One of the easiest ways to score better on the course is to start using a consistent warm-up and swing routine before every round and practice session. Everyone’s routine may vary, but it is key is to prevent injury, prepare your body for the physical demands of golf, and establish a consistent and repeatable swing.

Personally, my warm-up routine starts with active stretching, such as leg swings, various squats, body rotations, and arm swings, to loosen up and activate my muscles and joints. Then I move on to half swings, focusing on my takeaway and rotation, to get a feel for my swing.

Next, I progress to full wedges and irons and gradually work my way up to hitting the driver.  This helps me build confidence and consistency in my swing before heading out to the course.

After my driving range session, I head over to the short game area to practice chipping and putting. This important part of my warm-up routine allows me to get a feel for the greens and improve my distance control and feel around the green.

By following a pre-round routine, I’m able to start the round with a consistent swing, help prevent injury, and improve my performance on the course. Remember, your warm-up routine can vary, but it’s important to take the time, find a routine that works for you and prepare your body for your round.

Happy Golfing,

Steven

Golf is a challenging sport requiring precision, skill, and mental capacity.  Many golfers don’t realize that there is only a matter of degrees between a good shot and a disastrous one.  This is why it is so important to be properly fit for your set of clubs.  Golf is challenging enough without our gear making it more difficult.  In this post I will cover some of the benefits of having a proper fitting done when purchasing your new gear.

Every golfer has unique physical traits and swing mechanics. For instance, a taller golfer may need longer clubs than a shorter golfer, and a golfer with a faster swing speed may need stiffer shafts than a slower swing speed golfer.

When being properly fitted for a set of golf clubs, each club is tailored to your unique physical traits and swing mechanics. As a result, you’ll be able to swing the clubs more consistently and naturally because they’ll feel better in your hands. Additionally, you’ll be able to hit the ball farther and with better ball flight, which will help you hit more greens in regulation and lower your overall score.

When getting fitted for a set of golf clubs, the shaft is among the most crucial considerations. Your shots’ ball flight and distance may differ significantly depending on how stiff the shaft is. A golfer with a faster swing speed, for instance, will typically benefit from a stiffer shaft, whereas an individual with a slower swing speed may benefit from a more flexible shaft. The lie angle, which is the angle formed by the shaft and the sole of the club, can affect the ball’s trajectory. For a right-handed golfer, a club that has a lie angle that is too flat will tend hit the ball to the right, whereas a club that is too upright will tend to go left

It’s also important to take the clubhead design into account. The ball’s trajectory off the clubface and the amount of spin it generates can be affected by different clubhead designs. For instance, an iron with a bigger clubhead and wider sole may be more forgiving on off-center hits, while a smaller clubhead with less offset and a narrower sole may give more seasoned golfers better control and look more visually appealing resulting in more confidence when hitting the ball.

My advice it to book a fitting and start building a set of clubs that works best for you.  There are many places to have a professional fitting done, including at most local golf clubs.  The game is much easier to play if you are using the right equipment. If new clubs are not in the budget it is still worth getting a fitting so you know what to look for on the used market.

Remember have fun out there and enjoy the Journey.

Steven

Golf is a game that requires both physical and mental capacity. It is a sport that can be enjoyed by people of all ages, but as we get older, our bodies change, which can affect how well we play the sport and our enjoyment of the game. The loss of muscle mass and mobility is one of the most detrimental changes that can take place if not managed. This can affect a golfer’s balance, swing, and distance that they hit the ball.

Strength training is essential in preserving muscle mass and mobility as we age, particularly as it relates to the golf swing. Here are a few examples:

1. Muscle mass declines as we age if we don’t keep up exercise and strength training. Because the golf swing is a full-body motion that requires both strength and balance, this may affect a golfer’s ability to swing confidently. If A golfer can maintain their muscle mass by performing strength training exercises, this should help maintain or even increase their ability to swing the club consistently.

2. As we age, our bodies get stiffer and may develop less range of motion. This may affect a golfer’s capacity to make a swing comfortably. A golfer can increase their range of motion and make a more fluid swing by performing mobility exercises like hip stretches, shoulder rotations, and spinal twists.

3. Golfers of all ages can benefit from hitting the ball farther. However, as we get older, our capacity to produce power can decline. By engaging in fitness training, specifically exercises that target the core, glutes, and legs, a golfer can increase their power and hit the ball further.

