Is it difficult to rotate your body through the full range of motion in your golf swing? Do you stop short on your back swing? Lack of flexibility can adversely affect not only your golf game, but your health as well. Different muscles are called upon at different points in the golf swing. If you are not flexible you are more prone to injuries. Your body will try to overcompensate by engaging other joints and muscles that are not ready for the stress and strain of the movement.

Many golfers lack flexibility in the rotation of their spine and hips during their golf swing. They may overcompensate with their arms. Trying to hit the ball hard with your arms can leave them feeling sore and worse, injured from overuse of the shoulders. Therefore, flexibility should be one of the main components of your golf fitness training plan.

What flexibility exercises should you add to your fitness program? Before you start a flexibility program it is imperative to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses with regards to your current range of motion. Most athletic trainers, sports conditioning specialists, golf fitness trainers and physical therapists can take you through a battery of flexibility tests. They are trained to properly identify areas of restriction and potential for improvement.

The next step is to creating your own stretching program that is geared towards your personal situation. It may mean that you spend more time stretching your right rotator cuff muscles as opposed to your left or spending more total time on your addressing the flexibility in your spine. Depending on your level of restrictions, different stretching methods can be used to help you progress to the next level.

With a flexibility training program in place youll conquer the playing field as your mechanics improve and you feel better about your movement. Take the time to learn about your current body restrictions and youll easily take your game to a whole new level.

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.