One of the best times for a Golfer to practice their golf game is in the winter. Yes, when most people are putting their clubs away … the Golfer that will be playing the best in the Spring will be the Golfer preparing by working on their body. Because your body is the engine of your golf swing.
If your body isn’t ready (or have the ability) to make a powerful, consistent golf swing … how do you expect for a consistent swing to happen? You can work as much as you like on swing path, swing plane, left arm straight, head still, blah, blah, blah … but if your body isn’t ready for it … you won’t be able to do these things to the best of your ability.
My suggestion is to use the time you devoted to your golf game in the summer and redirect it towards your body in the winter. For example: you played twice a week in May, June, July and August … work on your strength and flexibility twice a week in December, January, February and March.
The point is – if you do get your body and mind in shape during the off season … you will be playing better when golf season comes around in the spring. If you don’t … it will just be the “same old, same old” when you start up again.
We work with over 1,400 Golfers each year that travel to see us because they aren’t hitting the golf ball as well as they would like, however many of these Golfers have swings that aren’t as bad as they initially think. Meaning, many times we see Golfers that have very good habits in their golf swing … yet lack strength in their hands, forearms, shoulders, core and/or legs which makes it more difficult for them to control the club head as much as needed.
For example: as they swing towards the golf ball … the club takes over causing the club face to twist or flip as it goes through impact because of that Golfer’s lack of strength – producing another wayward shot. Although, the Golfer actually made what could be classified as a good golf swing mechanically … the centrifugal force (momentum) of the club was greater than that Golfer could physically handle. So they lost control of the club face just before hitting the golf ball.
This doesn’t mean the club came out of their hands. The Golfer probably didn’t even notice the lose of control. But because the force was more than you could handle … you got “flippy” through impact. And while many Teaching Pros will tell you to “hold onto the lag longer”. That would be as futile as telling me to tackle Adrian Peterson (an American Football player) as he’s running toward me.
However, if that Golfer had a little more strength – they would increase their consistency without having to do much more in their golf swing.
A similar scenario will happen to Golfers because of their lack of flexibility.
With the amount of sitting that many people do during the day – flexibility is at the worst I have ever seen … for people that don’t currently stretch or do yoga. Hunched shoulders, stiff forearms and inflexible wrists from hovering over our computers – as well as tight hips and hamstrings from sitting in a stationary position for 6+ hours a day.
As an Instructor – my greatest wish is to be blessed with a Golfer that dabbles in yoga. With their body awareness and flexibility … they are like putty in my hands! And they improve so much faster than non-yoga Golfers.
These practitioners of yoga have the ability to naturally allow their legs, hips, arms and shoulders to work together without the stress or effort needed by others. Which allows good things to happen more frequently in your golf swing – including having much more natural club head speed. As Golfers with good flexibility often have muscles around their rotator cuff that are looser (yet stronger) … which allows you to whip the club through the golf ball with less effort and more control.
Now, on the other hand – the vast majority of Golfers do not do anything to improve their bodies ability to hit the golf ball more consistently during the winter. Yet, all that is necessary is for you to commit 1 hour a week to some type of strength or flexibility program in your house or at the local gym or yoga studio.
Now, there undoubtedly will be some people that read this newsletter and think it’s a waste of time as there was “no golf tips” included … I disagree. The above information should be a wakeup call to the Golfer that wants to improve their game during the off season. Because although we didn’t give specific exercises for you … this is a “golf tip” telling you to work on your body to improve your golf swing.
And that’s much more valuable than talking about swing path or swing plane because without the strength and flexibility needed to do those things … they will be impossible to do during your swing.
The Monkey is hoping to play better in 2014
The Player is going to make a commitment to getting their golf swing ready by working on their body
Go ahead, Be a Player!
Regards,
Marc Solomon – Your Instructor For Life
www.GolfMadeSimple.com