I thought Golf was easy?

December 2nd 2015

Whether you are the next Tiger Woods with the killer instinct or a weekend hacker like myself, the golfing industry is fast changing and equipped to help us all.

People always ask me, ‘why do you play Golf?” Well, I figure I must thoroughly enjoy chasing a little white ball around a field full of traps, funding the golf ball industry and whinging to my wife about the game I just lost to my mate. But I must say there is something about this game that I find captivating. Whether it’s the kinematic sequence of the golf swing that enables you to pull off that one in a million shot, or that feeling you get as you hear the ball echo as it drops into the hole. If there’s one thing for certain though, help is on its way and it’s changing the pathway for future golf stars and weekend warriors like myself.

Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) is a world recognised organization that provides educational courses on the body/swing connection, with a main focus on educating golfers and industry professionals. Currently there are 15,000 members across 58 countries who are TPI certified. A TPI certified professional, such as a physiotherapist, golf professional or fitness instructor, can assist golfers of all abilities to find their most efficient swing via a physical screening highlighting physical limitations, weaknesses and muscle imbalances that may be impacting certain aspects of their golf swing or even causing pain.

TPI’s philosophy is: “We don’t believe there is one way to swing a club; we believe there are an infinite number of ways to swing a club. But we do believe that there is one efficient way for everyone to swing a club and it is based on what they can physically do.” – Titleist Performance Institute.

Tour level professionals are now surrounding themselves with an educated team including golf and medical professionals, to enhance not only their game, but also their body, nutrition, physical condition and mentality. So naturally, what we are starting to see is that this way of thinking and preparation is becoming more apparent throughout our younger generation of golfers coming through. In saying that, I believe it is time for me to start doing the same if I ever want to beat my colleagues again.

Interestingly enough, not only is this occurring in the Golf industry, but other sports including, V8 Supercars, NRL, NBL, Athletics, Tennis and Gymnastics are too following this form of athlete conditioning. Screenings, such as the TPI screening that TPI certified therapists are completing, are becoming one of the most popular and effective methods of assessing athletes of all abilities. The Australian Netball team were seen on their social media wearing body sensors for their screenings, monitoring things like body movement, injuries and muscle weakness and balances.

Athletes of this generation are swinging harder, running faster and playing longer, and it is parallel to the efforts of the athlete and their team of professionals. I think it’s time I get on board and try to keep up with these young ones!