Well, here in the Northeast/MidAtlantic region of the U.S., the weather has cooled and golf season is winding down, or is it? Maybe you won't be able to play your local golf course once the biting chill of November hits, but that is no reason to cease working on your game! From now until about mid-December, the weather will still be reasonable enough in the southern MidAtlantic (basically, south of Richmond, VA), and still close enough to take a long weekend to play a little golf. After that, as the season wears on, the further south you must go.
Still, if you don't have the opportunity to get away for a few days, find your nearby indoor golf range to hit a few balls and maybe work on your short game. Or, check out where you can play a round of golf on an indoor golf simulator.
Most importantly, this is the time of year to work on body improvements that can help your golf swing. As we get older, we tend to lose flexibility and strength if we do not keep up with our workouts. However, studies have shown that it is still possible to build muscle int our 70s and beyond.
It is my belief that this time of year is the best time to really go to work on your body and your golf swing! By combining strength training, stretching, and golf specific exercises along with a thorough understanding of what you want to do with your golf swing, you can make significant improvements in the off season. Then, when Spring arrives, you will have full confidence in your swing, and you can focus on your short game, where you will be able to drastically reduce your scores!
Go see your golf instructor now to set up your plan for Winter Golf Training!
Scott Cole www.powergolftraining.net
Having good balance is an absolute necessity for generating a powerful golf swing. If you do not have a strong foundation, then you simply will not have the ability to generate a full turn, and thus, you will lose power in the swing.
But, what are the keys to good balance? Well, this is where improved fitness comes in. Probably the most significant muscle involved in proper balance is the hamstring. Not only must it be flexible, it must be strong.
The hamstrings must first be flexible. The reason for this is that the hamstrings, through the glutes, are tied to the lower back. Since it is crucial to maintain a straight spine angle throughout the golf swing, there is pressure on the lower back. The lower back gets support from the glutes and hamstrings. So, if the hamstrings are not flexible, they will not provide proper support to the lower back muscles. This is one reason why many golfers suffer from a tight back during and after a round of golf.
First, determine your own personal flexibility with a little test. We’ve all done this! While keeping your legs straight, bend at the waist slowly and try to touch your toes. Can you do this? If not, you need to work on stretching the hamstrings.
I generally prefer stretching one leg at a time. Here is my stretching routine for the hamstrings:
Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Pull the right foot in so that the bottom of the foot touches the inside of the left knee. Point the toes of the left foot straight up. Keeping your back as straight as possible, reach down to the leg, starting at the knee, and move your body forward, pushing the chest toward the knee. Reach further down the leg as far down as you can go, and try to draw the chest as close to the knee as possible. Once you have hit your limit, feeling a good stretch, hold that position for 15 seconds. Try and relax as much as possible, then try to reach further down the leg to the ankle or foot and move the chest even closer to the knee, and hold for another 15 seconds. Slowly rise up, and switch legs, repeating this sequence.
In order to work on strengthening the hamstrings, my favorite exercise, since it also works the quadriceps, is the step-back lunge. This exercise is performed as follows:
Standing with your feet shoulder width apart, holding a pair of dumbbells, step back with the left foot at one full step, and sink down into a lunge position with your right leg. Your upper right leg should be parallel to the floor. Hold this position for a second, then push off with the left foot and return to the starting position. Repeat by stepping back with the right foot and sink down into a lunge position with the left leg. Repeat each side for 8 to 12 repetitions, so don’t use a heavy weight.
If you can develop flexible and strong hamstrings, you will better be able to get into a good golf posture, and maintain that spine angle through impact, and that is the key to solid, consistent ball striking.
Scott Cole www.powergolftraining.net