Golf Fitness - How You Can Lower Your Golf Scores With Golf Fitness
By Puusaari
Did you know that there is an effective way to improve your golf game that doesn't involve either a golf course or a practice range? Golf fitness is a given for most golf professionals, but even beginning golfers can benefit. Golf fitness differs from conventional strength training. Golf fitness includes exercises that are specific to the sport of golf and is especially designed to increase increasing your flexibility, strength, balance and endurance.

A smooth, fluid golf swing requires a high degree of flexibility. However, as the years take their toll on our bodies, staying flexible becomes more of a challenge. Exercises that enhance flexibility are worth pursuing because there are lots of great reasons to stay flexible that don't have anything to do with golf. Stretching exercises will have the greatest effect on increasing your flexibility. Don't expect fabulous results from a casual stretch whenever you happen to think about it. Develop a specific stretching routine that you do on a regular basis.

Adding muscle strength to your new-found flexibility

will add distance to your drives. Strength and flexibility in your upper body make it possible for you to swing the club faster, produce a higher club head speed and ultimately drive the ball to new distance records. Strength training for golf fitness doesn't necessarily mean you need to lift refrigerators. A great golf swing needs power that is more explosive in nature. If you have access to a gym, then talk to one of the trainers about exercises that have high RFD (that stands for rate of force development). It's not about how much mass you can lift; it's more about how quickly you can accelerate that mass. This is how strength is translated into power.

Strength and flexibility won't be very helpful if you can't stay on your feet. The best way to ensure that you can stay centered over the ball is to work on developing better balance. A well-developed sense of balance can also come in handy for dealing with difficult lies, like the edge of a bunker or a steep grade in the tall grass. Your golf swing plane will also be much improved when you are hitting from a more stable posture. Balance and stability are developed with core strengthening exercises, with special attention to your lower back.

Finally, golf fitness exercises should add endurance to your flexibility, strength and balance. Completing 18 holes is truly an athletic feat in the dog days of summer. Even nine holes can wear you down. And what if you vacation at a golf resort and play every day? What are the most effective exercises to build endurance? Cardio, cardio and more cardio. One reason cardiovascular exercises help with endurance is their ability to reduce overall body fat. If you have access to machines like an elliptical trainer, a stair climber or a treadmill, then you're all set. Walking or jogging in your neighborhood can accomplish the same results.

Professional golfers understand the value of golf fitness and make it part of their training schedule. Amateurs like you and me probably don't have that kind of time in our week. Make your fitness time as focused and efficient as possible. Golf fitness can be your secret weapon to score lower, hurt less and enjoy the game of golf more.

Ryan Woodward is a golf enthusiast who shares his passion for the game at his website. For more great Golf Tips on how to shave strokes from your game please visit -> ryansgolftips.com