For those of us in chillier climates, golf season will soon come to a close once the courses shutter for the winter and we put away our premium golf clubs for the time being. The off season shouldn’t be an excuse to take it easy, but a reason to stay in shape and come back to the course better than before.
Improve your short game
Practice makes perfect, and if your short game is in need of some assistance, don’t wait until springtime to get to work. An indoor golf trainer is a simple and affordable way to practice putting throughout the winter months. Many indoor putting greens are portable with multiple holes to develop alignment skills and varying lengths to help lower putting scores. They are also easily placed in a spare room or basement – anywhere you have some floor space!
Improve your flexibility
As the great Chubbs once said in Happy Gilmore: “It’s all in the hips.”
Rotation in your hips while swinging generates the power and accuracy your drive needs, while tight hips lead to inconsistency when striking the ball. Proper rotation provides stability in the lower body, especially during the downswing. A more flexible individual can more easily rotate their hips, allowing for the aforementioned benefits to take place when swinging. And no, complete golf sets that promise the latest technology won’t improve your hip rotation.
There are numerous exercises to improve hip rotation, including working with a medicine ball, and practicing yoga on a regular basis.
Improve your strength
If you’re determined to increase strength without beefing up like Bryson DeChambeau, then consider resistance training.
Resistance training is a preferred method for golfers as it does not lead to significant muscle gains, which could affect your swing. It actually improves strength and endurance without building muscle and assisting in flexibility, as your muscles strengthen and loosen up through increased blood flow.
Exercises vary but some suggested moves include shoulder presses, incline flys, dips, and lower back exercises with 10-20 repetitions of each exercise per set about three times a week. Weight should not be too heavy so that it affects your form. (Imagine you’re carrying your set of premium golf clubs and go no heavier.)
Improve your endurance
It’s estimated that a golfer takes 200 to 400 swings per golf round, including practice swings. If you’re fairly sedentary your body may not be prepared for this endurance wise, which could lead to injuries and less consistency with each shot. Our suggestion? Focus on your mobility and coordination with lunges and opposite hand toe touches!
So, while the weather is getting colder, your game doesn’t have to go along with it. Keep your complete golf sets in view as a reminder to improve all aspects of your golf performance.
