Jim Suttie: Fixing your body can help fix your swing

[Moecat]

http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2011/sep/27/jim-suttie-fixing-your-body-can-help-fix-your-swin/

 

NAPLES — As much as we would like to swing like Rory McIlroy, we just can't. Obviously our body won't let us. Our mind is willing, but our body says, “No, you have your own swing.” And our body dictates the fundamentals that will work best for us to become a better ball-striker.

 

As we age, we lose flexibility, strength, balance, stability, mobility and endurance. But this does not give us the OK to quit trying to be better. Golf is a game of hope. We all hope to get better and we can.

 

Recently, there has been a lot of emphasis on working on your body to help your golf swing. Organizations like Body Balance and Titleist Performance Institute have designed golf-specific programs to help golfers maintain and surpass their level of fitness to prepare them to be able to swing a golf club more efficiently. It is a fact that your body is your engine, and the better shape your body is in, the better the chance to improve your golf swing.

 

What happened to the 300-pound golfer that shot par? He is not there anymore. Personally, I know of no players on the PGA Tour who are not on a personal fitness program.

 

So, where does that leave us, the average golfer? We, like the tour players, have our own bodies and customized swings. The combination of good instruction and a personal fitness program is a sure winner and will definitely help your game. What we should understand, though, is that one can't exist without the other. Unfortunately, we would rather take a pill — a quick fix — than put the time in for the long-term cure.

 

We all have good intentions to do our golf workout program every day, but we always have a reason not to. Golf is a developmental sport. We get better through time. If that's the case, some of you may say, I should be the best player on the planet as I am the oldest. Just kidding.

 

Maintenance of your flexibility and your range of motion in your joints is of utmost importance to your continuance of playing the game as you age. Fortunately, you can regain a lot of your lost flexibility if you are willing to get on a good customized workout program.

 

Golf is a game of a lifetime, and you should be able to play it as long as your body lets you. You can definitely help this process by fixing your body, which certainly helps guys like me to help your swing. Best of luck in your quest to be your personal best.

 

Dr. Jim Suttie, 2000 National PGA Teacher of the Year, is available for lessons at Suttie Golf at The Club at Twin Eagles North Naples and Cog Hill Golf Club, Lemont, Ill. Suttie is a Golf Magazine Top 100 Teacher and rated No. 15 in Golf Digest Best 50 Teachers. Suttie also is the director of golf

[Manavs]

another out of shape Dr dispensing advise to "do as i say not as i do" smh

[alexagt]

Very annoying, that text book training gets more reading.