By: Adam Pounds, EIM Owner

Weight training for golfers is not new, but it has become a hot topic in recent years as players have made it a point to hit the gym as often as possible, sometimes even sharing their routines on their social media platforms. However, you may have heard the myth that big muscles can have a negative impact on your swing, and ultimately, your score. Fortunately, the opposite is true! Though not often thought of as such, golfing is a strenuous sport that can take a toll on a player’s body. Like most athletes, golfers can improve their game by incorporating weight training into their fitness routine.

Weight training is a form of exercises that uses barbells, machines and dumbbells to create strong muscles and healthy bones. It also improves sleep level, posture, energy and sleep levels. All things important for a great golf game!

With The Masters around the corner and spring in full swing, now is prime time to make sure your golf game is at its best during peak season. Weight training can help you look and feel as great on the last hole as you did on the first. Curious how weight training can affect your golf game?

4 reasons golfers of all ages and skill levels should weight train

#1 Increase Your Swing Speed and Distance

Improving your core strength will provide greater rotational power to your swing. Similarly, improving leg strength will help you generate more power from the ground up. More muscle means more power and more strength, which will help you hit the ball harder, faster. Increased strength will help you swing the club with proper form, every time. Consistency is important in your golf game, as it is important to know which clubs you can hit from varying distances. A strong swing will help you crush the ball each and every time.

#2 Increase Stamina and Reduce Muscle Fatigue

Like with any sport, practice makes perfect. Dedicated golfers can spend hours on the course and at the driving range each week or even daily, swinging their clubs and walking the holes. The repetitive motion of swinging, mixed with the hours of walking in the sun can make for an extremely tiring day. If a golfer tires out or experiences muscle fatigue early in the match, their strength can decrease, resulting in weaker swings, and weaker hits.

Building up stamina will give you the energy necessary to practice for hours, or power through a round or two on the course without fatigue. The goal is to feel as strong and powerful on the eighteenth hole as you did on hole one.

#3 Improve Swing Consistency

Proper form will help keep your swing consistent. Weak muscles can lead to imbalances and overcompensation in your swing, especially toward the end of a long round of eighteen or even thirty-six holes. If you have some muscles that are under-performing, you’re more likely to see inconsistencies in your swing. Weight training will make sure there are no imbalances, so you can have a perfect swing no matter the lie. No one ever complained about a perfect swing.

#4 Decrease Risk of Injury

Building muscle mass will protect your joints over time in an aggressively rotational sport. Repetition can cause wear and tear or lead to inflammation and even arthritis in the joints. Resistance training will help your body tolerate movement and stress better, which will significantly decrease your risk of injury!

If you plan to watch The Masters this weekend, notice the players’ strength and energy on the course. With four or more days in a row on the course leading up to the final tournament, strength and endurance are of the utmost importance to each golfer’s game.

Whether you are a casual weekend player or a budding golf pro, weight training should be high on your list of ways to improve your game. Fitness makes life easier, and your golf game is no exception!

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