4. The golf swing calls for stability and balance. Our capacity to maintain our balance can deteriorate with age. This may hinder a golfer’s ability to make a good swing and raise their risk of getting hurt. A golfer can increase their balance and stability on the course by performing balance exercises like single-leg deadlifts, planks, and yoga.

I know personally I have some motivation issues when it comes to getting to the gym.  To solve this, I have hired Jamie McCartney from Titan Performance to help me with my strength and balance training, as well as incorporating other sports and activities into my off season, such as Curling and Hockey.

Jamie has been instrumental in keeping me motivated and increasing my physical strength and mobility which is going to help me hit the ball further and more consistently with less perceived effort.

If you are looking for help or guidance with your fitness plan I would recommend giving Jamie a call. https://thetitanperformance.com/  

Fitness training is crucial in preserving muscle mass and mobility as we age, particularly regarding the golf swing. A golfer can improve their swing, increase their distance, and lower their risk of injury by engaging in strength training, mobility drills, and balance drills. It is never too late to start a fitness regimen, and I urge all golfers to make fitness a priority to improve their game, regardless of age. 

Steven

I’ve spent countless hours on the golf course as a CPGA professional, both as a player and an instructor. The golfing season is short in the north, however, you are not required to stop playing golf just because it gets cold. During the off-season, there are many ways to stay active and improve your game.

Maintaining an active lifestyle during the off-season is one of the most crucial things you can do. Maintaining your strength and endurance through exercise will help you improve your golf game, whether you’re skiing, ice skating, or simply going to the gym. Playing a variety of sports all year long, can also aid in developing your physical literacy, which is the capacity to move confidently and competently while engaging in a range of different physical activities.

Power and balance are essential for a powerful and reliable golf swing. While there are many sports and activities that can aid in this, working with a trainer can be particularly beneficial in achieving specific fitness goals. To achieve a more powerful and balanced golf swing, a trainer will help you pinpoint the areas where your strength, flexibility, and balance can be improved. They can create a tailored workout schedule for you that concentrates on exercises that will target those areas, assisting you in gaining the strength and stability required to carry out a powerful and controlled golf swing.

There are other ways to maintain your golf game during the off-season in addition to exercise and working with a trainer. Golfers can work on their swings and play virtual rounds of golf without ever leaving the comfort of the indoors thanks to the invention of indoor simulator play. Indoor simulators are now available at many golf courses, including the Smithers Golf and Country Club, making it possible to maintain your game no matter the weather.

During the winter, indoor lessons are a fantastic way to hone your skills and improve your game. Numerous golf instructors, including myself, provide indoor lessons using video analysis and other tools to help you identify areas where your swing can be improved.

Don’t let the cold weather keep you from improving your game, now that the off-season is in full swing. You can keep your golf game sharp and advance your physical literacy by staying active with other sports, working with a trainer, and taking advantage of indoor simulator play and lessons.

I hope I have made you aware of how crucial the off-season is to your game. Take advantage of these opportunities to get better and keep swinging!

Well it looks like winter isn’t ready to give up quite yet. February 20th and its still snowing, but that’s ok. Now is the perfect time to start getting ready for the new season. We have a Simulator that is open to the public at the Smithers Golf and Country Club so there is no need to wait for the snow to melt.

You can play your rounds virtually right now at a number of different courses in the comfort of our clubhouse, practice on the virtual range, or book a series of lessons and start the new year off with an improved swing. I hope to see you soon.

What an amazing and whirlwind this past 5 years has been. Career wise I have discovered a love for teaching golf. There is no better feeling than when you help a new golfer discover their swing. They have that aha moment and their face just lights right up. Every golfer has the ability to improve and increase their enjoyment of the game, and helping them has turned out to be one of the highlights of being a golf pro.

I am happy to say that after 4 years in the Okanagan, working at some amazing facilities (The Rise, Okanagan Golf Club and Simplex Sports zone) and developing my skills as a golf professional, I have moved to the beautiful little town of Smithers, located in North West British Columbia. Nestled up to the base of Hudson Bay Mountain is the picturesque 18 hole Smithers Golf & Country Club. The membership and community here have made my Wife and I feel incredibly welcome and they have embraced the golf instruction that I am providing as well as the operations structure that I provide to the club.

