Golf fitness exercises can be very beneficial in getting you ready for the upcoming golf season. Golf exercises with swing drills can prepare you for a successful year on the links right from the start.

The PGA Golf Tour is in full swing and for many parts of the country and world the golf season is upon us. Many of you are anxious to dust off the golf clubs and get out to the golf course for your first round of golf. A question that may be on your mind is how do I get ready? How do I knock off 6 months of rust on my golf swing, feel comfortable with my driver on the first tee, and post a good golf score at the end of the round?

All questions that are asked often in the world of professional golf and this article will provide you with the answers. Answers to these questions and many more fall under the category of how do I prepare myself for the golf season?

Interesting enough if the guidelines from this article are followed the golf score you post for your first round of the year may be lower than you ever expected, the distance of your drives may well be farther than you imagined, and the number of accurate golf shots you hit may be even more surprising!

The answer to all the questions on how to get ready for the upcoming golf season centers on preparation. Preparation is the key to a successful first round of golf and every round you play in the upcoming golf season.

We all probably understand the definition of preparation but lets take a quick look in order for us to all be on the same page. Preparation can be defined as the work or planning involved in making something or somebody ready or putting something together in advance (Encarta Dictionary, MSN.com).

A definition that sheds light on getting ready for the upcoming golf season. Using the above definition we can see the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season does not begin 10 minutes before your first tee time, but rather in advance of when you get ready to hit driver off the first tee. Bottom line the process of getting ready for the upcoming golf season begins weeks or even months before your’ first round of golf of the year.

To have a successful first round of golf and a good season of golf you must begin the process of preparation well in advance of your first time on the golf course. If you look at professional golfers they begin the process of preparing for the upcoming golf season months in advanced. I would suggest doing the same. Develop a plan that will get your golf swing ready once the snow thaws, the birds are chirping, and the greens are ready for putting.

What does such a plan contain? This type of “golf preparation plan” would contain drills, exercises, and programs to improve and prepare every aspect of your golf game. If we break down the game of golf into categories the “golf program” becomes much easier to understand. Obviously, we have the different shots made on the course. A brief breakdown would indicate the need to implement swing drills to work on the full swing, short game, and putting. We could obviously get a little more detailed than a breakdown of the golf game into three different categories, but lets’ keep it simple.

Now that we have this breakdown of the game of golf into full swing, short game, and putting the next step is to implement a series of drills to work on each of these aspects. Simply put I would suggest devising a series of drills to work on each part of the golf game/swing. This can easily be accomplished by purchasing a few books or videos from one of the top-teaching professionals in the world of golf.

Each one of these qualified golf instructors have numerous materials available to help you with your golf swing. And if you are one of those individuals that lives in a cold climate and is unable to get to a driving range or practice facility, no need to worry. Most all of the instructional videos/books available have drills that can be performed in the comfort of your own home.

At this point we have a couple of bases covered in the “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season. We understand preparation is key to a successful year on the golf course, the “preparation plan” begins well in advance of the first tee time of the year, and a portion of the plan consists of swing drills. This brings us to final part of your “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season.

This part of the plan centers on the implementation of golf fitness exercises to go along with your swing drills. We must understand the concept of your body and the golf swing. The golf swing is executed in its’ entirety by your body. In order for your body to execute the golf swing correctly. It requires you to have certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power within it. If you are lacking in any one of these physical areas compensations will occur in your golf swing.

It comes down to this: In order to be prepared for the upcoming golf season and to improve your golf swing. The implementation of golf fitness exercises geared towards developing your body around the golf swing is necessary. This type of program will prepare the body for the golf swing and the upcoming golf season.

To summarize, the process of preparing yourself for the upcoming golf season begins with a “preparation plan”. This plan begins weeks to months in advance of your first time out on the golf course. Additionally, this “preparation plan” for the upcoming golf season contains a series of golf training drills to prepare your golf swing. The golf training drills break down the golf game into three sections; full swing, short game, and putting. A series of swing drills are implemented to work on each one of these parts of your golf game. In addition golf fitness exercises are implemented into the golf-training program to develop your body around your golf swing. Put all these pieces together and your first time out on the golf course this year should be an enjoyable one.

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson. To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs go to http://www.seancochran.com

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I receive many questions about the junior golfer and golf fitness programs. The questions are on a number of different topics, but they generally fall into three or four different categories. Typically the questions are; at what should a junior golfer begin utilizing golf fitness exercises, how often should a junior golfer implement golf fitness exercises, and finally what are the best golf fitness exercises for the junior golfer? Typically this last question is the most commonly asked question. This article is intended to provide some answers to the question; what are the best golf fitness exercises for the junior golfer?

First and foremost golf fitness exercises can be of great benefit to the junior golfer provided a few principles are adhered to in the development of such a golf fitness program. We are obviously aware certain exercises are beneficial to the golfer and others are not. Keep in mind regardless if you are a junior, professional, or senior the exercises within your golf fitness program should center upon developing the body around the golf swing.

This single principle indicates certain exercises are of greater benefit to the golfer than others. Generally speaking, the exercises should focus on developing your body to the positions, movements, and physical requirements of the golf swing. This equates to exercises developing the required flexibility, balance, endurance, strength, and power required of the golf swing. For example, we are fully aware the golf swing requires you to make a full shoulder turn. A portion of the ability to make a full shoulder turn is contingent upon the golfer’s flexibility (regardless of if you are a junior golfer or not). If you are lacking flexibility the ability to make a full shoulder turn, the golf swing will be compromised, and compensations may set into your golf swing. That being said, a portion of your golf fitness exercises, specifically your golf flexibility exercises will focus on developing a full and effortless shoulder turn.

