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CBS's The Science of Golf |
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Written by Bryan Spitzer
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Thursday, 24 May 2007 |
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While folding laundry and putting, yes it is possible I turned on the TV to settle into my Sunday afternoon ritual, watching Sunday rounds of the weeks PGA tournament. I was unsure of the airtime this past week and tuned into CBS to find out, much to my surprise a very intriguing show had just begun. My interest was peaked and I sat down to watch PGA tour’s “Science of Golf.”
The series is on two parts and the second, The Short Game will air this Sunday prior to the final round coverage, the first was dubbed the Power Game and focused mostly on how these guys hit the ball, so far so straight and with so much club head speed.
The guests, primarily the elite teaching professionals with clients strewn about the worlds top 50 pro’s and the performance institutes, i.e. Nike, Cleveland, Taylor Made and so on.
The prototype long hitters were discussed; their equipment and their knowledge of the science that helps give them an edge. The segment I found most interesting featured fitness and training those big muscles to produce top quality power. The two golfers focused on may surprise you as they are not a usual suspects when speaking of power, but their records will show THEY HAVE IT. Fred Funk and Mike Wier, two of the little guys but pound for pound among the elite in physical condition, especially Funk well into his 40’s.
Funk gave a tour of one of the two training trailers available to the tour week in /week out. The inside, which is basically a double wide in size houses the most sophisticated, gadgetedy workout equipment available. Funk was featured throwing a medicine ball back to his trainer as he slid from side to side on a laterally moving platform velcroed to his shoes. The exercise is designed to increase flexibility and strengthen BIG muscles; I’ve got to find one of those. Then Wier, depicted doing isolated vertical bench/curls as he kneels on a workout ball designed for balance and yes he was balancing, curling and pushing his arm and the weights up over his head one at a time and back down. I have a similar “core” workout ball and thought, ill bet I can do that…uh yeah, not even close..and it is not even an issue with the weight, it is the balance or my lack thereof, so now I have a new goal with respect to my own physical conditioning. Ill let ya know how its progressing.
From watching the segment I was able to pick up a few new tips besides my new balance goal and will be applying those to my game as I can work them into my routine and I am certain if you do the same you might be able to improve or tweak your power to add a little extra to your own arsenal.
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