I recommend three components to your program that will all help your golf game.  First is stretching.  This is something that I didn’t do early in life, but as I have gotten older I realize how important it is, and it really helps keep your flexibility for your golf swing.  The second is weight lifting.  I have written about this before and some golfers think I am crazy.  But a weight training routine is key to overall strength and conditioning.   The third component is a cardio routine of some kind.  It might be walking, running, or using a treadmill, elliptical or some other piece of equipment.

For you older golfers like me,  a book on fitness and staying young that I read recently really motivated me to take my workouts to the next level.  It’s called “Younger Next Year” by Chris Cowley.  If you are anywhere near or above your late 40′s I encourage you to check this book out.  I don’t agree with everything he writes about, but his message on exercise and the impact it has on helping your body stay young is tremendous.

Now of course I can’t totally ignore your golf swing during this post, so let’s talk about what I try to do and encourage my students to do during the offseason.  First, I really try to work on tempo.  Depending on the weather, one of the things that I do is swing a weighted club.   I really work on swinging smooth and easy and thinking about my swing thought for tempo.  Another thing that I use to do this is to hit into a net.  I am doing this to work on a smooth tempo and solid contact.  You can’t tell how the golf shot shot would have finished up, but after a short time you can definitely tell how solid the contact was.

The other thing that I will do a fair amount this time of year is work on my short game.  Primarily chipping and putting.  Now I am fortunate that I have access to courses that don’t shut down for the winter so for some of you this may be limited in what you can do.  But any chance that you have to reinforce consistency in your short game will help.   I use the same drills that are in my golf program described here.  You may want to check it out.

But until next time, golfers let’s get in shape and fine tune that short game where the strokes can be shaved.

Golfers are obviously a high risk for skin cancer. When we live on the golf course as much as possible, we are in the sun as much as possible. And I was one of those “macho” types who rarely used sun block or lotion. Now I have never been one to lie out or sunbathe, so my sun has primarily come from the golf course over the years.
If you look at the statistics on skin cancer, the occurrences are on the rise. And consider these numbers: More than 1 million cases are diagnosed annually. One in 5 Americans and one in 3 Caucasions will develop skin cancer in their lifetime. And more than 90 percent of all skin cancers are caused by sun exposure.
So I wanted to take this opportunity to tell all you golf nuts out there to pay attention to your sun exposure. Don’t worry what others in your foursome say. Don’t let the ribbing bother you. Put on the sun block so that you reduce your risk. Luckily my turned out on a positive note, but why take the risk. Enjoy the game of golf and enjoy it for as long as possible by being smart on this topic.
Since there is not golf tip in today’s post, go check out these additional golf tips.

No seriously there were some big names in these statistics. Golf Digest, The American Dietetic Association, and Golf Health. Here are some interesting statistics from Golf Digest: Eighty percent of golfers suffer from pain injury or illness, twenty seven percent have back pain, sixty six percent are overweight, and thirty percent have played with a hangover.
Here are some of the potential conclusions that your swing might lead to:
–If your drives off of the tee are short, it may indicate a flexibility problem. Lack of flexibility often indicates a sedentary lifestyle which can lead to health problems.
–If you have a persistent fade or draw, it could be indicative of posture problems. Posture issues can indicate the possibility of arthritis or other joint problems as you get older.
–If your golf swing is really erratic and you can’t get consistency, this could possibly indicate that you lack strength in your “core” muscles.
–If your golf game falls apart after a bad shot, this might indicate that you internalize stress a lot. Doing this in all walks of your daily life can possibly lead to heart disease and other problems down the road.
So after I read this, I am thinking, “What are they really trying to say?”. Are they saying that most golfers are out of shape and at risk for their health? Are they saying that if you aren’t a single digit handicap you better get to the doctor? My guess is no on all counts.
I really think that the article was focusing on two basic points: 1. Your golf swing may be able to tell you some things about your health and 2. Odds are that you will play better golf if you are in better shape (which I agree with by the way).
So now that warm weather is here, and all the golf courses should be in prime shape, let’s get in shape so we can play more than 18 holes at at time!

