Golf may not be as fast-paced as basketball or as adventurous as rock climbing, but golfers do face hazards of their own. And we’re not talking about lakes or sand traps.

We’re talking about back and knee pain, injuries to the wrist and elbow, tendonitis, and carpal tunnel syndrome. Most golfing injuries can be blamed on the swing — the stance, body rotation and speed of movement required to send the ball on its way.

Golf should begin with a sound physical fitness/training program. The same performance components necessary to play good golf (flexibility, balance, posture, coordination, strength, power, endurance and mental toughness) are followed by top athletes in a variety of sports. We must prepare ourselves physically to perform at our very best, and most importantly prevent injuries.

One of the leading attractions lending to golf’s increasing popularity, is that golfers recognize the value of being able to play over their entire life span. With this increase in popularity comes an increased demand to improve on the individual’s golf performance. Most of the focus has been placed on improving equipment, but golf fitness has become a proven method that can enhance golf performance. “The most important component in a golf fitness program is flexibility, which can improve golf performance and decrease the chance of injury”, says Kevin Horner, PT, CMLD, Sanford USD Medical Center.

Inflexibility can lead to postural and structural imbalances throughout the body. These imbalances can cause the golfer to overcompensate their swing which can cause poor swing mechanics. Horner says, “Overcompensating or overuse of a particular joint or muscle can then lead to injury. An example would be if an individual has tight hip flexors (front of hip) – this can lead to increased arching in the back which can cause serious back problems over time.” Most individuals would compensate for this by not following through on their golf swing, thus limiting their power potential significantly.

Golfers, like all other athletes, must prepare physically in order to perform at their best and prevent and/or minimize the occurrence of injury. In order to achieve maximum benefit from the advanced technology, our bodies must first be physically able to perform more efficiently. The most effective and probably most important component in better enabling our bodies towards better golf and decreased injury is that of improved flexibility. This is the key to reaching full potential both as a golfer and in decreasing physical strain on your body.