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It’s a stretch to improve your golf game

Dr. Thomas Morison
Posted 6/10/16

In a quest to improve their golf game, golfers have been known to spend hours at the driving range, on the putting green or chipping in their backyard. For some, the answer to improving your golf may …

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Back to Health

It’s a stretch to improve your golf game

Posted

In a quest to improve their golf game, golfers have been known to spend hours at the driving range, on the putting green or chipping in their backyard. For some, the answer to improving your golf may not lie so much in your backswing but your back.

Given the routines involved with golf—carrying a bag, swinging a club, walking, waiting, etc.—it’s easy to see how your back can stiffen. Not only does that impact your game but it can lead to back injuries. With some simple stretches before, while, and after you play, golfers can avoid injury and possibly even knock a stroke or two off their score.

One good stretch for golfers is the reach and scud. That’s when you grasp a golf club at shoulder width and hold it overhead. Then move in a controlled arc from right to left and back, holding the stretch at the end position for one to two seconds.

Core rotations also provide a good stretch while simulating some of the motion of a golf swing. Simply place a golf club on your shoulders, keep your feet planted and rotate from left to right and vice versa, not twisting your hips. Again, at the end of each stretch hold for one to two seconds. Be sure to avoid over rotating.

Your legs also play an important part to a golf swing and certainly can have an impact to your lower back. Your stretches should include some that involve your legs as much as your torso and upper body. Knee pulls are a great exercise for that.

With legs shoulder width apart, lift one leg and grab your knee with the opposite hand and stretch across your body. Hold the stretch for one to two seconds and repeat five times on each side.

Leg swings are another good lower body stretch. Standing straight, feet shoulder width apart and using a golf club for support, swing one leg forward as far as you can pain free with minimal knee bend. You want to maintain an upright posture during this stretch and keep your torso as still as possible. This motion should be fluid with no stopping points. Repeat 10 times per leg.

The beauty of these exercises is they are simple enough to do between shots as well as before and after your round. Yet even with a stretching program, many golfers—amateur and pro—find chiropractic as a great preventative measure and part of their overall wellness. Tiger Woods, Fred Funk and Padraig Harrington are just a few of many professional golfers who utilize chiropractic.
If you are not currently seeing a chiropractor and want to explore how chiropractic can benefit your overall condition and golf fame, you can utilize the “Find A Doctor” feature on the Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island’s website, www.richiro.org.

Dr. Thomas Morison is a member of the Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island and a practitioner at Northeast Chiropractic in Providence, RI. For more information, visit www.richiro.org.

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