I’m seeing an interesting trend in recent months of people who aren't competitive golfers, who traditionally wouldn’t walk into the gym and hire a trainer for general health purposes, seeking our services. But because they see the benefits of what we do on their golf game, the motivation is very high.
One example is someone who hasn't been under 300 lbs. in almost 20 years dropping 50 lbs. over the last year because he came to the gym to “train for better golf.” This also applies to the nutritional side of health and wellness because athletes (of all ages, skill levels and body types) must fuel their bodies in the best way possible for the gym and the golf course, so eating habits adjust as well. Again, people’s desire to play better golf is directly driving their overall health and well-being efforts.
I played high-level youth hockey and played junior golf locally in Ontario, Canada. I fell in love with the gym and began competing in natural bodybuilding events at 18 years of age. A natural bodybuilding competition is one where participants are judged on their physiques, with the specific condition that their achievements of muscle growth and definition have been done without the use of banned performance-enhancing substances. I would go on to win several local, provincial, national and Universe titles. I represented Canada twice at the World Championships and earned my professional status at age 25.
After stepping away from the stage to focus on utilizing my tools to help others, I no longer had my own purpose to be in the gym and take care of my own health. It wasn’t until the pandemic in 2020 that I picked up a golf club for the first time in almost two decades. I began to research golf fitness and found the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI). Although I was already working in health and fitness, I got certified through TPI because the spark was again lit for me. I finally found my purpose to be in the gym and not just work out, but TRAIN. After seeing how powerful the tools I learned through TPI were, I began to use them while training clients.
Rati reached out to begin training with me after not setting foot in a gym in years. When he saw how the things we were doing helped him play better golf, he was motivated. Not only that, his wife is also training in the gym with me. Rati has gained muscle, dropped fat, improved medical lab markers and has been playing the best golf of his life. You may even see him taking a run at a few big-name events in the near future. His wife has gained roughly 10 percent body mass in just under a year while dropping her body fat percentage and improving her golf game. They found their way back into the gym together because of the game of golf, and it has improved their overall health as well.
I received a referral roughly eight months ago for a gentleman who needed to get his body moving more efficiently to play better golf. Within six months, he dropped 50 lbs., changed his eating habits based on casual healthy choice conversations we’d have during our training sessions and is the lightest bodyweight he has been in his adult life. Not only that, his medical lab markers are all within a healthy range again. He also started to train on his own a couple of days each week with a program I prescribed because he's feeling the best he has in a very long time and has the confidence to walk into a gym by himself.
I recently received another referral for a 77-year-old gentleman whose body was fighting his ability to swing the golf club. He had a heart transplant at age 75 and a shoulder replacement only eight months ago. Take a moment and let that sink in. This gentleman - a workhorse building resort hotels all over the world, taking golf lessons weekly, playing golf a few days each week, walking and working out on his own - has now also committed to working with a fitness professional multiple days a week because he wants to get down to a single digit handicap. He is an inspiration to me and others. I can't wait to see what the future holds for him.
These are just a few examples of how I am seeing the effects of fitness and golf not only helping individuals play better golf, but play the game of life better as well.
Bobby Rupcich is a personal trainer, sports nutritionist, post-rehab medical exercise specialist and the Founder of Superior Fitness Solutions in Villa Park, Illinois.