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Golf on Cape Cod  - Fitness

Golf Fitness -
Ease Pain - Improve Power & Distance - Play Better

Everyone knows that once a professional golfer hits 55, his/her probability of playing well enough to win again is low. These are highly skilled players whose range of motion becomes impaired through time or an injury that limits their ability. The notable exceptions are those athletes (Gary Player, Bob Charles) who work on fitness as a daily regimen. For the average golfer, the lack of flexibility and strength take an even greater toll on their games because they are not as proficient to begin with.

In this Tiger Woods era, today's young bucks on the PGA Tour all are into fitness because it is the only way they achieve peak performance. Gyms and fitness centers offer golfers help in conditioning, but few are focused directly upon the bio-mechanics of the golf swing.

Par-Formance Golf, a sports medicine program created for golfers by the Sport Performance and Orthopedic Rehab Team (SPORT) at South Coast Hospital Group in New Bedford, MA, helps golfers ease pain and improve power.

Stephen Molis, PT, the physical therapist who directs the Par-Formance program explains that "the golf swing puts unusual stress on your back, your muscles and almost every joint in your body. Minor muscle imbalances and restrictions will cause major problems in the golfer's ability to achieve results desired. Golfers sometimes over-exert themselves - often coming to the program with stiff or sore backs, shoulders and ankles."

One of the most overlooked areas in your game is your ability to maintain your posture and stability during the golf swing. And being out of condition can limit flexibility and/or strength, resulting in loss of power generated during the swing due to poor swing mechanics.

Par-Formance Golf is a supervised conditioning and strengthening program that's great for golfers who are experiencing physical problems that limit performance, and for those who are looking for a better golf experience and to gain a competitive advantage over their weekend competitors.

Rick Spilane, an avid player from Pocasset Golf Club on Cape Cod, explains his experience with Par-Formance Golf this way. "I have been in the program for just six weeks, and my stamina has increased greatly. I notice it most on the last four or five holes. I feel I am more flexible and more athletic."Rick continued, "I am now turning more from the waist, rather than swaying, as my flexibility has improved. The game is much more enjoyable because I feel better. My lower back hurts less."

Golfers who participate in the Par-Formance program initially undergo a comprehensive evaluation program that includes flexibility and strength testing to pinpoint deficient areas of the body. Next, an individual exercise program is then designed to target those areas that need the most work. For example, women tend to be more flexible than men but have less strength. Their regimen, therefore, would focus more on strength than flexibility, and vice versa for men.

PROGRAM BASICS

1. Comprehensive evaluation and assessment of:

a) Balance
b) Flexibility
c) Endurance

The information gathered from this evaluation establishes each player's baseline.

2. A custom-fit program is designed to work on each player's limitations.

3. Eight one-hour sessions with a physical trainer are started:

a) Twice per week at center
b) Daily homework stretch/flexibility and strength exercises each day

4. Videotape of golfer's swing fine-tunes each individual's program.

The cost of the program is $100.00 for the full-body evaluation, and then $200.00 for the eight one-hour sessions with a physical trainer. Most insurance programs won't cover the program unless you first incurred an injury. My guess is that, with improved strength and flexibility, you will play better and quickly win more Nassaus, thus lowering the cost of this worthwhile program.

As of this writing, I am enrolling in this program with the objective of simply improving my game by improving flexibility, balance and strength. In the next issue of Golf on Cape Cod, I will relate my experiences with this program. And for all of you in my weekend foursome, watch out!

Par-Formance Golf is located at St. Luke's Hospital S.P.O.R.T. Clinic, 48 State Road, N. Dartmouth, MA 02747. To make an appointment call 508-910-3445.