Eat Sleep Drink Live Golf!

Watching the PGA Tour live on television has a tendency to glorify golf as an occupation. However, what we see week in and week out is the proverbial “tip of the iceberg”. Tour professionals have it tough, and the lifestyle that we see only really reflects the top 5-10% of the tour.

Here is what an average week looks like for a tour professional:

• Monday: Travel day/practice round
• Tuesday: Official practice round
• Wednesday: Pro-am event (compulsory these days)
• Thursday: Round 1
• Friday: Round 2
• Saturday: Round 3 (for those that make the cut)
• Sunday: Final Round

A tour professional’s schedule can go on like this for weeks on end. They still have to build into their schedule practice on the range, fitness training and short game skills. The point I am trying to make is that even professionals struggle to cover all the bases.

How does a tour professional manage to play all that golf without injuring himself? How do they prevent injuries? Here are some ideas that we as amateurs can learn from:

• Schedule time to rest so the body can recover - we call this periodisation.
• Injury prediction screen- medical professionals screen golfers for muscle imbalances, weaknesses, asymmetry within the body to predict and prevent injury.
• Conditioning- physical exercise specific for golf conditions the body for the repetitive loading placed on the body week in and week out.
• Diet- you can’t put petrol into a diesel engine. Pros make sure they get the right kinds of foods to sustain energy levels

So if you are looking for performance improvements, or more consistency in your game, take the factors above into account and ask yourself if you are preparing your body correctly for golf. If you would like to book your detailed assessment, please email your resident, Ian Corbett, on ianc@gpge.co.za, or call the Gary Player Hospitality Desk on 011 545 8618