Overrated/Underrated (Golf) Topic

[klineka]

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

[mcanadiens]

24 minutes ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Surely underrated. 

Not that I'm a good example, but staying in some sort of shape makes it a lot easier on the back nines when you are walking in the summer heat.

At least moderate lifting can make a big difference for a lot of people.

[JxQx]

40 minutes ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Definitely underrated, especially when it comes to flexibility.

[iacas]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

To actually improve your golf game? That's a tough one.

I'm going with over-rated. The gains are small relative to the amount of work/effort put in. The bigger gains are to your overall health and livelihood. I think people think they'll gain good sized chunks of distance or something if they just "work out" and so that's why I'm going with over-rated. The extent to which TPI exists and somewhat thrives also makes me think over-rated.

Yes, guys on the PGA Tour all work out these days (mostly), but for them it's often more about stamina. The average golfer isn't walking 18 holes a day, four to six days a week, and beating balls for hours the days they aren't playing 18 holes.

@mvmac would probably say under-rated, but I'm not sure of that one, because he might say that the instruction, the stuff he's been doing, has had a bigger effect on his golf game than his weight lifting. He would say that the weight lifting stuff has been great for his overall health and fitness, but I think he'd say that even if he was his formerly fat self (which wasn't all that fat, just "husky"), but I think he might say that if he had gotten the same instruction and worked just as hard minus the fitness stuff, he'd almost be to where he is now. A few yards shorter, but just about as good a golfer.

But I don't know, I could easily be wrong there. And Mike worked really hard at it, so if I'm wrong about his vote, I'm still sticking with over-rated. You have to put in a LOT of effort to see some pretty small gains from this.

[phillyk]

1 hour ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

I'll go with slightly overrated.  For the average golfer, how much stamina, flexibility, or strength that could be improved would effect the golf game minimally.  It definitely will help the game, just not as much as people think, imo.

[dennyjones]

20 minutes ago, phillyk said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

I don't have an educated opinion but I'm going Overrated.   From my experience I've not seen too many golfers that lift weights.   Of course my experience is very limited.

 

[Foot Wedge]

2 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Overrated.  Lifting and working out has been a consistent part of my life since I was 18 so I obviously see it as important, but even with my bias I think the improvements to one's golf game would just be incremental.  I see nothing wrong with lifting with golf in mind, especially since that means focusing on your core and flexibility which is always healthy, but I don't see it doing much unless you're also taking lessons and/or practicing properly/consistently.

[rehmwa]

3 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Underrated - but mainly because I see a lot of very out of shape people on the course.  And also, because of some seriously obtuse comments in older threads against working out (examples where people advise that fitness will make it worse, not just a wash), or really understanding the basic idea of what fitness brings to any kind of performance, even golf.  Loving the strawman that any lifting automatically is treated as grotesque body building, etc....

I agree with the 'bang for the buck' comments when compared against just good lessons, etc, but I don't think it's pertinent to the general topic as I can always find something more or less important and then use that to validate any position.

lastly, fitness improves one's LIFE.  a better life does give a better game experience.  (overgeneralized, but I said it anyway)

[boogielicious]

3 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Underrated. I would add that are not just trying to improve, but prevent injury and stay as flexible and strong as you need to be.

[gbogey]

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Working out for stamina and flexibility underrated, especially for walkers.  Golf is an athletic sport after all.

Weightlifting overrated.

[saevel25]

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

I'll break this out into two camps.

Working Out - Underrated. I say this by defining working out as improving cardio, flexibility, and injury prevention. I find this has helped me generally be more athletic and worry less about any problems that can arise from practicing and playing lots of golf. Golf is a very unnatural athletic movement that I feel can be hindered by the standard sedentary lifestyle a lot of people have. Anything to improve joint support and flexibility would be a benefit to most golfers.

Lifting Weights - Overrated. In terms of building power to gain distance, probably overrated. You'd probably have to go Rory-esque type transformation to gain a significant benefit. That is a lot of time and effort. I am seeing it more as over-rated for 99% of golfers ;)

[Keep It Simple]

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

If you are talking about general working out lifting weights overrated.  

Talking about a golf specific workout regiment UNDERRATED.  

I attended a professional athletic training facility (just their executive fitness program) but while there I saw professional athletes being trained in exercises specific to their sports.  Watching the golfers train there is no way it is not giving them a big advantage for distance.  I doubt they would waste their time if it didn't, some of the routines look exhausting and painful.

I would have a hard time believing that the young bombers on tour today are not all on very specific and intense training programs giving them their extra length.  To swing like these guys, you need flexibility and to strengthen all the weak parts of the body that will get injured.  Too much money on the line for these guys not too.

Just look at the long drive guys.  There is a reason they are all big.  Even Jamie Sadlowski, he might be smaller in stature but comes from hockey where hardcore training regiments are the norm (at least if you are playing semi-pro).

 

[coachjimsc]

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

For me I will say underrated. Mostly because working out helps me be able to play more golf. The more I can play and practice the more I should be able to improve.

[miggusrises]

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Overrated - because people have the conception that getting big and strong massively influences your distance. Fibre type and frame size dominate how far a given player hits the ball, and people in general underrate the importance of fibre type and overrate the importance of muscle size/strength. 

Some people will mention special 'golf specific' routines that can help, but these largely revolve around improving explosive coordination (throwing a weighted ball against a wall, swinging heavier objects etc.) This is basically just practicing the skill of swinging the club quickly, and while valuable, likely doesn't have a much greater affect on driving distance than just practicing swinging the club faster.

Almost everyone can optimally improve the physical aspects they need for golf by just playing more golf. 

[Vinsk]

10 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

A tough one. If you took someone grossly out of shape and gave him sound instruction, would he be better 12 months later had he received the same instruction but was already in good shape? Retrospective so can’t know. Obviously if someone gains flexibility and strength it seems it would benefit their golf swing. However I don’t think someone like Brooks is going to improve his swing by weight training. I think there’s probably a point where just proper golf mechanics and physical ability meet up to a maximum potential and then just linger around this point. Overrated by a hair.

Edited January 8, 2019 by Vinsk

[GolfLug]

11 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Underrated. I am assuming we are not talking up purely 'bulking up'. Right kind of training, cardio/suppleness training/lifting weights combo can only help.  

[NM Golf]

11 hours ago, klineka said:

Overrated/Underrated #11: Working out/lifting weights to help improve your golf game

Anything past general fitness is overrated. As long as you can physically walk (or ride if allowed) 18 holes then you are good. I don't believe that lifting weights or having a serious fitness regimen is going to help your golf game.

I have seen too many really good and successful "fluffy" golfers to believe that it's all that important to have a linebacker's physique in order to play better golf.

[Double Mocha Man]

2 minutes ago, NM Golf said:

Anything past general fitness is overrated. As long as you can physically walk (or ride if allowed) 18 holes then you are good. I don't believe that lifting weights or having a serious fitness regimen is going to help your golf game.

I have seen too many really good and successful "fluffy" golfers to believe that it's all that important to have a linebacker's physique in order to play better golf.

3 words:  Isometrics for golf.