5 Tips to Swing Into Golf Season
Spring has sprung in Michigan and many of you will be dusting your clubs off from months of storage in the basement or garage. Before you hit that first tee in 2014, here are a few tips to help you prepare your body and your equipment.
1. Check Your Grips
One of the very first things you should do is check your grips. Are they hard, slick or worn? If they haven't been changed in a while it may be time to replace them. A tacky grip can make the difference between too much grip pressure and just the right amount.
If they are fairly new but not as tacky, here’s a trick to tack them back up. Put a little Ajax powder on your grip, add a little warm water and use a nylon brush to scrub them up. Rinse and dry.
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2. Footgear Check Up – Shoes and Spikes
There is nothing worse then losing strokes because you slipped on a shot or worse yet lost your footing and got hurt so be sure to check the bottoms of your shoes to make sure you are not missing a cleat and that they are not significantly worn. Depending on how much I play I usually change my spikes at least once or twice during the season.
3. Stretch and Warm Up
If you haven’t swung a club or hit a ball since last fall, you are bound to be a little rusty. I can't stress this enough: warm up and stretch before every round - even if it’s only for a few minutes to help loosen up.
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Focus on your hips, shoulders, back (upper and lower) and the hamstrings. Many excellent routines for stretching and strengthening can be found online. Here is one I particularly like: http://youtu.be/u5aChmUYv9s
4. Get weighty - Loosen up before a round by swinging a weighted club. It will wake up creaky joints and build some strength in those golf-specific muscles. You can purchase a heavy club at any golf store. If you’re looking for a less expensive option, a weighted doughnut or a weight that clips to your club shaft will do the trick. Don't have either? Take two irons out of your bag and start small gradually building to full swings.
5. Avoid the Carts – Walk
Walking is a great way to stay in shape and stay loose during a round of golf. Most importantly I believe it will give you a new found appreciation for the game.
Stay safe, have fun, and hit them long and straight.
Want to get daily golf tips to improve your game? Follow @simpleworldgolf on Twitter.
Want to fine-tune your golf game? I can help.
Email: scott@thesimpleworldofgolf.com.
