lost some of your flexibility, your ability to turn will now end somewhere short of that 90-degree mark. Once you have found the maximum potential of your coil, a simple readjustment in rhythm, tempo, and timing has to be made in your swing. You would be keeping the same dynamics and principals of the golf swing but, it will be a more condensed version - Less Is More.”

“Neither age nor physical disability should restrict a person from enjoying this great game of golf. The majority of my students are in their senior years of golf, and I wish to thank them all for bettering my understanding of “I CAN”! “

A gentle reminder: Disability is only in the mind, and the golf ball does not discriminate. 

Lynn Bernadett is an LPGA Golf Professional at The Pines Golf Club in Tucson, AZ.

Seven Minutes to a Better Swing

One way to maintain or improve flexibility is by regular stretching.

Golf fitness guru Mike Pedersen has just released a new Golf Stretching DVD that will help you begin a regular stretching program at home.

The DVD contains a number of golf stretching routines that will take just seven minutes a day and will, according to Mike:

• Release those tight, golf-specific muscles (resulting in a tension-free golf swing).
• Give you a full backswing (for maximum power and distance) for 18 holes.
• Remove stiffness in all the major joints of the body (eliminating aches and pains).

“This unique golf stretching video incorporates several sequences of stretches utilizing the entire body, similiar to your golf swing. This is a “plug-n-play”, no fluff stretching dvd you will find enjoyable,” Mike says.

The study shows the death rate for golfers is 40 per cent lower than for other people of the same sex, age and socioeconomic status. This corresponds to a five year increase in life expectancy. Golfers with a low handicap are the safest.

The study has just been released by the Swedish medical university Karolinska Institutet.  This is no crackpot organisation. Each year, the Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet awards the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. Following this study, many golfers might want to reciprocate the favor and award the institute its own Nobel Prize for Golf.

The Institute says it is a well-known fact that exercise is good for the health, but the expected health gains of particular activities are still largely unknown.

The study, which is published in Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports, is based on data from 300,000 Swedish golfers and shows that golf has major beneficial health effects.

Professor Anders Ahlbom, who led the study with Bahman Farahmand, is not surprised at the result, as he believes that there are several aspects of the game that are proved to be good for the health.

“A round of golf means being outside for four or five hours, walking at a fast pace for six to seven kilometres, something which is known to be good for the health,” he says. “People play golf into old age, and there are also positive social and psychological aspects to the game that can be of help.”

The study does not rule out that other factors than the actual playing, such as a generally healthy lifestyle, are also behind the lower death rate observed amongst golfers. However, the researchers believe it is likely that the playing of the game in itself has a significant impact on health.

Golf players have a lower death rate regardless of sex, age and social group. The effect is greater for golfers from blue-collar professions than for those from white-collar professions. The lowest rates are found in the group of players with the lowest handicap (i.e. the best golfers).

Maintaining a low handicap involves playing a lot, so this supports the idea that it is largely the game itself that is good for the health, says Professor Ahlbom.

What the good professor may not be fully aware of is that lowering your golf handicap makes you want to live longer.

The report publication is helpfully titled: “Golf!! A game of life and death.”

We all knew that.

So can overcoming niggling injuries and dealing with chronic conditions and pain.

A great resource in this area is the book Golf After 50.

Written in simple Q&A format, it draws on the technical know-how of orthopaedists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, nutritionists, and sports medicine doctors to address the common health concerns of the older golfer.

Top medical specialists look at the most common ailments that affect one’s golf game and explain how older players can overcome these health issues to play better, pain-free golf.

Whether it’s advice on playing with chronic shoulder or back pain, or following hip or knee replacement, or just the best ways to protect your skin from the sun, Golf After 50 delivers sage advice for older golfers.

There are simple precautions to take to avoid preventable injuries as well as general commonsense nutrition and wellness tips.

Golf After 50 is published by Rodale Press and should be available through good bookshops.

There are certainly new and used copies now available through the Australian Senior Golfer Bookshop by clicking here.

(Tip: The ASG Bookshop operates through Amazon and books are shipped from the US and other international sellers. Book prices can be far lower than available in Australia, but you should be aware you have to pay for international postage as well. Despite this, the ASG book price plus international postage can still mean a big saving on local prices and books are delivered to your door. Check it out for yourself)