Golf Course 5

I know I am as much a culprit of this in the past as anyone but how many times have you got to the course five minutes before you are due to tee off, you change your shoes grab your clubs from the trunk and head for the tee? Grab the Driver from your bag and spank your first shot off down the fairway (or into the rough depending on your preference).

Lets face it the first few holes have always put up some nice big scores on the days card. I lost count of the amount of times I have put a nice big fat 8 up on the first hole, and it can all be avoided and we are

going to tell you the why and how.

When you watch your favorite sport on television and the commentary that goes before the event always shows pictures of the top competitors warming up before they go out on the course, pitch, track or court. This is because the warm up loosens up the muscles and prepares the body for exercise.

Warming up for golf is no different to any other sport in its results is allows the body to start pumping the blood to the areas of the body that are going to need it for the ultimate performance.

No I don’t mean go stand on the first tee and swing a club around for five minutes I mean if you are going

to benefit from the exercise and enjoy the round to the max there are a few simple things you can do.

Before you even pick up a club go through a stretching routine. This should look to loosen up your back, shoulders, neck and hips. To do this try and follow the drill below:

Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and place your right arm over your head and touch your left ear. Without putting too much force on your neck (remember we are only stretching the muscles) tilt your head to the right and hold when you start to feel it pull down the left side. Hold for five seconds and repeat on the other side.

Raise your right arm

above your head and reach down between your shoulder blades, then take your left hand and apply a little pressure to the elbow pushing down slightly. You will feel this pulling on the back of your arm. Hold for five seconds and repeat on the other side.

Hold your arm out in front of you at shoulder height with your thumb facing the sky. Bring your arm across your chest and with the other hand apply pressure to the upper part of the arm (just above the elbow) This you will feel in the shoulder. Don’t apply too much pressure just enough for you to feel the stretch. Then repeat with the other arm. Hold each side for around five seconds.

With

your arms by your side interlock your fingers and bring your arms up turning your hands to face out. Stop when you get to chest height and hold for five seconds, then raise both arms with fingers interlocked and still facing out above your head. Again hold this for around five seconds and relax.

Now a similar action to the previous one but this time lock your fingers behind your back turn your hands out and raise your arms until you feel the stretch across your chest. Hold this for five seconds and relax.

Place your right hand on your right hip and raise your left hand above your head. Lean over towards the right until you feel a stretch along your

hip, hold for five seconds and repeat on the other side.

Now with both arms by your side take your left hand in front of you and your right hand behind you and twist your body to the right as if you are trying to touch your back on the opposite side. Hold for five seconds and then swap sides.

By carrying out the above drill you will have loosened your upper body and be ready to spank the big dog down the middle of the fairway and birdie the first hole!

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