The CSGA Links Volume 5 Issue 1 April 2017 | Page 16

Get Golf Fit !

Spring in your Step

- By Kevin Dishon , PT , DPT , TPI level 2 Medical and Fitness Professional

S pring is finally in the air , which could only mean one thing : The Masters . As I watched Sergio outlast Justin Rose on the unbelievably undulated course , I was reminded of what a workout golf really is . Many don ’ t consider golf to be a sport , and for those that do , they think of it as the ‘ lazy old-man ’ s game ’. Although there is this stigma , playing golf can actually improve a player ’ s general health and wellness .

Today , seldom do you see amateurs walking the golf course like the professionals do . Yes , golf carts can help speed up a round , but ultimately may be hurting your health and game . Neil Wolkodoff , the Medical Director at the Colorado Center of Health and Sport Science , ran a study on eight middle-aged , male golfers to determine the total energy expenditure of getting around the course . He compared golfers who carried their bag , pulled their bag on a pull cart , walked the course using a caddy , and finally those who rode in a golf cart . The results determined that those who carried
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