Are you “Master’s” Ready?
by Director of Fitness, Ted Bonham
Are you “ Master’s” Ready ?
I don’t know about you but when they start advertising for the Masters Golf Tournament, I get a little excited. To me, the Masters is the official start of the golf season and it’s my Christmas time. I see visions of Club championships, local member guests, CGA events, area Pro Am’s dancing in my head. The scenes of the perfectly manicured Augusta National Golf Club, the music CBS plays only for the tournament, and of course Jim Nance, that velvety, deep voiced icon of television broadcasting, all bring my deep dark frozen soul into full thaw. The heat is on baby and I’m melting. Are you Masters ready?
It’s also a time to break out the clubs and maybe go see Gary at Golf USA for something new to add to the bag, possibly a new bag. A trip to the driving range at Bryan Park or Bur-Mil Park to kind of knock off the rust? Maybe a golf lesson with Robert, Chris, Steve, Davis, Simon, Cody, Jay, Jonathon, me, or Kathleen. Everyone wants a golf lesson from Kathleen. Are you Masters ready?
How about a fitness evaluation? What, a fitness what? How is that going to help me? I know I’m not exactly Mike Goodes, that Champions Tour super fit work out-aholic, but I can walk eighteen holes and carry my bag most of the time. I’m fit enough.
Most think fitness evaluations are a small version of a Marine Corp boot camp with physical and mental breakdowns. Anything consumed prior to is sure to resurface in the first five minutes. I’ll be honest with you, it used to be that way. Now it’s different. We do all the work. We measure and move you, we lift and stretch the arms, shoulders, and legs. We compare you to the Nationwide, Champions, LPGA, PGA tours so you can see where you are in relation to the very best and you would be surprised at how close you are in some areas. We check your balance. What, balance? What does balance have to do with the golf swing? How about rhythm, timing, and tempo. How much does the neck turn in the golf swing? Does it turn at all? When was the last time you exercised your neck? What is one of the most important golf muscles? A. the core. B. the glutes. C. the Lats. D. the quadriceps. One person answered it was the heart. The heart is a muscle and I guess without it you really couldn’t play very well but it wasn’t the answer I was looking for.
The Titleist Performance Institute fitness evaluations that Jonathon and I perform are truly unique. They zero in on your strengths but more importantly your weaknesses. The majority of the weaknesses can be reversed into strengths in a relatively short period of time with a fitness program that is designed just for you. It’s your own personal fitness plan. You can do the workouts with us or on your own. It is a great program.
A player’s development plan used to be a triangle consisting of Instruction, Mental, and Equipment. Since Tiger Woods hit the scene in 1996, the old triangle was replaced by the new five part hexagon. Basic Instruction, Shot making skills, Course Management, Mental/Emotional, Equipment, and Physical Conditioning.
We have a $125.00 fitness program that includes the evaluation with two follow up workout sessions. This program is truly unique and I guarantee will surprise you. As far as the answers to the questions I asked earlier in this article, you have to come see me. My last question to you is, Are you Masters ready? I am.
Ted Bonham Director of Fitness/ Teaching Professional
