Golf Injuries and Core Strenght
Thank goodness for my loving Wife. This past week she was number one when it comes to golf injuries. My buddies and I, from my col legate days, had reserved a tee time at one of the great Western US golf courses. Having keep in touch over the years this upcoming weekend had been planned for some time. Low and behold my golfers back was acting up and giving no end of grief. This planned weekend of telling tales, a little side betting and playing some golf was being looked forward to.
I was encouraged by my wife to make this trip, kinda wonder why she wants me out of town, and with her help I was able put my back in shape. With my wife being a dancer the only golf she has watched is by walking past the TV while I am watching a tournament.
FACT: Top Ten Golf Related Injuries. Back Pain, Golfer’s Elbow, Shoulder Pain, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, DeQuervain’s Tendinitis, Knee Pain, Trigger Finger, Wrist Impaction Syndrome, ECU Tendon Subluxation, Fracture of Hamate Bone.
When I was on the golf team I had dreams of playing the PGA back in my college days. Not being in Tiger Woods class it seems I had a better head for business than golf. Here is the good part, not once did I have any golf injuries while playing in college. I guess the younger age had played a big factor in that, being twenty compared to being over forty.
As I turned thirty the strain on my back seem to increase as I used my driver. Now that I am over forty, if proper exercise is not done I am going to have bad back problems. My wifes advice is very important if you want to keep playing often and want to get to the golf course a lot.
“Honey”… this is how my wife talks when she wants me to pay attention. “Whether you’re playing golf or dancing, you need to pay attention to core strength, stability and flexibility.” Since she was wearing alluring leotards, I could only sit spellbound and listen. “You need to do strength training to tighten up your abs (could that be hint?) since all your power comes from your center” (she motioned to her stomach, then did an imaginary golf swing) showing me how my abdominals effect my back and hips. Hmmm… maybe she was onto something. “And”, she continued, now on flow, “you have to stretch before you play, the better your strength and flexibility, the better you’ll feel during and after the game”. I couldn’t argue with her, and especially not when she smiled, that’s the gleam that caught my eyes years ago. So I took my wife’s advice, although she doesn’t know a divot from a shank and heaven forbid if I mention a foursome. But keeping a body in shape was her specialty I began to implement her advice, into my daily gold regimen; strengthening my midsection, stretching before tee time, trying (in general) to live healthier. Believe it or not, it not only helped my golf game, but my overall outlook, I could drive longer and straighter and playing eighteen holes didn’t wear me out.
With what my wife has taught me about core strength and how it has improved my golf game my college buddies are very envious of me. The golf injuries will be a thing of the past much like in my younger days. I have replace some of my strength and flexibility of my youth by exercising and stretching to keep in shape and play better golf.
Filed under: Sports