1.  Golf Fitness Helps You Hit it Longer-Doing golf specific strength and speed exercises is one of the fastest ways to improve your distance off the tee.

2.  Golf Fitness Helps Hit More Solid Golf Shots— When you improve your fitness, you improve your body’s ability to move fluidly and effectively, therefore delivering more power to the ball with less effort. Improving your mobility, strength and balance will help you execute your golf swing more efficiently to make better and more consistent contact with the ball.

3.  Golf Fitness Prevents Injury-Last year golfers suffered approximately 35,000 injuries that required a trip to the emergency room or doctor, according to the National Safety Council. Strengthening your muscles especially in your body’s midsection or core offers protection to the rest of your body. A strong core improves the performance of your other muscles, therefore helping to prevent chronic nagging and acute injuries.

4.  Golf Fitness Helps You Play Longer-Being fit is the key to golf longevity. As we age, we lose flexibility and strength, so the more fit you are the more you can ward off the negative affects of aging.

5. Golf Fitness Helps You Perform at Your Peak– When your body and mind are fit and strong, you are able to perform at your highest level.

6. Golf Fitness Saves Your Joints– Arthritis affects 50% of Americans over the age of 65. It is most common in the hips, spine, and knees.  Maintaining strength in your muscles and joints will help you swing better and prevent potential injuries.

7. Golf Fitness Helps You Concentrate and Focus Better– Being physically fit helps you be more alert and helps you ward off fatigue to concentrate and focus better and longer while you play. One area recreational golfers most often neglect is their nutritional intake before and, especially, during a round of golf.  Managing your food intake and adding certain nutrients to your diet can not only help you concentrate and focus more on the golf course, but also help you keep your heartbeat steady as you make an important shot or putt, help your muscles fire faster for more power, help you fight fatigue so you can play and practice longer and even keep your blood pressure down to help you keep your cool after a bad shot.

8. Golf Fitness Protects Your Back– The golf swing is one of the most stressful movements on the lower back. Becoming more physically fit will help protect your back and prevent potential injuries. You will eliminate those nagging ache and pains, before, during or after a round of golf-hence allowing you to practice and play more often.

9. Golf Fitness Combats Chronic Diseases-Worried about heart disease? Hoping to prevent osteoporosis? Regular exercise can help you prevent or manage diseases such high heart disease, osteoporosis, high blood pressure and cholesterol.

(Excerpt from Golf Fitness by Karen Palacios-Jansen and Golf Fitness Magazine Contributors).

To read more about golf fitness check out my book available at Amazon.com.

Karen Palacios-Jansen is an LPGA Teaching Professional and Certified Personal Trainer.  She developed Cardiogolf, a golf-specific fitness system available at KPJgolf.com.