Working With The High Handicap Golfer

​Having spent years working as a Titleist Performance Institute certified fitness professional in the finest clubs in western NY, I have been exposed to all levels of golfer.  From the top flight level scratch or plus handicap player seeking their first club championship all the way to the new member who just bought their first set of clubs.  Everyone can benefit from the TPI screen and accompanying custom golf fitness workout plan that follows.  One thing I have noticed is that the higher the handicap, the more benefit the player gets from going through a TPI screening and beginning to address the physical weaknesses and limitations that they have.

Through conversing with dozens of high handicap golfers and completing hundreds of TPI screens the common thought is that golf fitness is only for top level players.  I find the opposite to be true.  From anecdotal evidence, most high handicap players 1.) Came to the game late and 2.) Work at an office/desk job.  These players were not raised in a traditional golfing family, have success in their job and family, but never were able to spend time in their younger years around a golf course.

On almost all of this type of player I see the following:
-Tight hips/hamstrings
-Tight lats/chest
-Tight calves

Now most of these golfers know this, but do not know how this connects to their swing.  They all have "stretches," or "warm-ups" that they do, but usually just because they saw someone else do it once before and adopted it as "their warm-up."  With the TPI screen we confirm tight and weak areas and then attack them with targeted strength exercises, mobility drills, and static stretches.

If this remotely sounds like you, and you are interested in improving your golf game this winter you might just be better spending 15-30 minutes/day on your strength and mobility than spending that same time pounding balls at a simulator or indoor range.  Most high handicap golfers know WHAT to do when swinging the golf club, they just don't know HOW their physical weaknesses and imbalances are actually preventing their body from being ABLE TO DO those things!