By: Dustin Baldwin, PT, DPT, Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation at the JCC MetroWest
Have you ever met a golfer that does not want to hit the ball further and straighter? Me neither! Even the players on Tour have that same goal. A better golf shot inherently comes down to having great contact between the clubface and the ball. Despite our best efforts most of us struggle to do that consistently. Sometimes we blame it on the club, sometimes we blame it on our friend who snapped his glove off in the middle of our backswing, but the truth is that most us lack a consistent swing.
So how can we build a consistent swing? The most commonly used method is getting yourself an instructor, spending a few hours at the driving range and playing 2-3 rounds a week. While this strategy is undoubtedly effective, it can be time and cost prohibitive. So is there a way you can improve your swing consistency in only a few hours a week?
The simple answer is yes! Think of one other motion you do in your daily life that resembles a golf swing. I will save you some time and tell you that almost nothing you do on a regular basis prepares your body to maximally rotate to end range followed by generating your peak torque to move from one end range to another. On a more basic level, most of us never maximally rotate our body unless we are on the golf course. Yet, we expect our body to be able to produce that motion on command from the moment we step up to the first tee.
The main reason most of us take a “breakfast ball” on the first tee or consistently start our round with a few bad holes is due to our bodies not being prepared to swing a golf club. So how can we combat this? A simple warmup is a great place to start. As little as 5-10 minutes before your round, you can prepare your body to swing with maximum efficiency. However, while this warmup is great and definitely advised, many of us have underlying strength and mobility restrictions even after a warmup that limit our ability to perform an effective golf swing.
As I said before, almost none of us rotate throughout the day so our rotators get weak and limited. If you can eliminate that, you will allow yourself to unlock your body’s ability to produce a consistent golf swing.
So how can you train your body to rotate better? Rotate more! The answer is quite simple. Adding rotation based exercises into your regular exercise/life routine will strengthen your ability to perform this motion on command and give you the necessary tools to become a consistent golfer.
In pain when you golf? Looking for additional ways to improve your game? Come in for a full golf fitness evaluation. Through 16 specific tests, we can determine the exact limitations that limit your game.
About TPI Certification
Through constant research and years spent working with amateur and professional golfers, the Titleist Performance Institute created a systematic way to evaluate a golfer’s body/swing connection. The body/swing connection establishes a link between a golfer’s physical attributes and the way they swing a golf club. Through physical screening and swing analysis a TPI clinician will compare a golfer’s handicap with their fitness handicap to determine an individualized plan to improve their golf game.
As a TPI team we believe that there is no one best way to swing a golf club, but there is one best way for each individual to swing a golf club based off their physical characteristics. We also believe in a collaborative approach. We have a large team including golf professionals, medical professionals and fitness experts to ensure that we can make every golfer the most efficient, effective, and as healthy as they can be.
Eighteen of the last 20 Majors were won by a player advised by a TPI Certified Expert, 25 of the top 30 players in the world according to Golf Word Rankings are advised by a TPI Certified Expert. If you are looking to improve your golf game, or get back to the game you love, you should have a TPI Certified Expert on your team.
The Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation centers are open and ready to help you achieve your goals. With four locations in West Orange, Millburn and Livingston, the experienced and compassionate staff at Cooperman Barnabas Rehabilitation offers adults and children the specialized care they need to resume an active life after surgery, injury or illness. They are committed to providing patients with the most advanced services in a safe, caring and soothing environment. For high-risk patients who are unable to visit in person, telehealth is an option. Patients do not need a prescription for physical therapy services.
To make an appointment with a TPI-Certified Expert at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center Rehabilitation at the JCC MetroWest, call 973-325-9100.