There is no doubt that golf has progressed into an era of power, athleticism and fitness. Golf’s precise synchronized movements, its mental demands and the training required to master repetition under pressure mirror the very essence of athletics. Even athletes of other sports appreciate the athleticism required for golf at the top level.
Former Wimbledon Champion Boris Becker:
“Golf is a different kind of sport than tennis if you’re talking about athleticism. I will say that walking four days in a row is exhausting. Not all golfers are athletes, but there are a lot more today than there used to be”.
Tiger Woods, who was arguably the catalyst of this era, recently said:
“You’ve got two guys who used to play basketball are now playing golf and that’s what I’ve been alluding to all these years. We are finally going to get athletes. Guys who can dunk. Guys could have played baseball or could have played football at the D1 level, but no, they are playing to play golf instead.”
Recent US Open Champion Rory McIlroy may not appear to be the most athletic but don’t be fooled.
“I’ve always been very flexible, which gives me a lot of speed through the ball. That’s where I get all my distance from. But I’ve started working on stability, injury prevention, because it puts so much load on my lower back during my golf swing. So I focus a lot on stability exercises and core stability. I’ve got a lot stronger over the past year. It’s something that I don’t feel as if I need to work out for two or three hours every day. I just have to keep myself in good shape.”
The Power of Bubba Watson
Are you looking for more power off the tee box? Or perhaps more distance with your irons? For practical advice, I find that Core Performance provides some interesting articles and tips. You can even have a look at the exact workout of one the best golfers in the world here. In a few weeks you may soon be ‘bombing it’ like Bubba Watson
At Fota Island Spa Cork, we provide fitness solutions that range from the full-on focus of morning or evening fitness bootcamps and spinning classes to the dynamic posters of the Ashtanga Yoga to the supportive regime of aqua aerobics. Fota Island Resort’s fitness team will motivate and lead you through the exercise that’s right for you. For more details, please click here.
