What Is Your Golf Fitness Handicap? TPI Movement Screen-Charlotte, NC

Every golfer knows his golf handicap. Which for men, is generally between zero and twenty-eight. It serves the purpose of comparing your performance to that of other golfers. And maybe more importantly, it gives you a measure of whether or not you are improving or declining.

What is TPI Golf Fitness Handicap?

The screen also serves as an injury risk predictor. Meaning, that if your body doesn’t work the way it needs to, and you continue to play and not address certain physical limitations, injury is a likely result somewhere down the road. It’s not a matter of if, it’s a matter of when.

“At age 78 I wanted to reach my fitness limits so I could bring my golf game back to where it was 10 years ago. After 3 months of training, I have already begun shooting my age. I shot a 75, 77, and 78 twice. This has been my goal going back 2 years”!_Hank Cohen

I’m thinking, well, no. You could probably use some help with that.

Before I ever perform a physical screen I am going to ask the golfer:

• About their golf game and playing history.
• About their body (pain, injuries, surgeries).
• What are they doing now to address those issues?
• Has it helped them get to where they’d like to be?

This information, along with the results of the screen gives us a big picture of what’s working and what’s not working and how your bodies physical limitations are affecting your body (in the case of pain/injury) or affecting your game (negative swing characteristics). This is what TPI Professionals refer to as – The Body-Swing Connection. Remember, physical limitations in the body will cause movement compensations in your golf swing. The more limitations you have, the less predictable your game will be.

What to Do with Your Results

For nearly all of you, your golf fitness handicap will be higher than your golf handicap. I’ll typically see scores in the range of 30 and above (with 36 being the highest). The lower your golf fitness handicap, the fewer physical limitations you have. The higher your golf fitness handicap, the more physical limitations you have.

Think of the difference between your golf handicap and your fitness handicap as the window of opportunity to improve your game.

Eliminating the physical restrictions that prevent you from playing your best golf will make you a better athlete and a better athlete always has a better chance of becoming a better golfer than a lesser athlete.

Where Do We Begin? 

What’s the payoff?

Paint me a picture of what it would be like if you could eliminate those problems.  How would it feel if I could help you eliminate the physical restrictions that are preventing you from playing your best golf? Well, first off you would feel better, and then you would notice you could move better. This will first be seen in your activities of daily living. Something as simple as noticing an improvement in your ability to bend over and tie your shoelaces. Over time, with the incorporation of golf-specific drills to go along with your improved movement capabilities, you will notice that you play golf better.

When Should I Start? 

NOW! Even though we have warm temperatures in winter here in Charlotte, NC we are still in golf’s off-season. This is the perfect time to evaluate what your physical needs are and what you need to work on to improve your game. Here’s what I recommend.

• First three months (90 days) we work on establishing a fitness foundation. This is a custom-designed workout plan that is relevant to you and your needs based on the screen results and what your priorities are for your golf game. This is where the work begins.
• Establish new habits that are going to move you in the right direction. You’ll learn the same strategies and use the same tools that the tour players use.
• Re-assess. After your 90-day introduction, let’s take a look at how much you improved. Do you feel better? Can you move better? I know the answer to those questions will be YES!
• NEXT STEPS: Now are not ready to supercharge it with strength, speed, and power training.
• Step 3: We go into maintenance mode and continue to train you the same way a professional athlete trains.

“Golf instructors are great. They can change your swing, but they can’t change your body! The best way to get the most out of my significant investment in lessons is to have a body that can do more and give my pro more to work with.”__Ken Davenport.

Dedicated to providing each golfer with the strategies, tools, and support they need to overcome the physical limitations that prevent them from playing their best golf.