Golf Fitness

Any sport demands a certain level of fitness and golf is no exception. You may feel that the game does not require a great deal of physical exertion but only when you play a full round of eighteen holes will you realize how demanding a game of golf can be. Also, golf is as much a mental game as a physical game. Only when you focus completely on your game can you give it your best shot and you cannot do so if you are not physically fit.

Most professional golfers realize the importance of fitness and of warm-ups before every game. We give below some special tips that should help you improve your physical fitness and your game.
·    Improving Your Flexibility: It is very important as a golfer that you have sufficient flexibility of joints and muscles to develop a smooth motion in the required ranges. Only then will your movement be flawless and the execution of your swing accurate. In fact, your golf swing requires you to go through various ranges of motions depending on what action you are performing on the course. This means that each joint that is involved in the swing has to function correctly. Many a times, this is not the case because of a certain rigidity or tightness in the joints. These restrict your movement and end up impairing your swing. Include some lower backstretches and hamstring exercises in your regular workouts to bring in more flexibility in these joints. You will notice that you are able to swing more freely and without feeling any tension in your joints. In fact, many experts believe that stretching exercises alone can improve the range of motion by more than seventeen percent.
·    Having A Proper Warm-up: Many golfers consider their rush from their cars to the golf course as their only warm-up. However, not warming up properly could adversely affect your game not to mention causing injuries. Try to ensure that you reach the course well in advance so that you have enough time to have a good warm up and later, you can spend some time practicing on the greens before your game actually begins.
·    Walk the Walk: Telling a golfer to walk may seem contradictory as that is what they seem to do all around the golf course. However, the number of golf carts and the number of people using them has been on the increase leading many health experts to advise golfers to walk the entire course. In fact, some of the statistics revealed by them is quite startling. Researchers have found that by walking an entire course of eighteen holes, golfers can burn about 40 to 60 percent of the amount of calories, usually burned in a high-intensity aerobic workout. Not only that but golfers who usually walk tend to increase their levels of good cholesterol while reducing those of bad ones.

By following these golf fitness tips, you will not improve your game of golf but your overall health and fitness levels.