The Golf Nut’s favorite personal workout routine is know as the “Power 90” workout. You can find out all the details at www.beachbody.com. Now bear in mind that I am not a paid spokesperson for this product. I just use it and I like it. One of the things that I like in particular about it is that it stresses stretching and overall fitness as a part of the routine. This is something that I think is important for golfers to consider in a routine.
This exercise program, in my opinion, is one that isn’t just good to help keep you in shape for golf, but is one that you can use for a lifetime of fitness. If you stay with it consistently, it will keep you in shape for a lifetime.
The program makes use of a lot of normal calistenics, which makes it easy to do at home, on the road, just about anywhere. This is important to me because it makes it easier to stay consistent with it. A program that requires a ton of free weights or health club level equipment is not only unaffordable for some, but means that I have to get in the car, drive 20-40 minutes, etc, etc.
And don’t think that just because it doesn’t use a lot of heavy free weights that it’s a sissy workout. This workout will really get you in shape and keep you there. It has two levels and you will not want to start with Level 2. Start with Level 1 and go from there.
Also, to really makes sure that you don’t mess up your golf swing, make sure that you do the stretching that is part of this workout. Weight training without stretching makes you too stiff and tight in my opinion.
Here’s to good golf and fitness!

First let me start by saying that, I believe, stretching is overall just good for you. As we get older loss of flexibility not only makes me feel older but I think that it makes us more injury prone. So I have started to make stretching just a part of my daily routine. Even if you take a break from golf, keep stretching a part of your fitness schedule.
As a general rule, like any fitness routine, set up a regular schedule to try and make sure that you get the stretching into your daily routine and do it consistently. ALWAYS see a doctor before you start any program like this. And stop if you experience any problems whatsoever.
For this part of the series, I am going to point you to my three favorite golf web sites that discuss stretching. These should give you some good background information and resources that can help you.
In Part 2 of this series, I am going to discuss my personal favorite stretching exercises for golf. You may find everything you need from today’s article and not need to read my next one. That is great. The key is to constantly work on getting in better health to enjoy golf more and more each year.
So here are my three favorite sites that discuss stretching information and resources for golfers.

http://www.shark.com/sharkwatch/fitness/fitness14.php

http://www.golf-trainer.com/golf-stretching/stretching-exercises-for-your-backswing.html

http://www.golf-trainer.com/golf-stretching/stretching-exercises-for-your-backswing.html

By the way, I am not affiliated with, nor do I receive any compensation from these sites ore their related companies. They are just good resources that I have found for all you amateur golf nuts out there!

Now why do golfers stay away from weight training? Probably two primary reasons- laziness and fear of losing flexibility. There may be other reasons, but these two are the ones I’ve observed the most.
So I will address these and then talk concerning the pros of weight training for golf. First, weight training is perceived as a lot of hard work but is actually no harder than any other fitness regimen. All of them involve hard work to get in shape. But weights have a number of stigmas and this is one of them. And, the bottom line is, fitness makes you a better golfer, so we need to get over it and get in shape. And unfortunately, golfers, like most of us, tend to stay away from most fitness programs as much as they do weight training.
As far as flexibility and the golf swing, yes flexibility is important. But we are not talking about trying to use weights to look like Governor Arnold. So we aren’t going to make your golf shirt cut into your bulging biceps. Just working on certain things to make you more fit and better able to enjoy golf for a longer time. And remember that any fitness program, not just weight training, should involve stretching. We’ll talk more about stretching exercises for your golf game another time.
Now, that we have that over with, let’s talk about some benefits to the golf swing from weight training. Then in our next post, we’ll talk specific weight training exercises for golf.
First, stronger muscles (remember not being muscle bound) help your golf swing in several ways. You are better able to take a full turn on the backswing. You also can get more distance and make better contact with a more athletic golf swing. Not by “muscling up” on the golf ball, but by being able to use the big muscles of you body in the correct way during your golf swing.
Another benefit that I have found is by being in better shape and being stronger you are better able to walk a round of golf. And, as I have written before, I believe that walking allows you to play better golf. See my separate post on that topic.
So are you other “golf nuts” sold on weight training for golfers yet? Well, I hope so. But either way, next time we’ll cover some specifics to help you get started.

