Guest Author – Dr. Will Gage
I love to golf. It’s one of my favourite things to do, and like most people I know I don’t get to do it nearly often enough. I started golfing when I was about seven years old. My dad would take me out on Sunday mornings with him and his friends – Bill, Ken, and Andy. My job was to pull the cart and retrieve beers. Now and again I got to play the par-3s. I grew up golfing and by the time I was in my teens I was regularly driving the ball 300 yards and more. I can’t do that anymore. I’m not as flexible; my swing is not as “explosive” as it once was; my balance isn’t as good as it once was. But I typically shoot a better score now than I ever did in the past. As you get older, it’s wisdom and patience that play a bigger role in the quality of your game than does a big drive. Changes in balance that accompany aging can lead to changes in your swing. What can you do about this?
“A great golf swing, regardless of age, requires at least two things: flexibility and balance.”
For many people, as they get older the range of motion in their major joints, including the hips, spine (low back and neck, for the most part), and shoulders, is less than it was when they were younger. This change in flexibility and, of course, the many other reasons we’ve discussed in the past, including changes in muscle strength and changes in vision, result in changes in balance. In general, these are the same reasons that lead to increased fall risk for older people.
A great golf swing, regardless of age, requires at least two things: flexibility and balance. Balance is critical to a good golf swing – the pros talk about this all the time. And their coaches help them to develop better balance. These days you see high-level athletes from all sports focusing on their balance. NFL and CFL football analysts on TV are always talking about the fantastic balance that great running back demonstrates as he dekes and dodges opposing defensive players. It’s frequently commented that Sidney Crosby’s tremendous skill on the ice is a function of his great balance – opposing players say that he’s incredibly difficult to move or knock down because he is so well balanced. A golfer’s skill is also related to their balance.
At it’s most basic, the objective for any golf swing is to make a very small piece of metal hit a very small ball at a very high speed. Anyone who has golfed at all knows how important it is very important for the golf swing to be performed essentially the same way over and over – the golf swing must be repeatable. It’s very clear, therefore, that good balance is critical. Good balance allows you to use the ground to create power in your swing. Good balance gives you a “stable platform” as your body moves as you swing the club. Think about it this way and ask yourself – would my golf swing be any good if I were standing on a trampoline? A trampoline does not provide you with a solid surface. If you have good balance you can move your body with confidence both forward and backward on your front and back feet, and rotate your upper body and arms through your swing. Good balance also allows you to perform your swing the same way (or close to it) every time.
Here is a simple exercise you can do to start improving your balance while you wait for the warmer weather and your local course to open – stand on one leg. Yes, it’s simple, but give it a try. And alternate between feet. Stand as long as you can on one foot and write down how long you were able to do it. Try to beat your record next time. If you’re worried about falling while you do this, start off holding on to a chair or table, and keep it close by while you do this exercise. If you want a little more challenge, try this exercise with your eyes closed, or try it while you brush your teeth or wash the dishes. By the way, while improving your golf game this exercise is likely to reduce your risk of falling.
Like I said, I love to golf. We’ll talk a lot more about golf – it’s great exercise for older adults and a fantastic social activity (both during and after the round).
Do you have any questions about golf and what you can do to keep improving your game? Please let me know.
Meet Our Writers
Dr. William Gage
Dr. Gage is a Professor in the School of Kinesiology of Health Science at York University. His research is broadly focused on neuromuscular mechanisms of balance and gait, and the impact of aging and disease in balance and movement changes and falls risk. Dr Gage is currently focused on the use of mobile technology and machine learning in measuring walking/movement behaviour. Outside of his time in the lab and classroom, Dr Gage is an avid sports fan, including golf. His interests in sports and science have led him to start a new company, GloveHand, which uses 3D printing technology to create devices that will help dry sports gloves, any gloves really, by allowing air to freely flow to support the process all the while keeping the shape of your gloves.
