Golf is a game that requires strength, flexibility, stamina, and a mental steel trap. Knowing that golf requires these 
attributes and obtaining them are quite different. For individuals who have the game of golf nailed down, we call them professionals. The rest of us are out there to enjoy nature, get some exercise, hang out with friends, and have fun! Now, I would be willing to bet that a number of golfers start a round without having done much more of a warm up other than tie their shoes. A proper warm up is important to both invigorating and enjoying your golf game whether you walk or ride in a cart. The physical demands of the golf swing are stressful. The benefits of a proper warm up allow you to: a) be at peak performance from the first hole, and b) lessen the potential for injury. You do not need to spend 30 minutes prior to your tee time warming up; here are some simple exercises that can be done in less than 5 minutes.
• Leg swings – use your club, a post, cart or a tree to stabilize and assist you. Move the leg forward and backward increasing your range of motion as you start to loosen up. Click here to view the movement.
• Lateral or side-to-side leg swings – face your club/cart, etc., and swing the leg in front of your body, side to side, increasing range of motion and speed as you warm up. Click here to view the movement.
• Upper body exercises – start by holding your driver or adjustable ball retriever at opposite ends. With straight arms move club from waist, to above head, to behind body as far as comfortable. Bring the club back to the front and repeat the movement. Try to increase the range of motion behind the head each time.
• Figure 8 movements – starting with the club in front of the body and move it around the head, behind the body, back around the head and back to your starting position. Repeat the movement working on fluidity of motion. Repeat the same movement in the opposite direction.
• Lastly, hold the club overhead and perform a squat movement. Try to keep the club in a fixed position and squat as low as possible. Perform these exercises for 10-15 repetitions.
The next phase to invigorating and enjoying your golf game is just that, to ENJOY it. While there are some serious golfers looking to take the title of every round, many of us are weekend warriors, or once or twice a week players. Trying your hardest and becoming a better player are positive goals. However, become really good at something you only do once a week generally doesn’t happen. When a few bad shots ruin a person’s round, and they become that person you don’t want to be around, words flying everywhere not to mention the occasional club hurling through the air, it takes the fun out of the game.
We all know the effects of stress in our life; stress on the golf course is no different. Don’t let bad shots affect your golf game and the others around you. Be focused, concentrate on the shot at hand and do the best you can. Also, slow down a bit. Take in and enjoy your surroundings. If you hit a bad shot try to get it out of your mind so it doesn’t influence your subsequent shot. Individuals that seem to be in control, who are not stressed, and appear to be enjoying what they are doing are the ones who walk away from the activity wanting to come back again. Remember golf is a game, so enjoy it.
