Hey Golfers-Get Physical in 2024
Your Game Will Love It, And So Will You
Every fall, as the golf season draws to a close, I say to myself, “Next year I am going to get in shape and play a whole lot better”.
The next golf season arrives and guess what? I did nothing to prepare my body for the new season.
The clubs get shined up and new grips are put on. Golf towels are washed, folded, and put back into my golf bag. Used golf balls are inspected. If they pass inspection, they are washed up and put back into my golf bag.
In the Past, Physical Preparation for the Golf Season Was Easy
Prepping my body for each golf season went pretty much like this.
- Two weeks before Opening Day, if weather permitted, I would go into my backyard with a couple of clubs and start hitting plastic practice balls. Those sessions usually lasted about twenty minutes. That is when my lower back would start seizing up.
- One week before Opening Day, the cardio part of my physical preparation would kick in. This involved joining my wife for her afternoon walks with our two dogs. These walks were forty minutes long. If I was able to join for four of those walks, that totaled 160 minutes of good cardio training. I was feeling almost ready to go at this point.
- Two days before Opening Day has been the perfect time to start thinking about proper nutrition and hydration while out there on the course. Nobody wants to play golf while feeling hungry or thirsty, right? The game is tough enough as it is. Time to get to the grocery store and stock up on sports drinks, ingredients to make sandwiches or wraps, energy bars, and other yummy snacks. A family-sized bottle of ASA or Tylenol was needed too. Often referred to as “instant exercise” by my friends, popping a couple of ASA or Tylenol before a round helped fend off those annoying aches and pains.
The 2024 Golf Season is Going to Be Different.
I have been attending an Ageless Fitness Program with Functional Aging Specialist Catherine McIntyre. After only six one-hour sessions, I see improvement already.
Group sessions are just under one hour in length. They start slowly with light stretching and gradually escalate to twenty seconds of exercise, ten seconds of rest, and so on. The sessions start slowing down near the end with very low-intensity stretching and relaxing.
Across the six sessions I’ve participated in, each lesson has been unique. It has been fun and rewarding to face the challenge of mastering new exercises and working towards executing them with some degree of control.
All attendees at Catherine’s sessions work at their own pace. If someone can only do 15 seconds of exercise and need 15 seconds of rest, versus the target of 20–10, no problem. Class sizes range from 2 to 8 participants.
I feel very confident that the Ageless Fitness Program is going to help my golf game. It was not designed for golfers but covers the main areas that golfers should work on as they prepare for the physical aspects of playing the game of golf.
Five Key Areas of Physical Preparation For Golfers
Strength Training
Strength training involves targeting key muscle groups used in the golf swing, such as the core, legs, and back.
Exercises like squats, lunges, and rotational movements to improve power and stability are all great for golfers.
Flexibility and Mobility
Stretching exercises will enhance flexibility, particularly in the shoulders, hips, and torso will help loosen muscles.
Dynamic stretches will improve mobility, promoting a full range of motion during the golf swing.
Cardiovascular Conditioning
Cardiovascular exercises improve overall endurance and stamina on the golf course.
Activities like brisk walking, cycling, or jogging can help build cardiovascular fitness specific to golf.
Balance and Stability
Balance exercises enhance stability during the golf swing.
Practicing single-leg exercises and stability drills will improve overall balance and control.
Agility and Coordination
Agility drills enhance coordination and quick movements.
Cone exercises or other agility drills are designed to improve footwork and responsiveness.
The Ageless Fitness Program is Perfect For Older Golfers
The Ageless Fitness Program addresses the specific needs of older adults such as helping to maintain healthy muscle mass and bone density. It combines cardiovascular exercises, strength training, flexibility exercises, and balancing activities.
I attend Catherine’s exercise class two to three days per week. On days that I do not go, I try to join my wife on her walk with the dogs.
I am eagerly looking forward to continuing with the Ageless Fitness Program throughout the winter months and can’t wait to get back out onto the golf course in the Spring of 2024 feeling fit as a fiddle.
Happy New Year Everyone!
Remember, Keep Your Head Down and Put a Nice Smooth One on It.
Stay Well, Stay Safe, and Have Fun!
