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Summer Is Upon Us

Heather Flyte — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 17:00:08 +0000

By Rick Jusko, PT, Direcor and Phil Vande Pol, PT, Therapeutic Associates Canyon Park Physical Therapy

Time to hit the range and finally put together that perfect swing that is going to improve consistency, lower your score and eliminate those aches and pains. Improper swing mechanics may not only be harmful to your score, but could also be detrimental to your body. An optimal weight transfer is essential in generating momentum and must incorporate rotation of the hips to maintain one’s body over the strong base of support created by the legs. In order to perform a proper swing successfully and repeatedly, it is vital to have the appropriate flexibility, balance, and strength of the hip musculature to allow for controlled rotation of the torso. Here are a few simple exercises you can perform to get started. By performing these exercises, you will help strengthen some key muscles that are waiting to be added to your golf swing. If you can generate better lower body control and balance, you will notice a more consistent and efficient swing. We can’t promise that it will drastically help your score, but it may help reduce that hip and back pain and get you hitting the ball more consistently. As with any exercise, you should cease the activity if you experience pain more significant than post-exercise muscle soreness.

Clamshells

Lying on your side with knee bent to 45 degrees and a thick towel placed between your feet, gently lift and rotate your top knee toward the ceiling as if “opening a clamshell.” Perform three sets per leg, featuring 10 repetitions per set. Be sure to keep your shoulders and pelvis from rotating backward with the elevation of the leg.

Standing Rotations With Tubing

Stand on your left leg with knee slightly bent and abdominals tight. Tighten the buttock of your stance leg and gently rotate your body to the left while using a band as resistance. Keep the hands in front of your stomach. Slowly return to the beginning position. Repeat 10 times. Turn around and repeat rotations 10 times in the opposite direction of rotation on the same leg. Then try the same exercise on the right leg.

Rotation With Weight

Using a medicine ball or other weighted object, stand in your address position with a neutral spine. Keeping your abdominals tight, practice swinging the medicine ball back and forth while using the hip rotators to transfer your body weight, eliminating or reducing the amount of slide your body performs from front to back leg. Remember, you do not need to be injured to see a Physical Therapist … prevention goes a long way! For more information, visit www.therapeuticassociates.com

Taking a Divot

Brian Beaky — Thu, 17 Apr 2008 15:57:17 +0000

By Ron Hanson | Director of Instruction, Interbay Golf Center

Beginning and experienced golfers alike have a similar tendency when trying to hit the ball up into the air — to scoop in underneath it and lift it up with the clubface. It is amazing — with all that is written about the game of golf, and all of the instruction available, that the basic concept of hitting a ball on the downswing is not conveyed. We all watch the pros hitting irons and taking divots. When we do, there are a few key questions we should ask: Are they trying to take the divots or not? In fact, they are. Realize these are the best golfers in the world — if they can’t do exactly what they’re trying to do, what chance do we have? Since they are consistently taking divots, we probably should be, too. Does the divot occur before, or after, the ball is hit? The divot should occur AFTER the ball is struck. Consider — as a ball sits on the ground, how are you supposed to get underneath it to lift it up, without taking out a chunk of the ground behind it? All that accomplishes is to greatly reduce your club speed, and to prevent your ability to put backspin on the shot, which will allow the ball to fly farther and higher, and land softer. Instead, we want to hit the ball on the downswing. We all marvel at how the pros’ shots hit the greens and spin dead, or gentle settle to a slow roll towards the pin. This action is a result of a downward motion at contact, which helps to put the necessary backspin on the ball to produce the desired result. In addition to helping the ball settle on the green, backspin also helps keep it aloft. There is a reason field-goal kickers tilt the ball backwards on the tee, not forwards — kicking the bottom half of the ball creates backspin, which increases the ball’s flight. The same principle holds true for a golf ball. A ball hit with topspin will not stay in the air for very long, it will not go very high and it will also roll for quite some distance. To create the proper backspin, the ball has to be hit with a descending blow. For those of you who are more mechanical in your thoughts, the lowest point of your swing is controlled by where your sternum is at impact. If your sternum is stuck behind the ball at impact, the lowest point of the swing will be before the ball causing a fat shot or thin shot. The sternum needs to be moving through the ball at impact in order to have the lowest point of the swing occur after contact with the ball.

