That’s an effective tagline but what does it mean to our students? What are the details? Golf & Fitness Fusion is facilitated by me and Lori Mercer, our BallenIsles Country Club Fitness Manager, and is the natural result of having more than a dozen PGA of America Members and Associates on staff, 16 trainers and a multi-million dollar sports complex. When I joined the BallenIsles team in 2024, one of my top priorities was to get these entities together.
Lori and I have both completed the Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA)/Gray Institute 3D Functional Movement Coach and 3D Functional Golf Coach certifications. In fact, our entire facility - golf and fitness staff - has the opportunity to pursue this vital program through a three-year agreement, and our team members are at various stages of the certification process. Lori is encouraging her staff to get certified and work with our golf team on these group sessions. Similar to golf, the earning potential for a trainer is elevated when you incorporate small groups into your player development offerings.
We kicked off Golf & Fitness Fusion in February and have hosted several groups already. Sessions meet once per week for four weeks and are roughly 90 minutes in length. Groups are maxed at six individuals so we can provide a significant level of personal engagement.
We focus on mobility and stability from the outset as a warmup for the group and then apply some implement training using Mach 3 speed training tools, Dr. Kwon Golf Swing Rope Trainers and the Orange Whip, a longtime mainstay in golf performance training.
We start each new group with six distinct stations and have increased to ten for our current class. We test their driver speed with no ball during the first session and use SuperSpeed sticks and their driver to re-measure and track their progress.
I had the premise for this program clear in my head and welcomed Lori on board after she attained her Gray certification. The sessions are conducted on our south driving range and often draw attention from members walking in that area or practicing. They’ll come over and ask questions like “Would that be good for me?”
“Of course!” I tell them and we discuss the logistics of putting a small group together to facilitate a new four-week program for them and their friends. Some of the participants are members who I’ve already taught or am currently teaching, so I know their capabilities and limitations.
What we’re seeing manifest from these group sessions is a camaraderie that goes beyond the guidance of Lori and me. Our current group is getting together two other days each week to work on the things we discuss in our weekly session. I leave the tools out and they know what to do. Each student gets a “digital locker” that has the training videos so they can refer back to them between official sessions with me and Lori. This “in-between” work is vital to their progress. They’ll be able to play longer, play with less pain, function better, lower their golf scores and live an overall healthier lifestyle.
Looking ahead, we’re implementing next-level programs for members to join as they see the desired results of these initial sessions. Giving them level 2 and 3 curricula to dive into has proven to be important in traditional golf instruction, and we anticipate a similar need in our Golf & Fitness Fusion programming.
Finally, in building up this aspect of player development and game improvement, it’s so important to get the word out. We decry, “This program is not your typical golf program. We are focused on stability, mobility, sequence, speed, power, force and recovery in a group setting.” That might be a lot to throw at them at once but as soon as they see the results, they’re all in.
Brian Jacobs, a five-time special awards winner in the Western New York PGA Section, is the PGA of America Director of Instruction at BallenIsles Country Club in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.