Get fit for Golf

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By Charles O'Neill, Editor

Harbor Light Newspaper

Getting better at the game of golf is a nice goal, something to achieve when you have the time.

Getting healthier is a critical, life-changing goal that all of us could benefit from achieving.

 How about doing both.

 That is the aim of a new program, “Hole in One Conditioning” offered by Bay Tennis and Fitness and Brian O'Neill, director of golf instruction at Boyne USA.

Before you read any more, up front confession time. Brian O'Neill is my brother. I belong to Bay Tennis and Fitness. That said, this little feature is more about the concept of healthier living and good golf, than one particular program. In fact, call Shaun Bezilla, head PGA professional at Harbor Point Golf Club and he will introduce you to a fitness program he has developed with Tim Bondy Physical Therapy. The point is, get fit and play better golf.

"I think we can thank one Mr. Tiger Woods for introducing fitness into the game of golf," O'Neill said during the introductory session he and Bay Tennis' Director of Fitness Glenn Stark offered up last week. Stark is a fitness trainer and director of training at Bay Tennis and Fitness. He and O'Neill developed this new program earlier this spring and are eager to introduce it to the northern Michigan community.

Anyone who has a pulse knows that Tiger Woods is the world's best golfer. Watch him walk a fairway and you can tell he is also one in-shape human being (despite his recent knee problems).

O'Neill says developing a strong and healthy body can translate into major improvements on the golf course.

The program he and Stark offer begins with a session in the Bay Tennis and Fitness racquet ball court, hitting plastic golf balls off a plastic tee, in front of a video camera.

If you have never had the pleasure of watching your own golf swing on video, in front of a golf pro and fitness trainer, well it is a bit humbling to say the least.

O'Neill begins by diagramming your stance. Posture is everything and good posture can only come with a strong "core" - abdominal and back muscles. Leg muscles, hamstrings and calves, also play a huge role in the golfers' set up and swing.

O'Neill and Stark both spend some time reviewing the swings on tape, after you swat at a number of the plastic balls making a nice loud crack in the racquet ball court.

Then you all review the video, complete with diagrams of your lousy posture, poor impact position and weak legs (that would be me).

O'Neill then goes straight to what he considers your biggest challenge and offers drills to address that weakness. He expects you to work on those drills and set up a follow up lesson on the golf lesson tee in a week or two.

Stark then takes over. His assessment expands upon the video golf session with a series of strength and flexibility tests. He, in essence, is looking for your body's weak points, where you need the most immediate attention.

He says that focus on the most pressing issue is what he and O'Neill have in common as instructors. Get to the point, the key challenge facing the student.

Stark then puts together custom stretches and exercises and schedules a follow-up training session within a week or so.

Does it work, we shall see. Is it challenging? Yes. Is it hard? Yes. Is it fun? Working on that...

For more information on the Bay Tennis and Fitness "Hole In One Conditioning" program, contact Glenn Stark at Bay Tennis 231-487-1713 and Fitness or Brian O'Neill at Boyne Highlands (boneill@boyne.com).

This is part of the online edition of Northern Michigan Life.

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