LESSON

To work on hitting the ball with a descending blow, lay a tee down about two inches in front of the ball (target side). Focus on hitting the ball, then the tee. If you take a swing and hit the ball but the tee does not move, you probably did not hit the ball on the way down in the swing. Then, when you are out on the course, imagine the tee lying in front of the ball, and guide your swing accordingly. You’ll find that your chip shots are flying higher, carrying farther, and landing softer — just like the pros. Ron Hanson is the Director of Instruction at Seattle’s Interbay Golf Center, an exceptional facility in the shadow of the Space Needle, boasting an 80-stall lighted and heated driving range and the area’s top par-3 course, as well as miniature golf, food and music. Ron was named Western Washington’s PGA “Teacher of the Year” in 2007, and was the featured instructor on the Golf Channel’s Golf Makeover Episode “No Laughing Matter”. He has been the featured instructor at numerous golf shows, and released his first instructional DVD, “Golf in Balance” in 2005. Ron can be contacted at Interbay Golf Center at (206) 838-4549, by e-mail at rhanson@premiergc.com, or at his website at ronhansongolf.com

How To Create A Grooved Swing

Heather Flyte — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 18:06:44 +0000

Chuck Hanson PT OCS, Director and Chris Miller DPT, Therapeutic Associates North Lake Physical Theraphy

Remember back in the spring when those first few rounds felt like you were scraping rust off your joints? Some of us may even have considered it painful! Why not take some time between now and next spring to improve your swing and decrease those aches and pains. Like most things in life, preparation is the KEY, and imperative to a successful and enjoyable round of golf.

Physical Preparation

Physical Preparation is getting the body ready for the movements necessary to create a safe and effective swing. Golf professionals can help you to learn “the swing”. The details of such a swing are often controversial. However, in analyzing the body movements which occur and training the movements first, the swing becomes much less effortful and more consistent. In golf this is often termed a “groove.” What you’ll need to develop a repeatable grooved swing:

a solid and appropriate base of support
flexibility from ground up
ability to turn torso in pain free range equivalent to that of your swing
balance to shift your weight to the rear & front feet during swing
adequate range in shoulder and neck region to allow trailing arm to cross midline in both the backswing and follow through. we also need to tolerate the relative twist that occurs between the head and upper back.
skill, coordination and endurance to repeat this movement, swing after swing and round after round

How To Swing Fit

The next few photographs demonstrate simple movements you can practice to help tune up your body’s movement patterns for a better game of golf. Share in the success of players like Tiger Woods with golf-specific training! Each movement builds on the others. Practice each 20 to 30 repetitions, starting at a pace that allows for control and coordination, increasing the pace to where you feel aggressive but still firmly in control of the motion.

Foot driven trunk twist – Starting with a simple side-side rocking motion of the feet sense the quantity and directions the hops and eventually the shoulders are prompted to make. Let the feet define the movement with the rest of the body just playing “follow the leader.” Build a smooth and coordinated base through this exercise.
Trunk Twisters
1. In the exercise, imagine your torso is a barrel, turning side to side. By starting in the position of address, you set your “spine angle” by softening the knees and hips as if to sit on a high stool. Your sternum should be off your belly button.
2. By leading the motion with a good hip turn, build a range and pace that promotes a fluid and rhythmical weight transfer over and over. Upper to lower body coordination and having the legs lead the motion are the keys here.
Balance and Reach – By reaching across midline to the opposite side of your body you’ll simulate the backswing to one side and follow through to the other. Reaching lengthens the shoulder and torso while creating both flexibility and balance in the hip and lower body. Maintain the “spine angle” you use in your address position, as this both reduces the risk of back strain and keeps the core muscles active to provide power and stability. See how far you can move away while still maintaining control and rhythm.
Shoulder turn – The breast bone or sternum is the leader in this final motion pattern. By imagining yourself as a spring coiling and uncoiling, see how large of a turn allows for balance and comfort you can build your flexibility and coordination. Protect your working parts with stable trunk muscles and good alignment to help ensure years of fun on the course!