The junior golfer is really no different than golfers of a different age when it comes to the basic principles of a golf fitness program. The goal of the golf fitness program is the same, and the physical components of the body to be developed are the same. The goal of the golf fitness program is to develop your body around the golf swing in order to create a more powerful, consistent, and accurate golf swing.

The difference for the junior golfer comes down to what are the best exercises within each of these categories. Typically the junior golfer is not as physically developed as an adult thus changing the exercise prescriptions that are best for them. Meaning, the categories to develop within the body for the golf swing are the same as the adult golfer, but modifications in certain exercises are required to counteract the physical development of the junior golfer.

Typically flexibility exercises for the junior golfer can be the exact same as for any other age golfer. Generally speaking, flexibility training is often much easier for the junior golfer to perform because muscles and connective tissues tend to be more flexible when we are young.

Progressing to balance exercises. Often the junior golfer is not as kinesthetically developed as an adult. Their bodies, control of the limbs, and knowing where the body is in space tends to be less developed at younger ages. For this reason we must modify some of the balance exercises to a lower level of difficulty. For example, a junior golfer may have difficulty performing an advanced airplane rotation found in my golf fitness book. As a result a modification may be required in the exercise. The adjustment could consist of keeping the junior golfer using the basic airplane rotation and adding more repetitions to increase the difficulty.

Another adjustment is usually required for the endurance, strength, and power exercises for the junior golfer. Golf fitness exercises found within these categories of training are geared towards increasing muscular strength, endurance, and power. In order to improve these components of the muscles in anyone (junior golfer included) we must overload the body with a higher workload than it is accustomed too. For example, if you were a bodybuilder and wanted get bigger biceps. You may choose to perform bicep dumbbells curls with a 50 lb. dumbbell. In the beginning this exercise may be very difficult to perform. The reason is the 50 lb. dumbbell is overloading your bicep. Over time the bicep gets stronger and the 50 lb. dumbbell gets easier to lift. This is an example of how to overload the muscles of your body to get stronger.

Many of these exercises to develop increased strength, endurance, and power can require the use of external resistance: In the form of dumbbells, elastic tubing, medicine balls, etc. The mistake with junior golfers is externally loading these exercises too much. For example, using to heavy of dumbbells for a certain exercises. The result is a compromise in form and loss of benefit from the exercise. For this reason, I have found it best for the junior golfer to use their body weight as resistance first. Then slowly progress to adding external resistance in the form of tubing, medicine balls, etc…

This format allows the junior golfer to progress in the development of their bodies for the golf swing properly. It allows them to focus on exercise technique and execution rather than the amount of weight lifted.

To recap, modifications for the junior golfer in terms of their program is required. It is a simple process if they are not overloaded with resistance or difficulty of exercise. The goal for the junior golfer is the same as any other golfer; develop the body around the golf swing. The physical components to be developed by a golf fitness program are again the same; flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power. The difference for the junior golfer lies within the implementation of the exercises within these categories in the golf fitness program.

Sean Cochran

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Golf fitness exercises and golf fitness training can increase the cluhead speed in your golf swing. The utilization of golf specific exercises in a structured golf fitness training program can benefit your golf game in numerous ways.

The golf swing is undoubtedly one of the most difficult athletic actions to perform in sports today. It requires you to draw the golf club on a specific swing path, in sequential order, and with the correct timing. Any error in path, order, or timing creates compensations in your golf swing leading to frustrations on and off the course.

Compensations in the golf swing are often categorized as “swing faults”, indicating that an error exists in the actual mechanics of the golf swing. The normal approach to correcting “swing faults” is through instruction from a qualified teaching professional and follow up practice. This is the correct approach in the development of the golf swing, but one must also understand the role their body plays in the game of golf.

The amateur often times is unaware the role in which their body plays upon the execution of the golf swing. Essentially it is your body (i.e. bones, muscles, and nerves) executing each and every phase of the golf swing.

In order to execute each phase of the golf swing correctly certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power are required. If a golfer is lacking in any one of these physical parameters required of the golf swing. Compensations will occur within it. Not from the actual biomechanics of the swing, but rather from the body. 

For example, if you are lacking the proper levels of flexibility to perform a full shoulder turn. Compensations will occur in the golf swing directly related to this lack of flexibility in the body. Often the amateur fails to realize the compensation is a result of their body and fails to ever “fix” or improve their golf swing as a result.

Bottom line, the golf swing requires certain levels of flexibility, balance, strength, endurance, and power to execute correctly. If the amateur desires to improve their golf game some attention must be focused upon developing these parameters within the body.

The development of these physical components for the swing can be achieved through the implementation of golf fitness exercises in a golf fitness program. Such a program will develop the requirements of the body relative to the swing. Allowing you the ability to execute the golf swing correctly. Golf fitness exercises train the body to the positions, movement, and requirements of the golf swing. Over time these types of golf specific exercises will improve your flexibility, balance, strength, and power relative to the requirements of the golf swing. To learn more about golf fitness training and golf exercises go to my website www.seancochran.com where you will find an abundance of information on golf fitness and the golf swing.

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