What comes to mind when you think of golf lessons through a golf school? Do you imagine hours of instruction on the range and putting green? Maybe the school teaching professionals will review the fundamentals and even include a playing lesson. While each of these elements has an important role in improvement of your golf swing, do you have any idea what might be missing? Todays golf schools incorporate much more than a teaching lesson and round of golf. Todays schools incorporate fitness as an integral part of the golf experience.

Why has fitness become a part of golf instruction? Golf professionals understand that fitness plays a critical role in word class golf. Fitness has a long list of benefits that aid beginning through advanced golfers. So it only makes sense to combine it with golf instruction for a more satisfying learning experience.

As you consider your various options for a golf school, be sure to check each one out thoroughly. The more innovative golf schools will have a fitness center and golf fitness specialist you can work with. Typically, a full physical assessment is performed by a qualified fitness instructor. Through various physical tests and assessments they can determine your strength, flexibility, endurance levels and nutritional needs for golf. This information is then shared with the instructor for the benefit of the golfer. Experienced golf professionals can also link faults in your golf game to areas for improvement in your fitness level. This helps to direct their instruction and personalize it to your game.

Competitive golf today has deemed fitness as a necessity. Golf schools have followed this lead and provide students with the fitness and golf instruction tools necessary to improve their game. Golf schools have become more robust and the benefits are yours for the taking.

Susan Hill

Susan Hill is the President of Fitness for Golf, a website dedicated to helping golfers improve through golf specific programs.

Susan has earned national certifications as a fitness trainer with several organizations including the National Academy of Sports Medicine, the International Sports Science Association, and the American Council on Exercise. She currently trains golfers of all levels at the Sunriver Resort, a top U.S. golf destination resort in Sunriver, Oregon.

As a Chek certified Golf Biomechanic and Sports Performance Nutritionist, she is now among an elite group of golf fitness experts nationwide. Susan has worked with hundreds of golfers ranging in skills from beginners just taking up the game of golf to collegiate, amateur and tour players looking for a more competitive edge.

She is a contributing writer to Golf Illustrated, a guest speaker at private and public golf clubs, and a published writer on topics of health, fitness and golf. She was selected as one of the top three trainers as the Trainer of the Year 2003, having been chosen among over 85,000 trainers across the country.

Her work has also been featured in SELF magazine and on ESPN radio.