What Can A Single Digit Handicap Golfer Do That You Cant?

Chances are that if you're an avid golfer, you'd love to be a single digit handicap golfer. So what do these golfers have that you don't? You may be thinking they're simply "better golfers," and they may be true, but odds are they are also more in tune with how their level of fitness affects their ability to play a great round of golf.

Single digit handicap golfers have gone beyond technique and are committed to being as fit as possible for golf. They've developed a fitness routine that ensures that their bodies are capable of playing an exceptional round of golf. You too can focus on fitness and improve your golf game.

One of the first areas you need to look at is your core strength. Your core muscles are those in your torso, the ones that are critical to how well you swing the club. If your back, abdominal and shoulder muscles are not in shape they are not going to be able to support you well enough to produce an excellent swing. Getting your core muscles in shape will give you a more powerful, fluid swing, offering more distance and accuracy.

Shoulder rotation is another key area. By exercising and stretching your shoulder muscles you will increase your flexibility, ensuring a full swing with balanced rotation. This goes for spinal rotation as well. If you work your back muscles, keeping them limber, they will enable you to better swing the club. The majority of single digit handicap players have full range of motion in their shoulders in addition to optimal spinal flexibility.

Finally, a proper fitness routine will improve your endurance, making a long round of golf much easier. This means that your first swing of the round and your last will have the same level of power, and fatigue will not have set in to destroy your mental focus.

Becoming a single digit handicap golfer is about more than skill, it's about preparing your body to use the skills you have every time you pick up a club.

Susan Hill is a nationally recognized golf fitness trainer, CHEK golf biomechanic and sports nutrition specialist. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, ESPN, and Self magazine. For more information on golf specific nutrition, exercises or stretches, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com

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