Nick's tip of the week  

How flexibility can work for you..

As I have had a recent spinal surgery and the recovery has been somewhat challenging. Working on my flexibility is something I have got very interested in as part of my recovery. I have seen how important it is to be as flexible as possible to avoid future injuries. It is also vital to warm up correctly before you play golf even during practice. 

Flexibility comes with time and will not necessarily be shown in the short term. So you need to be patient to see the results. 

I would advise if you do have any physical limitations seek advice before you try the examples I have provided below.

The main question is: How do we become more flexible? The simple answer is stretch! No matter what sport you play stretching and warming up is essential. For the body to move more efficiently a warm up is essential and stretching is part of this. 

As athletes get older stretching becomes even more important for reducing injury. A golf swing is very dynamic and stretching techniques help with the efficiency. Stretching must be an important part of you pre golf routine. It's easy to do and doesn't cost anything! So before hitting balls on the range or teeing off it is important to stretch. Old or current injuries, especially those involving the spine need to be taken into consideration so it is worth speaking to a sports specialist or PGA Professional to design the right flexibility program for you.

Here are some examples of some stretches which you should use before playing a round of golf:

Backswing Stretch with club: 
1. Extend left arm out in front of you (if you are a right handed golfer). 
2. Take both hands and place on top of club. 
3. Drop upper body down against club to feel a stretch in your left shoulder. 
4. Hold at the stretch for at least 15 seconds, repeat once more, and then do the opposite arm for your follow through side.

Lunge: 
1. Bend and extend the front leg slowly.
2. Do not bend or extend the rear leg. 
3. Do not extend the front leg completely. 
4. Bend only to 90. 
5. Keep your back upright.

Pelvic rotation: 
1. Rotate the pelvis laterally backward as fare as possible.
2. Rotate head and shoulder simultaneously.
3. Extend the outside arm. 
4. Rotate the pelvis quarter circle forward. 
5. Pull the arms back. 
6. Move to the opposite direction.

Wrists: 
1. Hold your right arm in front of you with your palm facing down. 
2. Keep your elbow straight; gently pull your wrist up by grabbing the top of your fingers. 
3. Repeat three to five times on each wrist.

Core: 
1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart, and fold your arms across your chest. 
2. Bend your knees and lean forward slightly, as though you're addressing the golf ball. 
3. Rotate your trunk in your backswing motion. 
4. Continue from the top of your backswing position to your follow through.

 

As the dust settles on an epic Masters, one topic rumbles on, a debate that was sparked back into life when a good few players took what many regard as too much time over each and every shot at Augusta. Yes, the slow play debate. 

There's the camp that says professional golfers are playing for the game's biggest prizes, therefore taking more time than your average club golfer is to be expected. 

Those who take issue with this stance argue that there's simply no need to take so long between shots, and that it sets a bad example to spectators across the world. Some people even go as far as to say club golfers are influenced by the behaviour of what they see on television and this contributes to longer rounds on a social level across the country. 

We're not going to sit on the fence on this one. No one should feel rushed when they play, but there is a balance. There are some very simple procedures that, if followed, helped keep the pace of play right and manageable. 

Where do you stand on the matter? We've not heard the end of this one, that's for sure…
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