Why many golfers don't improve is because they fail to appreciate a basic truth: there is a direct correlation between the condition of your body and the condition of your game. Nowadays, professionals all understand this vital connection between their level of fitness and their level of performance. They are able to perform at optimal levels because they use golf fitness programmes designed specifically for their game.
It’s nothing new either… just more widely accepted and adopted. We all know about the regimens of the likes of Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, Michelle Wie and Suzann Pettersen, but although Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam are often credited with being the catalysts for golf-specific fitness in the men’s and women’s games, in truth that does something of a disservice to the likes of Greg Norman and Gary Player before them. Both were passionate about it. Greg reportedly once said in an interview: “I’m appalled by people who don’t look after their bodies.” Meanwhile, Gary will tell you in no uncertain terms: “The gym is the key to my quality of life and ability to continue playing the game.”
Like Tiger, they all insist that working on golf-specific fitness is as important as working on swing technique. [In my opinion the two are intrinsically linked anyway.] Their results would suggest that they are right!
All golfers want to improve their distance and accuracy off the tee. They know all too well how important playing their second shots from the fairway and closer to the green would be to lowering their scores. However, sad to say, over the last 30 years, the average golf handicap has remained relatively unmoved, despite all the improvements in equipment technology. [A lesson there for all those who get seduced by marketing hype! Technology tends to benefit the mid-to-low handicap players rather than the higher handicappers.]
In all likelihood, you are not realising your true potential, simply because you have yet to prepare your body, physically speaking, for playing great golf. There's a reason why it is illegal to drive a car that hasn’t had a full service and MOT! In this section of the site we will examine the main reasons why so many club golfers find it very hard to improve.