The Shoveling Snow and Golf Connection!?

January 4, 2013 / The Grateful Golfer / 4 Comments

Clearing my driveway of snow this morning gave me time to think about a great many things. One aspect of shoveling I notice is the importance of my legs. Each time I moved, lifted, turned or tossed the snow I bent my legs. After 30 minutes of moving the white stuff, the connection between shoveling snow and my golf swing hit me; proper use of my legs generates power required to throw snow or hit a ball a long way.

The proper use of legs is critical to generating power in your golf swing. Fancy Footwork By Jim Suttie, Ph.D. suggests that legs are the heart and soul of the golf swing. In fact, it was Byron Nelson who brought us the idea of “flexing the shaft with the lower body.” Jack Nicklaus also has repeatedly said that the swing begins from the ground up. This article explains the mechanics of the legs in a golf swing and provides some drills. Personally, I like the heel drill because I lock my right leg now and again.

At golftoday.co.uk they discuss the use of the left arm, keeping your right leg bent and that your left heel should rise during your golf swing. Each person is different and their swings are grooved to their capabilities, but the guidelines of this article may be something you may want to work on. More importantly it highlights the importance of legs during a golf swing.

Legs are critical to developing power in your golf swing (or shoveling snow). So how can you make your legs stronger without having to run 5 miles a day or develop an intense weight lifting program. I have three simple suggestions that will help strengthen your legs in preparation for next year.

First, sit in a chair so your knees are bent at a 90 degree angle. Now stand up, sit down, stand up, sit down. Do this for the commercials during your favorite TV show. Second, if you have stairs in your house, walk up and down your stairs during the commercials of your favorite TV show. Third, go for a walk. This distance and speed is up to you. You will find that if you keep walking in the off-season, you will be better prepared for walking the course.

Only 14 weeks until golf season. I have started my training program because it is never to early to prepare for golfing. See you on the links!

Power, Push or Carry

November 17, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

How do you enjoy your round of golf? Using a power cart, push cart or carrying your clubs? The great thing about golf is that any player, at anytime, can decide on how they want to enjoy their round. But, are there really any benefits to choosing the right mode of transportation when enjoying this awesome game.

As everyone knows, 18 holes of golf is about 4 miles. A carry back weights about 10 kg or 20 pounds depending on the size of your lunch and the number of golf balls in your bag. A cart back will weight more to the tune of about 20 kg or 40 pounds. This seems quite a bit of weight to be moving around for each round of golf. However, experience tells most golfers that it really is not that big of a deal.

I believe that walking is the best way to go. The Walking Golfer talks about the benefits of walking and has started a database on rating the walkability of courses. About.com has an article on the benefits of golf. The Harvard Medical School says that golfing is very good for your overall health. Livestrong.com (quoting the Washington Post) says that walking 1 mile burns 322 calories; more if you carry or push your clubs. Needless to say, there are many benefits to walking and I believe that is the best way to enjoy a round of golf.

“So What?” many of you are asking. I have not really passed on anything new or unique. Well let’s think about this topic a bit deeper. I want to remove the discussion on the benefits of health and focus on the practicality of using a power cart, push cart or to carry your clubs. As I previously stated, I love to carry my clubs, however I do use all three modes of transport while playing golf.

Carrying clubs is faster and allows a player the opportunity acquire a better feel for the round they are playing. There are no restrictions on where you can walk and your clubs are always with you if you want to change your club selection. I carry my clubs early in the morning, on cool days and non-competitive rounds. This is the majority of the time I spend on the links and thus I carry my clubs more often than not.

Push carts offer some of the same benefits as carrying and allows you to carry more stuff. For example, when it may rain, I like to pull my clubs. I can carry my rain suit and umbrella, extra towel, etc. This is extra weight that I can carry if required, but would prefer not to. In addition, on really hot sunny days (generally in the middle of the afternoon) I like to push my clubs because of the heat and I can carry lots of water! I also use my push cart during tournaments. I have found that most amateur golfers think they are pros during tournaments and normal 4-hour rounds turn into 5 or 6 hour rounds. Additionally, I can carry food and water to get me through the long rounds. Lastly, I conserve my energy for when I need it by using a push cart.

Power carts are best during fun tournaments like 4 person scrambles. We can pick up balls from all over the fairway and return to one location to hit our next shot. It enables us to spend a bit more time together talking, joking and laughing about something. Also, I believe power carts are great for players how cannot physically walk 18 holes, but still want to play this awesome game.

