The ongoing golf boom in the country continues to change the sport’s landscape in myriad ways, from bringing millions of new players into the game to increasing demand for on- and off-course golf experiences.
One of the trends in the sport that has been accelerated and amplified in recent years is the game’s embrace of health and wellness – and how many people see golf as an important part of their personal physical and mental well-being. This can be seen in the influx of golf facilities that are adding or renovating fitness centers, the proliferation of golf fitness studios and the number of PGA of America Golf Professionals who are seeking certifications in fitness programming.
To help PGA of America Golf Professionals and fitness professionals learn more about how to incorporate golf with health and wellness in a way that helps golfers and facilities, the publishers of PGA Magazine started the Golf Fitness Association of America (GFAA) in 2020.
The GFAA is led by an advisory board of PGA of America Golf Coaches and highly regarded golf fitness experts, including GFAA President Dr. Steven Lorick. A golf exercise physiologist, he is a longtime golf and fitness expert who has consulted with a number of golf facilities and associations.
“My goal is to collaborate with industry leaders to bridge the gap between golf instruction and fitness training to improve golfer performance, prevent injuries and increase longevity in the game,” Lorick says.
The GFAA produces an e-publication – Golf Fitness Monthly – dedicated to sharing best practices from golf and fitness facilities around the country. To help PGA Magazine readers learn more about the ways they can bring golf together with health and wellness, we’re adding a new recurring department that will include best practices information from the GFAA. We hope you find this department beneficial and encourage you to learn more about the GFAA at golf.fitness.com.
Shawn Light, PGA Co-Owner and Golf Performance Coach, Root Cause Resolution, Las Vegas, Nevada
With more PGA of America Golf Professionals implementing golf fitness into their player development programming, it’s important to diversify your engagement with students to cover all aspects of the golf swing to improve their overall performance. My brother, Dr. David Light, and I had this vision of opening our own business that incorporated golf training and chiropractic care, and we opened Root Cause Resolution Chiropractic & Golf Performance in 2019 for chiropractic and wellness services, offering therapeutic massages and several other recovery modalities. Today, we have a comprehensive team of golf and wellness professionals who provide a holistic approach to maximizing our students’ potential for a more enjoyable experience in golf.
We have chiropractic clients who seek recovery from pain, but the last thing we want them to do is stop moving. A state of stagnancy is not the remedy to get their bodies functioning better and with less pain. We keep them moving, but in planes of motion that are easier for the client.
After identifying each client’s restrictions or dysfunctions, we can either plan to improve them by working on the body, or we can teach around these issues. But to do the latter, the golf coach must understand how the biomechanics of the body work and how everything is connected throughout the body.
We strive to relieve pain for those who have it and prevent injuries through efficient and effective workouts, exercises and activities that prepare those vital joints for the rigorous effects of the golf swing. We offer unique small group conditioning classes to reach one’s highest potential, and we offer Red Light Therapy for full body recovery. This plays a huge role in speeding up recovery to get athletes and individuals back to their sport or day-to-day living.