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Fairway Fitness
"If you watch a game, it's fun. If you play it, it's recreation. If you work at it, it's golf." -- Bob Hope
This is part 3 in a three-part series.
Playing golf is good way to stay fit -- but you have to be fit to play. And the crucial components of a golf-fitness program may surprise you.
"The two biggest components are flexibility and nutrition," David White, ATC, tells WebMD. White is assistant director of sports medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
Given that golf requires repeatedly whipping the body through a complex series of motions, it should not be surprising that golfers need flexibility training. But as a trip to your local links will show, most golfers limit their preparation to a few practice swings on the first tee.
"Most people drive up and get out of their cars 10 minutes before their tee time, do a few twists and think they are ready to go," White says. "But if you want to play well -- and avoid injury -- leave early to get to the course in time to take 20 extra minutes to stretch. You can prepare by stretching at home; you can walk around the block to get loosened up. Then when you get to the course, you can do flexibility exercises."
This assumes, of course, that you are actually in good enough shape to play golf. White says that preparing for the golf season is like preparing to run a marathon. Golf doesn't require the endurance of a long-distance runner, of course -- but it does mean being able to walk three to five miles in an afternoon while remaining focused and loose enough to repeatedly hit the ball.
"The biggest thing is getting ready for the golf season," White says. "Start six to eight weeks prior to the season with cardiovascular training, strength training, flexibility training, and nutritional planning."
Before beginning any program such as those outlined below, it is very important to consult with your doctor. Every individual has special needs and problems, and all fitness programs must be individualized to limit risk and increase the benefit.
Cardiovascular Training
"You can start out at home," White says. "You will walk three to five miles on the golf course, so that is what you want to work up to. The big thing is to pick out and plan a map of where you are going to walk. If you are going to play hilly courses, you want a challenging terrain. Don't go out and start with five miles right away. Start with a half-mile for the first couple of times, then a mile. Do it three to five times a week so that at the end of a six-week period you are exercising at the full distance."
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