Golfing

Golf makes an excellent exercise for all age groups. You are walking in the fresh air, sometimes for several miles up and down hills, while carrying your golf clubs, and you are developing your muscular fitness and flexibility in the swing and the strike. (You can leave the wheeled carrier and the buggy at the clubhouse if you want to become fit). It needs and promotes mobility; you need to have good posture, balance, and a sense of rhythm.

Do some warm-up and stretch 'n' tone exercises before you play a round. They are particularly beneficial for your flexibility and power. Freedom in the neck muscles, particularly in the older golfer, is essential to allow the body and shoulders to turn fully while the head stays still, eyes focused on the ball.

Postural control is of supreme importance in golf in the moments just before you hit the ball, and you also need good striking power. You need to be supple to have a good follow through towards the end of your stroke.

After loosening the neck muscles, try this for the shoulders:

Hold your driver in front of you, arms straight, left hand at the top of the grip and right hand down by the head of the club. Bring the club back over your head, keeping the arms straight, and then return it to the starting point. The looser and free your shoulders are, the shorter the club you can use for this exercise.



TWIST THE CLUB

To loosen up your back, hold a club behind your back, passing your arms over the club so that it is held between both elbows in the back. Now twist your body first to the left and then to the right. Ease yourself round as far as you can to loosen up the muscles in the upper body and lower back.

FACTFILE

Calories burnt per minute: 3.8-6.2

Works on: mobility, flexibility and strength in the arms, shoulders and back; is a good for posture



Complementary exercises: weights, swimming