Mindset On The Course: A Long Horse Race

It has been a while since I've posted, so I apologize. Anyway, let's get on with the important information.

In his book The Bald Truth, David Falk, the super-agent to sports greats such as Michael Jordan and Patrick Ewing, talks about the importance of having a broad perspective. He calls it the "long horse race". He says that in the business world, far too many people have a narrow view when it comes to the end result of an action. They wind up putting too much stock in the here-and-now and neglect long-term positive impacts that their decisions could play in the future. He analogizes this type of thinking to a horse race; a horse can lead out of the gate, he could lead at turn one, he could even lead beginning the home stretch. But no one will ever remember him unless he leads at the finish line. On the other hand, a horse could stumble out of the gate, lose position in turn one, or be in the middle of the pack beginning the home stretch and still win the race. The end result is what really matters.

The same is true in golf. Always remember that hole number one is a long way from hole number eighteen. If you birdie number one, great! But it is only a small victory in that moment and your focus must shift to hole number two. What if you bogey number one - what is your response? Ironically, it should be the exact same response as in the earlier scenario. Treat a bogey exactly the same as a birdie while remembering there is plenty of time to recover. In any case, in life and in golf, always keep the end result in mind and attempt to make steps in that direction. Remember, as Mr. Falk puts it, it's a long horse race.

Correct Motion Can Be Your Key

How can functional motion improve your golf game? The answer is simple: if the joints of the body function appropriately, the golfer is allowed to move in optimal ranges of motion. For most players, some joints in the body don't move in full motion. When joints fail to function properly, other joints must make up the difference. Much the same as a team of workers, if a few workers are sitting down on the job, the other workers must make up the difference. The overburdened workers will become tired and production will decline. This is the same scenario that is present in the skeletal system of most golfers. When a few joints in the body 'sit down on the job', others are forced to pick up the slack. This dysfunction can cause a decrease in production and an increase in pain. My advice:

1) Begin a stretching program. This can allow the muscles to reorient themselves to bones. Some slight stretching is ok to do before you play, but it is most important AFTER you play. When you reach the trunk of your car following the round, use it to do some leg and low back stretches.

2) Use a golf-specific exercise program. By increasing the functional strength of golf-specific muscles, the player can protect the skeletal system and it's components. These can be found online if you feel comfortable, or obtained by a personal trainer, physical therapist, or chiropractor.

3) Visit a chiropractor. Chiropractors are trained to locate and treat dysfunction of joints in the body. By normalizing the overall function of joints, better performance and lower levels of pain can be expected.

-Nathan Williams

Any Questions? Just ask...

If you have any specific questions about performance funcionality as it pertains to golf, feel free to ask.