For all the golf enthusiasts out there, you will know that golf is up there as one of the most frustrating sports! One day you can play perfectly and the next day, nothing seems to go according to plan!
There is always an aspect of the game that needs attention – the drives, putts, chips, positive mental focus and attitude. Here are five top tips to lower your scores and improve your golf swing.
Improve Your Golf Game/Swing And Reduce Your Handicap
1.Warm Up
Most people will openly admit to neglecting a key component to the game – the warm up! There are several benefits to warming up:-
- It increases your body temperature and blood flow to your muscles, allowing muscles to contract and relax more easily which will enable you to generate more power in your swing
- It reduces your risk of injury, by making your muscles more pliable and elastic
- It can help you to mentally prepare by allowing you time to relax your mind, increase your focus and think about strategies to your game
Try these dynamic stretches before your game to work your joints through its full available range of motion:
2.Increase flexibility in shoulders, thoracic spine and hips
Good flexibility through the shoulders, hips and middle part of your back (thoracic spine), is advantageous for golfers as it allows for greater rotation during the backswing and follow through resulting in a longer drive and a better swing rhythm.
Inadequate mobility in the shoulders may be caused by poor posture, muscular tightness (pectorals, latissimus dorsi, posterior rotator cuff), joint tightness in the glenohumeral joint capsule or even a lack of strength in key muscle groups (rotator cuff muscles, serratus anterior).
Thoracic Spine
Stiffness in the middle part of the back (thoracic spine) tends to occur with advancing age. Without sufficient rotation in the thoracic spine, the entire swing relies on purely hip and shoulder movement. This compensation may extend to the lumbar spine, which may lead to inefficient movement patterns, muscular imbalances and trigger a cycle of pain.
Hips
The hip joints are fundamentally important in rotating the body in a golf swing. Many golfers have tight hip joint muscles (hip flexors, glutes), joint capsules or ligaments restricting their movement, and ultimately affecting their performance.
Regular stretching will boost your energy, strength and swing power. Try these simple pilates exercises, to improve spinal, shoulder and hip mobility and rotation:
Thoracic – foam roller
Thread the Needle
Arm Openings
Hip rotations
3. Develop strength in hips and core
Most of the power generated in a golf swing actually comes from the hips and core.
Glutes
Glutes represent three sets of gluteal muscles that originate from the pelvis and insert into the femur. They have 2 main functions in golf. Firstly, strong glutes are important to help stabilize the pelvis during the golf swing. They prevent excessive lateral movement or ‘ hip swaying’ during the backswing and facilitate a rotation (power) in the swing. Secondly, they help to propel us forwards during walking and over an 18 hole course, there’s a lot of ground to be covered!
Core
Your core is the important link between the lower and upper body and helps you to maintain good stability, control and consistency through the golf swing.
Working on strengthening your core helps to:
1.Reduce injury
Activation of your core muscles, reduces the pressure placed on the lower spine and pelvis during the golf swing
2.Improved ball striking and accuracy
Having a stiffer core means being able to overcome the rotational forces placed on the body and maintain a more stable posture throughout the golf swing. This stability will lead to more consistent, accurate swings.
3.Increased distance
A strong, stable core allows golfers to create more force and speed from the ground and transfer it into the clubhead in the golf swing, translating to a longer drive.
Rotating your hips on the downswing, engages your core muscles. It is one of the key areas in which we generate the force needed to hit the ball long distances.
Try these core and glute strengthening exercises at home:
Bridging with weight – progress to single leg
Plank with leg abductions against TB
4.Practice your swing!
The only way to perfect your technique in all aspects of golf and enhance your performance, is to practice! So, try and make regular trips to the driving range to master your swing, practice your short game on the green and even take lessons and advice from a pro. After all, practice makes perfect!
5.Address any niggles/injuries early
Most of the injuries sustained by playing golf are caused by the stress and strain on the body during the swing. Contributing factors include:
- Failure to warm up before play
- Over-gripping action and incorrect and set-up
- Poor posture
- Over swinging
- Repetitive stress
The most common golf injuries that Physiotherapists see related to these factors are:
- Back pain
- Rotator cuff injury
- Golf/Tennis elbow
- Neck injury
- Wrist tendinopathy
- Knee pain
- Hip injuries
A combined approach with Physiotherapy and Pilates can help prevent injury and enhance your golf performance.
Physiotherapy can improve your swing mechanics by addressing any thoracic stiffness/hypomobility problems, improving shoulder and hip range of movement in addition to providing effective treatment should you suffer any injuries.
Pilates can help to improve your core strength and flexibility in your shoulders, thoracic spine and hips to give you a more powerful and controlled swing. So don’t ignore that niggle/injury. Seek early advice and treatment to avoid the pitfalls of developing a more chronic problem and prolonged period away from the sport you love!
‘Marie Daniels Physiotherapy’ can give you tailor made dynamic and static stretching exercises to assist with your warm-up and cool-down to prepare you every time you play. If you have suffered a golfing injury, Marie is here to help with treatments to reduce your pain and get you back perfecting your game.