Well, other than moving to Florida and living next to Tiger, there are no easy answers. But here are a few golf tips that I have picked up over the years that may help.
First is conditioning. Many of us, especially as we get older, pick up a few extra pounds every winter when we aren’t as active and can’t get to the golf course. So as much as you hate to hear this, if you don’t have an exercise routine, get one. If you have one, mix it up in the winter to prevent boredom and falling off the wagon. And believe it or not, I am a believer in weight training year round. I’ll talk more about that in a minute, but it won’t kill your golf swing if done correctly.
Stretch, stretch, stretch. This should really not be just a winter time thing to help your golf swing. Flexibility is so key and most golfers don’t stretch much at all, any time of the year. Get with your doctor or a physical therapist and get a stretching routine that you can do every day. You will be amazed how much better you will feel and it will help your golf game as well.
Weight training. Light weight training on a consistent basis, I believe, just helps you stay in shape and keep the weight off. Working on your core muscles and legs is also great for your golf game. I will have a separate post about weight training for golfers coming up.
Now both of these don’t necessarily sound like winter specific things and they aren’t. But I have found that most golfers either don’t do these things, or if they do, quit doing them during the winter months. The key is to keep it up so that you don’t come into the new golf season 10 pounds overweight and stiff as a board. It is very hard, in my opinion, to get your golf swing back in shape and your body at the same time.
Last, I believe in golf training aids. I would recommend getting something that you can swing in a basement or garage. Something like the Momentus weighted club or the Kallassy Swing Magic swing trainer. Swinging one or both of these, combined with exercise and stretching, can have you ready for the tee box when the snow first melts.
Just remember, golf season is almost here!

Here are three suggestions to help you get loose and help your golf swing during a round. When you are running late, you and whoever you are sharing a golf cart with can take advantage of these golf tips to quickly get loose. Bear in mind, these golf tips for a quick stretch are not to replace a golf fitness program.
First, do a quick stretch using the golf cart. Grab the support pole for the roof of the cart with one hand and for a 5 count stretch away from the pole with the other hand slowly trying to reach as far as you can. Repeat with the other side. Do this twice for each side.
Second, carry a weighted golf club, like the Momentus swing trainer in your bag. Instead of taking a few practice swings with your regular golf clubs, use the golf swing trainer. Start with slow smooth, short swings and work up to your full golf swing.
Third, take turns with your partner walking to your shot on the first hole. Carry two golf clubs and swing your arms in large, slow circles beside your body holding the golf clubs. Walk at a decent pace to get the blood flowing throughout your body.
Hope this helps you groove your golf swing on those days when you are in a rush!

Apparently I am out of touch with golf to some degree on this topic. Not only was speed golf started way back in 1979, it is covered at various times by ESPN and The Golf Channel. Ok so maybe I live a little sheltered life?
Anyway, the objective of the game is to achieve the lowest golf score in the shortest period of time. So for scoring purposes you add your raw score to your time. For example if you shot 72 (ha ha) and completed your round in 30 minutes and 45 seconds your score would be 102.45. Bear in mind that the lowest score recorded is 111.55. That was a score of 72 in 39 minutes and 55 seconds (maybe not ha ha).
I’ve done a little reading on this game and a lot of golfers carry only one club and a putter to play. Others have found that there is a market for anything and there are now backpack type golf bags that are designed just for this and are ultra, ultra lightweight and allow you to carry a few more golf clubs. There are tournaments all over and many of them allow caddies. I guess you have to find a golf caddie who runs marathons in his or her spare time. By the way there is even a separate set of rules for speed golf. There was an interesting web site that included the rules at www.extremegolf.com.
I don’t know if I will take this version of golf up or even try it. I mean which would you choose when you go on a golf vacation? Does golf now become too much like work? I don’t know the answers here, but I am interested to see if any of you golfers out there do both, play both regular golf and speed golf. A lot of what I read seemed to indicate that speed golfers have become addicted to their version and that is all that they do. Let’s hear from you out there!