Off the top of my head, I can’t think of many sports (or many activities for that matter) where being out-of-shape can be beneficial. OK, there’s Sumo Wrestling. And there are belly-flop contests. But outside of those, I’m at a loss. So one would think that being in good physical condition could help with any sport. But what about golf? In a game that really demands more of a good technique and good mechanics than it does top physical condition, does being in good shape really matter? Well, even though the sport does require more of a mechanical skill, I just can’t see how being in good shape can’t help.
With that being said, I’m planning to find out for myself. See, I’ve begun to realize that I’m not getting any younger. As a matter of fact, there have even been some times where, physically, I feel older than I should. That’s not a good feeling. So I’ve begun to do something about it. Recently, I’ve started exercising a bit more and eating a bit less. It’s amazing – by simply getting a bit more active and cutting out some of the foods and drinks I’ve had, or reducing the amount of them anyway, I was able to drop thirteen pounds relatively easily. So I’m going to keep it up and see where this takes me.
But besides the obvious health benefits, one of my hopes is that there is some parallel between my weight and my handicap – both of them dropping. And I don’t see any reason this wouldn’t happen. By losing weight I would think this would help to sharpen the technique for a golf swing. If the body mass is cut down (and by that, I mean the gut shrinks) naturally you would have to figure the swing would simply become more smooth. It doesn’t stop there though. By dropping weight and improving my condition, I should have more energy for the round. So that feeling of fatigue that hits at some point on the back nine should be minimized, if not eliminated altogether.
I shouldn’t be looking at this from only a golf standpoint, and I’m not. It’s important to take care of oneself, and I’ve neglected to do it as well as I should. But it’s never bothered me much before. However, recently I’ve started noticing that I get tired a little faster and some formerly easy task become more of a chore. So if this works, and I can improve my health and golf game at the same time, then why not keep up the effort? For the time being, overall health improving – golf game is yet to be seen. Stay tuned.
Swing ’til you’re happy!
Chris
Absolutely it helps! Not to mention the health benefits, being in relative shape helps in golf: down the stretch, walking hills with being winded, helps with the mental aspect of the game, and swing mechanics. I am a strong believer in physical fitness; besides losing weight (by the way to go on the 13 pounds) flexibility will improve significantly which will have a direct and positive impact on your swing.
Cheers
Jim
I’ve never had the issue but would agree it would definitely help. The extra energy would greatly assist walking 18 holes and you would feel better and increase your ability to make a smoother golf swing.
I also believe it would assist in swinging the golf club back and forth. It would allow the arms and shoulders to rotate around the body much easier.
Most people don’t realize just how much fitness matters when it comes to golf. They watch TV and see a bunch of guys walking around a course taking 60 or 70 swings and then just assume that they’re going to the bar for a few drinks.
In order to properly swing a club, the body has to be put in a number of very straining positions and if you’re overweight the chances that you can get into these positions is slim to none. Professional golfers are some of the most flexible people on the planet. We see them play on TV but what we don’t see is how much time they spend with personal trainers off the course.
The answer is YES! If you’re overweight and you want to get better at golf, start by losing a few pounds.
Good Read!