Visit www.therapeuticassociates.com for more information.

Misconceptions & Killer Thoughts

Heather Flyte — Thu, 30 Aug 2007 17:56:59 +0000

By, Bill Tindall • Tumble Creek Head PGA Professional

Very often, a person handicaps their chance at success by doing something which is actually counterproductive to solving their problem. There are many thoughts which are considered “sacred” that when misused or misunderstood may actually reinforce your tendency or cause a new problem. Here’s some of what I consider to be potential “killer thoughts” and why:

KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN

This is the most often used excuse for poor shots and in actuality may cause many problems. Attempting to keep one’s head down at any point during the swing is a mistake. A better thought is to keep your eye on the ball, allowing yourself to follow the shot. Take an easy practice swing with someone holding your head down and you will find it is impossible to move to the finish, thus causing other problems. You will never see the club hit the ball, so relax your eyes and, thus, your swing.

SIT DOWN

Very often, a person feels themselves pulling up at impact and they react by squatting or sitting down. This reaction is what I call the “Jack in the Box” move because the further you push “Jack” down into the box, the higher he will jump out. Instead of working to stay down, be sure that you are not putting your body into a position where this is the natural reaction. Remember, downward pressure creates upward movement. Set up at a level you can maintain throughout the swing. Stand on your legs and just loosen your knees.

KEEP YOUR LEFT ARM STIFF

We all know that tension is not good during the swing and therefore a stiff left arm only creates problems. Usually, an attempt to keep your left arm straight results in it being forced to bend. Your arm will stay straight enough if you set the club in a timely manner (see below).

SWEEP THE CLUB BACK

We have been told to sweep the clubhead back, inferring that our wrists should be immobile. Studies have concluded, however, that those who cock their wrists the earliest will release the latest — this is good. As you start your backswing, allow your hands to gradually lift the clubhead up as your arms swing back. Think of how you would lift a hammer to strike a nail— you most certainly wouldn’t keep your wrist immobile. Getting the club into a “lite” position will make it easy for you to maintain your straight (not stiff) left arm. Cocking your wrists late in the swing will almost certainly result in your left arm collapsing and a loss of power. There are always exceptions (Jack Nicklaus was one) but you will notice that almost all great players have the shaft at 90 degrees to their left arm by the time their left arm is parallel to the ground.

KEEP YOUR RIGHT ELBOW CLOSE TO THE BODY ON THE BACKSWING

It is true that we would like to see your right elbow close to your body at impact but if you keep it too snug to your body on the backswing, it will most likely be forced to move away from your body on the forward swing, resulting in an “over the top” move — falling back, pulling up, etc. Take a swing just with your right arm holding it tight to your body and stop at the top of your backswing — how does it feel? Really weak! Your right elbow should start fairly close to your body and then swing away, so that it will naturally move back to its starting position.

A WIDE STANCE WILL CREATE MORE POWER

If the width of your stance forces you to stay centered on the backswing, you will not be balanced properly. Think why the legs on a sawhorse are spread wide — to keep the center stable. If the wind is blowing hard and you don’t want to move while you are putting, use a wider stance but be careful when you are swinging the club. Your stance should never be so wide that it is impossible for your hips to be facing the target on your finish.

Bill Tindall is the head professional at Tumble Creek Golf Club at Suncadia Resort. The head pro at Broadmoor Golf Club from 1977-99, Tindall also coached the University of Washington men’s golf team from 1984-92. He played in three U.S. Senior Opens, making the cut each time.