The short game for the professional, amateur, junior, or woman golfer is an integral part of golf. A good short game can be the difference between a good score and great score. Often times golf fitness exercises, the woman golfer, and short game are not connected. The reality is golf fitness exercises can be a great benefit to the short game of any woman golfer.
The short game does not necessarily require the power associated with tee shots where golf fitness is a benefit, but rather in a different set of requirements. The short game requires a great deal more finesse. Finesse in terms of finite control of the distance, spin, and carry of every shot. This type of finesse requires more motor control from the nerves and muscles of your body. Increasing the motor control (i.e. the ability of your body to execute finite actions) can occur through the utilization of golf fitness training.
The specific type of golf fitness training that can improve the motor control is classified as balance training. This type of golf fitness exercise trains both your nervous and muscular systems of the body. As a result these exercised improve the interaction of your nerves and muscles. One of the benefits of this type of golf fitness training is the ability of your muscles to control movement more efficiently. As a result the ability to control finite movements becomes much easier. This lends itself to improvement in your short game.
In addition to improving the motor control of the body for short game shots, balance training can in addition improve your “feel”. Feel is a term used to describe the ability of the woman or any other golfer to know where their “body is in space”. This concept explains how a golfer can feel the club head, know the position of the body, be aware of weight shifts, and body angles. All of which are important aspects of developing a good short game. Balance training exercises within a golf fitness program can improve the “feel” within in your short game.
One of my favorite balance training exercises for golf is the airplane rotation. Before performing this or any other golf fitness exercise, make sure you are in good health, and cleared by your physician. Begin this exercise by placing your feet together, bend at the hips so your back is flat, and chest is parallel to the floor. Extend your arms straight out from the shoulders, keeping eyes focused on the floor. Lift the right foot off the floor and balance your weight on the left foot. Once the weight is balanced on the left foot, extend the right leg back from the hip. The right leg should be parallel to the ground. Attempt to keep the right leg straight throughout the entire exercise. Begin the exercise by rotating the left arm downward towards the floor. At the same time, rotate the right arm upward. Continue to rotate to a position where the left hand is directly above the left foot, and the right hand is pointing straight up. Return to the starting position and repeat.
Outside of improving motor control and “feel” golf fitness exercises can benefit the short game and woman golfer in another area. It is well known short game shots require “more” from the hands and forearms. Short game shots require acceleration of the club head through the ball, bouncing the club on sand shots, and at times moving through thick rough.
All of which ask more from these body parts. As a result increasing the strength in the hands and forearms can benefit the short game. Golf fitness exercises can do just that! These types of golf fitness exercises develop increased levels of strength in the muscles of the hands and forearms. As a result the ability to hit chips and pitches from the rough, the bouncing of the club in heavy sand, and accelerating through the shot becomes much easier.
Some easy to perform hand, wrist, and forearm golf fitness exercises to improve your short game are ball squeezers and towel wringers. Both of these simple to perform golf fitness exercises will improve your strength in these integral parts of the body for the short game. As with airplane rotations before attempting these or any other golf fitness exercise make sure you are in good health and cleared by a physician.
Ball squeezers can easily be performed with either a tennis ball or racquetball. Simply place the ball in your palm and squeeze with your fingers. Hold the “squeeze” for 2 seconds and release. Repeat for 10-15 repetitions and proceed to towel wringers. Grasp a towel in your hands and “wring” the towel. Perform the wringing of the towel in both a clockwise and counterclockwise direction. Again, perform 10-15 repetitions of this golf fitness exercise.
To summarize, the short game for the woman, junior, amateur, or professional is of great importance. Improving your short game can mean the difference between a good round and great round of golf. The finesse required in the short game can be improved through the utilization of golf fitness exercises. Balance exercises within a golf fitness program are the type of exercise that can improve the finesse of your short game. Additionally, the short game requires high levels of hand, wrist, and forearm strength. Simple to perform golf fitness exercises can improve the strength in these integral parts of your body for the short game. So remember, utilize balance and strength exercises in a comprehensive golf fitness program to improve your short game.
Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA Tour regularly with 2005 PGA & 2004 Masters Champion Phil Mickelson. He has made many of his golf tips, golf instruction and golf swing improvement techniques available to amateur golfers on the website www.bioforcegolf.com. To contact Sean, you can email him at support@bioforcegolf.com. |
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