May
28
If your hamstrings are weak, I can almost say with certainty, you’ve got some low-back pain or injury. This is prevalent in older golfers and even the younger ones too. Back pain is the number reason to keep a golfer from playing his/her best. Have you ever walked off the course with your back in pain? I’m sure at one time or another you have. Now do you think hitting more balls or taking more lessons will improve this? I think you know the answer.
A better approach is to give yourself at least 30 minutes before your tee time. First do some dynamic (movement oriented) stretches to prepare your body to perform. Things like arm circles, partial squats, toe touches, etc. Then take some half swings with a 7 iron. Now after that you’re ready to hit some wedges. You’ll find with this approach your hits on the range will be much better, which will build your confidence.
Why can’t your body do what you know it needs to do to swing the club correctly? It can drive you to the point of quitting the game. But there is hope. There is an approach that will almost 100% of the time correct this problem. Do you want to know what it is? It’s addressing your “physical limitations”. That’s what’s keeping you from a great game of golf.
Finding out your “physical limitations” is the first step to a lifelong better game of golf. Once you find out what’s keeping you from making that perfect swing, you can set up a game plan to improve it. It may be a flexibility issue, or it may be a strength issue. But either way, you’ve got to find out what it is.
I’m inclined to say that for the majority of golfers, especially the older golfer, it’s the last reason above. Your body just can’t move the way it needs to. The question now is, why?
How many times have you taken a golf lesson, only to be more frustrated and hitting the ball worse than before that golf lesson? Do you know why this happens? It can be many different reasons, such as too many swing thoughts; making drastic changes that require hours at the range and hitting thousands of balls; or lastly, your body just can’t effectively move in the way it needs to, to make a mechanically correct golf swing.
How often does your outcome match what you hoped for? Do you usually shoot the scores you had envisioned before you teed off? If not, do you ever evaluate where and how you could have saved strokes and avoided those blow up holes?
I’ve got 5 easy tips for you to implement immediately that will improve your golf performance by shaving 4-6 or even more strokes off your score the next time you play. Give them a try and see what happens. Here they are:
Do you ever get on the course and just feel like you can’t make a full backswing? Or, it just feels impossible to maintain your golf posture and “stay in your swing”? No amount of golf lessons or hitting balls will correct this. This is a “physical” issue with your body, and until you work on it, it will never get better. I’ve seen it time and time again. Golfers walking off the course in pure disgust. They’ve taken golf lessons, hit balls at the range, and even bought the latest, greatest titanium drive; and yet still can’t play like they think they are capable of.
4. Don’t wait ’til you get tight to stretch on the course. You should be constantly moving your body and stretching your joints while you play. I see and hear too many golfers complaining of tight lower backs or shoulders during the round, What amazes me is that with all that complaining they do nothing about it. Why? Think of your body as a machine. If the machine starts to break down - fix it. I mean stretch those areas while you’re playing. You’ll see a big difference in your swing mechanics late in the round.
An example for breakfast would be a bowl of oatmeal and a couple of egss with a piece of fruit or a juice. For lunch you could have a turkey sandwich on whole wheat with a piece of fruit. Lot’s of lettuce on the sandwich and try to avoid mayonnaise or butter.
1. First off you’ve got to put the proper fuel in your body before you leave home. Most golfers don’t give it a second thought. They either don’t eat at all before they leave home or they eat something that is not going to give them the long-term energy they’re hoping for. So whether it’s lunch or breakfast before you leave you need to consume a complex carbohydrate and a good protein source. This combination will warrant the best use of your energy for the long haul.
2. The second tip is to properly warm up your body before you even hit your first ball. I see
so many golfers show up 5 minutes before tee time, hack a few balls and head to the first tee. Those golfers are headed for a double bogey right off the bat - but hey they’re just getting “warmed up” right?
3. Drink lots of water even before you leave your house. Try to consume up to a gallon of Water before you get to the course. This will help you absorb and digest your pre-game meal and hydrate your muscles for optimal performance. Don’t take this lightly. Dehydration causes energy loss, lack of focus and concentration and fatigue later in the round. And remember, that’s before you even come to the course. Once you get their you should be drinking water every hole.
The most common issue (especially for the older golfer) is flexibility. Not being able to rotate your body fully on the backswing, creating that power and torque for maximum clubhead speed. If your back swing is cut short, you will LOSE yards on your drives! And I say again; no amount of lessons or hitting balls will make that any better. You’ve got to do specific golf stretches to improve this limitation.
Now on the other side of these limiting factors is strength, specific to golf. And one of the most common limitations is weak hamstrings (the back of the upper leg). The role of the hamstring is critical. It allows you to maintain your golf posture throughout the swing and for 18 holes. It prevents undo strain on your lower back. And can give you a steady, comfortable position while putting.