“Pain is not the problem. It’s the signal”
Gray Cook
If you live in Canada then you’re probably starting to think about the golf season again. It’s finally time to dust off those clubs and make our way back to the course. This post is dedicated to all the weekend golfers, or recreational golfers, out there that love the game of golf.
I’m a weekend golfer. My dad’s a weekend golfer. My friends are weekend golfers. A lot of people who play this game are weekend golfers. That doesn’t mean you can’t be good at golf or want to improve your game and your body.The weekend golfer is someone who wants to be good at the game but doesn’t necessarily have the time to dedicate to it. If you play golf once or twice a week then you fall into this category.
A lot of weekend golfers love the game of golf and want to play it at a high level even though they can’t commit the time needed to be elite. So they think. Will becoming healthier and improving your fitness will improve your golf game? Of course it will. It will also improve your confidence and overall life. The biggest way to improve your game without the course is to improve your body.
Being athletic will help withstand the demands of the round and play at the highest level. Focusing on mobility and power are the areas I like to focus on with weekend golfers. There are a variety of reasons why but here are my top two:
- As we age, we lose mobility and power
- The majority of people I’ve worked with have mobility problems based on their work and or other hobbies
Those are the main reasons I focus on those two things with weekend golfers. That’s not to say that there are other underlying issues that have to be addressed but the majority of weekend golfers could really benefit from a daily mobility program and some powerful movements in the gym a few times a week.
Another good thing for the weekend golfer to do is swing your golf clubs a couple times a week. Whether that be going to the range or just practicing some swings in the backyard, it’s important to keep swinging. I hear it all the time, I hurt my back after my first round of the year, what should I do now? You should’ve warmed up before your round and you should’ve been swinging your golf clubs a couple times a week (at least) when you’re not playing. This will assure that your body is ready to go and take on the demands of golf.
Another area missed by most Weekend golfers that could really help their games is their nutrition. If you want to go play golf, have a couple beers and a hot dog, that’s fine but if you want to play your best round then you need to change things up. Below is a link to my free e-book.
Bring water and snacks with you when you play. You will not only save money but you’ll feel and play better too. I like to bring around 1-1.5 litres of water, some sort of protein bar, mixed nuts and a piece of fruit. Sometimes I’ll make a peanut butter and banana sandwich too. It really depends on how many calories you need and how you feel on the course.
I’d say that I’ve trained more weekend golfers over the years than really competitive golfers because there are way more of them. Think about how many people play this game? Millions! There’s definitely not that many professionals. We are the norm, not the professionals and my goal is to have YOU playing this game at the highest level for as long as possible.
From training so many weekend golfers I’ve learned that everyone always comes in because they want to be better at golf but by the time they’re done with me they’re talking about so much more. They feel better in multiple areas of their lives and they contribute it to the training, eating healthier, managing their stress and getting better sleep. Don’t start a health and fitness journey just for your golf game. Start it so that you are a better partner, father/mother, friend, colleague and all the other hats we wear.
If you’re reading this post then I’m sure you’re considering an exercise journey or you have been on one for a long time now. Exercise is a part of life. It should be a constant in your life so why not make it applicable to what you enjoy doing? If you played on a recreational softball team I’d say lets’ work on rotation and agility!
There’s always going to be more motivation to work on yourself and especially your fitness level if you can see your hobby/passion/interest improving at the same time. One thing I’m asked often is what motivates you to workout multiple times EVERYDAY. The reason is because I know I can do better. I can be better at golf, at lifting, at running, at keeping up with my kids and so on. I don’t want to be the grandfather who can’t play with his grandchildren. In fact, I don’t want to be the father who can’t play with his kids. If you can figure out YOUR why, then it will just start to happen for you. If you don’t know why you are doing something then why would you even do it?
The easiest way to introduce a new habit in your life is to compound it with another one. I’ve talked about this in earlier posts but I think it matters a lot more for your inconsistent athlete or exerciser. All of the professionals are playing for a pay cheque so there’s consequences if they don’t succeed. Us regular folks don’t have those same consequences and that sometimes can be our downfalls. If you can compound exercise with something else in your life then it will be much easier to stay on track. If you need help getting you on track then you know where to go!
In conclusion, start training to improve your game and your body and health will improve at the same time.. This will set you up for success in golf as well as life. I hope you’ve enjoyed this blog post. Thank you for supporting CSC Performance Coaching!
From Average to Elite.
Stop misusing your time doing the same thing in the gym expecting a different result! Let me develop a personalized plan to maximize your potential and start living the life you deserve. We will identify your limitations and turn them into your strengths! Take your athletic ability, game, body and LIFE to the next level! Don’t waste another minute. LETS GO!
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Thanks for reading! Until the next one……
Mark
CSC Performance Coaching