Ohio Golf Journal November 2018

By Stacy Solomon Your focus and strength are toast, plus your muscles are sore to the core. What can the average golfer do to recover after playing too much golf? After a long, and tiring, golf season, PGA Tour veteran, Phil Mickelson mentioned after the Ryder Cup, that he believed he had, “made a bit of a mistake” by playing too many events in a row. As amateur golfers, we may not play in tournament after tournament, but the same might be said if we decide on an “emergency nine” after a grueling eighteen comes to a close. I tend to agree with Phil...twenty-four golf starts in a row for a PGATour pro areway toomany rounds... especially for a more seasoned player, who is no longer in his twenties, plus quietly suffers from Psoriatic Arthritis. Here are three methods recommended to stay in good golf health and bounce back when your body is saying, NO. 1. Hydration and Food: Sounds simple enough but most golfers don’t drink enoughwateranddon’t grab snacks that will energize them during a round. Try a drink that has low sugar content and electrolytes like Vitamin Water Zero. I also keep healthy snacks in my golf bag - a snack at around the tenth hole is a fruit and nut bar or a 10th Tee Golf Nutrition bar. 2. Loosen Up: Stretch your muscles before you hit your ĆUVW PDVVLYH drive of the day and keep loose throughout your round. If you are playing golf several days in a row, follow the same routine and don’t overwork yourself on the driving range.Work RQ WKH OHVV VWUHQXRXV EXW EHQHĆFLDO VKRUW JDPH shots, chips, pitches, and putts. 3. Rest: No matter how many holes of golf you will be playing, take time to rest both your body and mind between shots and rounds. You need both mental focus and relaxed muscles to function well for your best chances of success. Printed with permission from Golf for Beginners. Three Ways To Recover After Playing Too Much Golf O h i o G o l f J o u rn a l