Exercises for Better Golf Scores

To perform really well in golf, just like in any athletic activity, you need to have excellent technique and a body capable of doing what you need it to do. Warming-up, stretching, toning, and easy weight training are helpful in improving your golf scores.

Stretching
Driving mandates strength and limber joints while putting requires relaxed concentration. Start your stretching session slowly and stretch less than the maximum possible. Hold each stretch for several seconds, then repeat until you work out to the maximum extension.

Rotate all the joints involved in golf - hands and fingers, wrists, elbows, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles. Continue with rotating your head gently counter then clockwise to loosen up the important neck and spine.

Here are a few of the stretching exercises:

• Standing straight stretch the arms straight up, rotate the forearms, wrists, and flex the finger joints. Follow by rotating the entire arm, first one then the other then both together. Reverse directions and repeat.
• With elbows bent and hands clasped above the head, use the right hand to pull the body right, followed by the left hand to pull the body left. That stretches the long muscles running from the shoulder blades down to the waist which are called the latissimus dorsi.
• Separate the feet to about shoulder width and bend side to side, front to back. Remember to keep pressure off the lower back, by keeping the angles shallow until you’ve achieved athletic fitness.

Warm-Up
Start with simple aerobics to elevate muscle temperature. Walk around in a circle of about twenty feet in diameter, building up to the distance around a city block. Continue with a short jog on a gentle surface or a few minutes running in place.

Keep in mind that the goal is to simply get blood flow to the muscles and raise the heart rate slightly.

Here are a few low impact exercises:

• Internal hip rotation
  Sit on a chair with your knees pointed straight in front of you. Rotate your ankles outward keeping your knees and thighs pointed straight ahead.
• External hip rotation
  Being in the same position cross the left ankle in front of the right and, keeping the thighs and knees pointed straight, hold for one second. Repeat, reversing ankles.
• Hip abduction
  Lying on your left side bend the left knee slightly and straighten your right. Raise your right leg straight up, keeping it in the plane of your body. Hold for one second and count to two as you lower the leg. Repeat the exercise lying on the other side.
• Hamstring
  Extend your left leg, knee straight on a low bench. Keep your back straight and chin up as you slowly reach toward the toes. Hold for two seconds, then repeat on your right leg.
• Lower back
  Sit with head erect and shoulders squared on a low bench. Slowly turn to your left, to slightly less than maximum. Reach hands around as if reaching for a seat back. Remember to keep your feet nearly flat on the floor. Hold for two seconds, then repeat on right side.
• Forearms
  Extending your left arm straight out, palm face-up, use your right hand to pull back the fingers of your left hand. Then turn your palm down and again use your right hand to gently pull back the fingers of your left. Hold each position for 10 to 20, then repeat, switching arms.

Start doing these exercises slowly and gradually increase the number of repetitions. When you feel comfortable and gain strength try adding weights to wrists and ankles.