During these past few years it has been a tremendous privilege and joy to have run, jogged and exercised on two golf courses before or after the golfers. I went out last night when it was still light and there were no golfers on this beautiful course in Nairn, Scotland.
I only played once and shot 2 under on a 9 hole course, but I don’t think that would have been repeated!
Having watched and talked to many golfers, and golfers in particular, I have often wondered if a few basic exercises would not improve the game in a very short period of time.
My race will be around six or seven miles from gate to race and running on the rolling golf course that sits on the Moray Firth coast is spectacular and in top condition all year round.
On the fourth or seventeenth remote tees, I do a series of exercises to keep my core in shape.
It’s important that the core be strong, if that ball is going to be hit another ten or more yards on each shot. Some basic exercises could make this happen in a few weeks. Of that I’m pretty sure.
I just read another article in EzineArticles about how a man would give ‘almost anything’ to hit the ball another ten yards every time. This could do that!
If done correctly and effectively, if you haven’t been exercising and start slowly with measured care, this should lengthen your approach shots to the green by much more than ten yards!
What do I try?
I do 35 squats, first, which strengthens my legs and lower abdominal muscles.
Then I do 60 crunches slowly and correctly, followed by 40 leg raises as I lie on my right side and lift my left leg up and down and slide to repeat this on the other side. One can feel the lateral muscles contract, tighten and strengthen.
Lying on my back I do 25 ‘push-ups’, but keeping my pelvis on the grass that stretches the entire abdominal area, while strengthening my arms and shoulders. The arms should be straight, and if you stick out the lower jaw, the neck muscles imperceptibly tone up. Any double chin will disappear in two months!
The sixth exercise in this series is to stand with your feet twelve inches apart and your arms extended. Lean from side to side, without leaning forward, stretching your left leg as low as it is safe and pulling your right arm in to touch your left ear, so there are no careless traps. Thirty on each side is plenty.
After that I can enjoy the race back home.
There are six exercises, which I am convinced would strengthen and tone the core, legs and arms at the same time.
Within a few weeks, that ball should be hit a few more yards with each shot: except when it’s on the putting green.
Make sure you’re medically fit before attempting any of these six exercises.
Sandy Shaw.