There are a ton of reasons golfers give for not wanting to lift weights. Some of them are just excuses meant to deflect, but sometimes it's a major concern for the person! Let's dive in with the big one right up here in front:
Distance doesn’t matter, so why would I bother?
Based on Shotscope Data, 15 HCP golfers actually hit fairways at a HIGHER CLIP than 0 HCP golfers (48% vs 46%). I know, right?
But a huge difference shows up on distance: 0 HCP outdrives a 15 HCP by 48 yards on average (260 vs 212). The takeaway: even if your accuracy improves above baseline, you're going to cap out unless you get longer. (Data and images from MyGolfSpy, read the rest of the article here.)
Strength training will make my swing worse!
There is nothing wrong with getting stronger and faster. It will only serve to make you better. Some of these concerns are because people see the "golf-specific" exercises where it looks like they're trying to recreate a golf swing.
There are very few movements where we use weights, where I ever insist someone think about their golf swing. In fact, I often tell people NOT to think about their swing.
You can work on rotating, on engaging with the ground, or any number of things - WITHOUT thinking about your swing. That way you aren’t interfering with your coordination!
I’ll get too bulky and lose flexibility!
I can’t tell you how much work it takes to truly get bulky, unless you’re a 20-something year old male. Trust me, it won't happen by accident.
In order to succesfully get bulky, most people have to...
Eat your body weight in protein (a common recommendation is 1 gram per pound of bodyweight)
Use supplements like protein powder, pre-workout, creatine
Get 12-20 sets of work for every muscle group, every week
Get 8+ hours of sleep consistently
Never skip a week of training
Lift to (or very close to) failure, at every session.
Older golfers don’t need to focus on fitness.
Why not? Here’s a blog article I wrote on the topic. After age 40, golfers lose distance with age - about 1 yard per year, or 10 yards per decade! If you add that to difficulties getting up from the ground or a chair, difficulty moving things around the house... You need to focus on fitness more than anyone else you know!
I'm more likely to hurt myself lifting weights than playing golf.
The data here is mixed, but there's a kernel of truth here. There's not great data on exactly how frequently weightlifting injuries occur in a normal population, but you can see here that injuries during general exercise occur at about 3x the rate of those during "leisure sports" like golf. The problem with that data is it also includes powerlifters, bodybuilders, marathon runners... Some groups that are doing a whole lot more than occasionally lifting weights. We're also seeing data that strength training weekly can reduce all-cause mortality by 10-20%... Which is a good thing. (Read this article summary courtesy of Harvard.edu) This highlights the importance of getting help from someone who can teach you appropriate technique and set you up on a plan that suits your needs. (Need some help? Set up a free call with a Titelist Performance Institute certified fitness professional.)
Golf fitness is just about the core.
Your core exists to TRANSMIT force; it really isn’t responsible for creating much on it’s own. The power your legs generate is transmitted through your core and into your upper body and, eventually, the club. You can’t ignore your core and expect everything to be fine, but if you aren’t working your your lower body, you’re missing the trick.
I go walking everyday, that’s plenty of exercise!
Walking is great. Keep doing it. But it won’t help your strength (much).
Think of it this way: If you went to your dentist and they asked if you’d been flossing, and you said “No, but I've been using mouthwash”... What would they say to you? “That’s great but it won’t help you prevent gum disease like flossing”.
What else have you got?
Are there other myths you've heard that you want to talk about? Shoot me an e-mail and I'll give you the best info I've got.
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