Golf is not for the Weak

Golf is tough on bodies. In fact the forces involved in golf are surprisingly large. The average force of impact between a club head and ball is 6000-8000 N, which corresponds to a weight of 600-800 kg. The club head is accelerated to 160 km/hr in around 0.2 seconds in your downswing. This requires the body to generate a LOT of force.

It’s estimated that amateur golfers use about 90% of their maximal strength to hit a golf ball. This is repeated around 50 times during a round and often 300 or more times during a practice session. If we equate this load to training in a gym, a 90% of maximal load is equivalent to a weight that you could only lift four times (4-RM weight). Loads like this are respected in the gym, its baffles me why golfers have no respect for the load generated in a golf swing.

If you’re playing golf on a regular basis with something like a spare tyre wrapped around your waist and a body that hasn’t seen exercise for a while you really are running the gauntlet.

John Daly isn’t a role model here obviously. John admitted the only reason he does not lift weights is because the health club does not let him smoke there and he would get sick after he worked out.

Injured backs, shoulders and elbows are the most common effects of not preparing your body for golf. These injuries can keep you off the course for months in some cases.

You should seriously look at doing a golf conditioning programme if you’re playing two rounds or more per week or hitting more than 200 balls per week. Studies show that if you’re hitting this many balls each week, your risk of injury is significantly higher than if you’re an occasional hitter. I’d recommend at least two, preferably three sessions per week in the gym doing a golf specific programme. This workout needs to increase your strength in rotation and needs to condition muscle, tendon and bones to support repetitive impacts in golf and the high forces in rotation and weight shift involved with golf.

Holistic Movement Coaches regularly repair and condition golfers. Please find one of our excellent coaches to work with your golf body.