Different modes of transporting your clubs during a round of golf has different benefits to each player. There is no wrong answer; it really depends on what you want to experience while on the links. Power, push, or carry really does not matter, what matters is that you are doing it. I am a grateful golfer.

Which mode of transporting your clubs do you prefer?

Flexibility Flexibility Flexibility

November 3, 2012November 3, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

Well I guess you know what this post is about…..power…..okay not really. Is flexibility really that important to your golf swing? Does it really help you hit the ball further? Can we really have more success on the course because I can touch my toes? These, and many more, are questions golfers ask themselves every day. My response to those skeptics people is a resounding YES! YES! YES!

“If you look at some of the players on tour who can really bomb it–guys like Hank Kuehne
and Charles Howell–they’re not the most physically intimidating athletes. But they all are
very flexible players who can generate tremendous clubhead speed while swinging in
balance. That’s also one of the keys to my power. I’m convinced that if you increase your
flexibility, you’ll add power to your swing.” – Tiger Woods. This quote is from a free flexibility program from the RCGA.

Sean Cochran from About.com says, “…to help get golfers back into the game following a layoff – is to work on golf flexibility. The goal of the golf flexibility part of our fitness program is to develop the required ranges of motion within your joints and muscles so that you can execute the golf swing correctly.” This is absolutely true. I would suggest that starting and maintaining a flexibility program now will prepare you for early spring and another season of golf.

MensHealth says, “Flexibility may be the single most important factor in making a successful golfer.” This is absolutely true. Flexibility allows for increase range of motion – therefore more power – therefore more distance and ultimately bragging rights as your tee shot sails past your friends!

Flexibility is extremely important to success in golf. Being flexible helps improve all areas of your golf game. I stretch, not as much as I should, and plan to adopt an exercise program that fits my capabilities. I want to ready for next year and it is never too early to start!

See you on the links!

Golfing in the Off Season!

October 18, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / 1 Comment

I bet you are wondering what I mean by golfing in the off-season! Some may think I mean taking a trip down south or some place exotic to play a few rounds of golf in the dead of winter. Well, that is not what I mean at all. Golfing in the off Season is not about playing golf, but preparing for next year.

At info.com, “Golfers can improve their balance and posture while increasing the strength and technicality of their golf swing” by staying active and adopting an exercise program. They offer several exercises and programs that will help any golfer prepare for next year.

Sports Fitness Advisor suggests that “strength, power, flexibility, balance, core stability, body awareness, even endurance… they’re all physical traits that every consistent golfer (even the fair-weather players) must possess. The golf industry is littered with gadgets and gimmicks for increasing accuracy and shot distance. Yet for all their claims and guarantees most remain independently unproven.” I believe that an overall approach to fitness will improve your game better than any piece of equipment.

Greg Norman “The Shark” says that “as you achieve higher levels of fitness, you can generate more power with less effort, thereby producing a smoother swing with greater club head speed. You will develop more force without forcing the action, which is essential for long and consistent drives.” He also provides a program to become physically stronger to effortlessly achieve success in all aspects of your golf game.

Ian Hardie at Golf Habits.com has identified in his article “Are you running out of steam” that most amateurs do not perform as well on the last 6 holes compared to the first 6. I totally agree with him. A round of golf lasts for 4 hours. Those of us that walk and carry our clubs can attest to the fact that we get tired near the end of a round. I suggest that success down the stretch can be attributed to your physical condition.

Golfing in the off-season is about training and preparing for next season. I would suggest that now is the time to start. See you in the gym!

Dustin Johnson Wins for the 6th Time

June 11, 2012 / The Grateful Golfer / Leave a comment

Dustin Johnson waves to the crowd after finishing on the 18th hole during the final round of the St. Jude Classic. He shot 66 on Sunday to win the tournament at 9 under par. (Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Dustin Johnson played solid down the stretch. He demonstrated that he is an elite player on the PGA tour. His birdies on 16 and 17 vaulted him to the top of the leader board.

The collapse at the top of the leader board showed that all players must stay focused for the entire 18 holes. But how can one keep their focus for 5 – 6 hours while people are taking your picture, shouting at you, wanting to shake your hand, and of course the millions of golfers watching on TV.

Each person must find their own way to stay focused. I believe that the mental aspect of the game is directly related to what you do a few days before the tournament and what you do during the tournament. Competitive-Golfer.com gives very good advice on how to prepare for a tournament. I agree with most of what they suggest. Each person has to find their own way to prepare, but physical fitness is the foundation to success on the links! Enjoy hitting the links this week; the weather is going to be fantastic.