Golf Wellness

I have been thinking about the upcoming golf season, and pondering, and then mulling it over......the weather is stuck in a winter weather pattern in Vermont so all I can do is think about it. For those of you who don't know me, my husband is a PGA Golf Professional. So our life revolves around the weather.

I have been writing a draft of an educational program regarding golf injuries and prevention.
Of course,  it's the prevention I am really focused on. I would like to see more golfers aware of possible golf injuries, and then give them easy tips on prevention.

What would I tell a golfer to do pre-season to prevent injury?

1. Stretch. 
2. Muscle balancing
3. Visualization
4. Swing Correction
5. Equipment Evaluation
6. Goal Setting

To review these with some specifics:

1. Stretch is vague, I know. Every person has different muscles groups with issues, but here are the major ones: hips (particularly lead leg), back, and shoulders.
2. Muscle balancing means having muscle testing done to determine if you are weaker Left to Right, Front to Back. For example, your abdominals/core vs your back muscles, your right forearm vs your left. The goal is to create a balanced muscle machine of all parts working equally. 
3. Visualization is a powerful tool that top athletes use over and over again. Recreational athletes can use this as well to enhance their game, and reduce the chance of injuries. Methodical conditioning of the mind will enhance performance and minimize risk.
4. Swing correction will assist a golfer in reducing stress on the body by creating a more effective and efficient swing. A golf pro needs to look at your swing from different angles and give you tips to perform better. Tiger Woods, Bill Haas and Keegan Bradley all have their swing corrected on a regular basis. You should too.
5. Equipment is a part of your golf wellness as incorrect club lengths, poorly weighted clubs, or clubs your Dad gave you may be contributing to pain on the course. You don't need the newest set of irons, but you should be looking to see if they fit you. I also endorse re-gripping your clubs at regular intervals for a few reasons. 1) They allow you better hand posture, leading to better body posture, and 2) The club gets into the hands of a professional who can look for any breakage or wear and tear of the club.
6. Goal setting is so crucial to having a good golf season. What do you want to get out of your game? A better handicap? More fun? Less pain? More rounds walked? These goals help me and golf pros figure out what program you need to get you the results you want.

Avoid injury this season by thinking about these 6 ideas. Want more in depth info and hands on help? Contact me and we will set you up with a great program to get you back into the swing of things.