Growing the sport in the north seems like a pretty grand adventure and I look forward to the years to come.

Steven

It’s been a busy couple of weeks, I have started working back at my Summer position at the Okanagan Golf Club. It’s still a couple of weeks until the course opens but there is plenty to do in the pro shop.

I’m super stoked with my last TrackMan combine score (84.8), it is validating the swing work that I have been working on throughout the winter at Simplex Sportszone. I need to work on the 60 yard range as that’s the challenge for me as you can see below. The report you get from Trackman is really cool, you can dig right into all of the shots you hit. If your into stats, it gives you all you could ever want.

Last week I had a club fitting by Ward Pateman for my new Taylormade clubs. What a great process and the clubs have already arrived. I cant wait to get outside and play some golf. In the mean time I will be playing inside at Simplex and sorting out my new club distances.

Unfortunately I have to admit that I have not been sticking to my exercise plans and the fitness gains have stalled, this is going to be more of a challenge for me than I thought it would be. Luckily the season will be starting soon and I plan on walking the vast majority of rounds this year. This should take care of the basic fitness, then all I have to do is get my butt to the gym.

As for the next couple of weeks, I’m working on my tournament schedule for the year and waiting for the last little bit of snow to melt so I can get outside and start playing.

Steven,

My winter employment at Simplex Sportszone has allowed me to use a TrackMan throughout the winter for giving lessons as well as working on my own swing.

Although I have been playing at a low single digit handicap, and have been for a fair while, I still had the problem with a big miss causing the odd blow up hole. Early in the winter I got the chance to start working with a Trackman. I saw a couple of things with my swing that I hadn’t noticed before that were causing the issue. I had developed a hip thrust which was causing me to stand up straighter at the waist and slouch my shoulders through impact, it also slowed my swing rotation down causing a wrist flip through impact.

When my timing was good everything worked great, but the smallest timing issue and I would either push slice the ball or hook it. This was the cause of my inconsistencies. Fixing this issue became my winter project.

It has been a difficult journey, and I have had to rebuild the muscles in my back that I haven’t used for a while. But I am happy with the progress so far.

I am starting with better posture, and during impact I am thrusting my hips less, allowing me to keep rotating and not flip my hands. This change has created a much more consistent ball flight, and hopefully will result in less blow up holes this year.

Swing changes are hard and changing one thing often creates the need to fix other issues related to the old swing that show up.

I am excited to see what the year brings and expecting some more hard work to come as my swing progresses.

If you have any goals to improve your game this year an would like some help, give me a call. I have different instruction options depending on your need.

Steven,

You know you are old when you have stories about when you were young and you could do all sorts of amazing feats, or how much different things were “back in the day“.

I remember a day when I would go out for a 90km bike ride, then a 10km run and still have enough energy to go play some beer league slow-pitch with some friends (I was training for an Ironman). Now only 10 years later its hard to even force myself to get up half an hour early to fit in a short workout at home before I go to work (if I am being totally honest I haven’t had much success doing even this). This is why I have asked James Wendland of The Athletes Den to help me create a plan and some accountability for myself. I always find it easier to stick to a work out plan if you have some one else to be accountable to, at least this is how I did it before.

The Fitness Plan

The plan for the next few weeks is simple as I have let my fitness deteriorate to the point that my scale says I am 50 years old.

Start eating reasonable amounts of healthy food again, and start being generally more active. It is winter, so outside activities are limited, but living in the Okanagan there are still options.

The other half to the plan is to get back into a short work out routine to help build core stability allowing more golf specific training without injuring myself. This is what it will look like.

I Have a yoga mat at home, a flat bench and a kettle bell. This is what I will be doing. Prescribed by James; power moves using a landmine (mild/moderate load, maximal velocity):

• lateral box drops warm up x 10
• One-hand clean x 6 both sides
• lateral box drops full x 6
• One-hand clean to jerk both sides
• lateral box drops full x 6
• One-hand snatch x 6 both sides
• lateral box drops full x 6

The plan is to complete this workout 3 times per week for the next couple of weeks. I have completed this once so far and was sore for 3 days. The easy short workouts are even a challenge right now. Updates on how the first few weeks went to come.

Steven,