Champions On the Golf Course Are Made in the Offseason

Champions on the golf course are made in the offseason! As an avid golfer myself, training my body through the winter seasons has been essential to my golf game during the warmer months. What’s important to remember is that the off-season is just as important as the golf season, and taking care of yourself during both is key.

As a TPI Certified Physical Therapist and athletic trainer, I have worked with both recreational and professional athletes, along with Olympic athletes, to train them during the on and off-seasons. At VSI Physical Therapy, I am the dedicated golf specialist and head of the Golf Performance Program, as well as a Certified Titleist Performance Institute Professional. Designed for golf teaching professionals, medical practitioners, and fitness trainers, the TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) Certification program is an educational pathway dedicated to teaching industry professionals on increasing golf performance through a deep understanding of how the body functions during the golf swing, also known as the “Body-Swing Connection™”. At VSI Physical Therapy, I use this training to further my clients’ needs and goals during their on and off-season. 

As a Certified Titleist Performance Institute Professional, I have observed that most deficiencies in a golf swing can be placed in one of two categories: 

• A mobility limitation
• Motor control dysfunction 

Simply put, are you too stiff or do you lack body awareness? Take advantage of the “off-season” (winter months) to work through your lingering physical issues that keep your golf game from reaching the next level. 

The most common mobility restrictions occur in the thoracic spine (mid-back) and the hips with limited rotation. Limited hip rotation results in shorter swings and less of an opportunity to generate speed, thereby resulting in loss of distance. I’ve witnessed my clients who haven’t worked on this movement in the offseason, actually lose distance at the start of the new season. 

Motor control and body awareness are very common challenges for those who don’t participate in other sports or physical activity. Poor pelvic control is very common in amateur golfers, robbing them of the ability to generate speed on a stable base.