Two years ago, on January 1, I committed to getting in physical golf shape to hopefully improve my game. Amateur golfers of all levels and ages buy the best clubs, state-of-the-art golf balls, best shoes, take tons of lessons, and hit thousands of range balls but don’t understand why they don’t improve at a better pace. There is one piece of equipment that most golfers ignore, and it is the key to improving their game.  Their BODY! 

I called Dana Proctor, founder, and owner of Fit 360. FIT 360 Personal Training and Sports Performance offers golf fitness training for all ages at their studio located at Bayside Orthopaedic in Fairhope. In addition, FIT 360 offers golf fitness training for The Lakewood Club members and The Grand Hotel guests.

Dana Proctor, Doug Proctor, and Patrick McGovern are TPI (Titleist Performance Institute) Certified Golf Fitness instructors. Doug Proctor is also TPI junior golf fitness certified.  TPI is the world’s leading educational organization dedicated to the study of how the human body functions in relation to the golf swing. TPI seeks to educate golf industry professionals and the playing public on the importance of the body swing connection and how golfers will benefit from a healthy and efficient body.  

TPI headquarters is in Oceanside, California and there are over 19,000 TPI Certified professionals. TPI protocols are developed and tested through NCAA universities, major health care hospitals, fitness organizations, professional golf associations, national Olympic sports development programs, and professional golfers.

The golf swing is a very complex movement involving powerful muscles as they contract, creating acceleration through precise timing. The golf swing is a physically demanding athletic movement in which improving physical conditioning is a key component to a more biomechanically efficient swing. 

Here are examples of why it’s important to train the body for golf.

• You address the ball with a weighted implement that you accelerate with maximal force in less than 1/5 of a second.
• The force produced during drives is often more than 90% of your maximal strength capacity.
• The lumbar spine is constantly pushed to its capacity throughout a round.
• The lateral force to the knees is equivalent to a lateral cut of a basketball player.
• The arm speed of a full swing is like that of a baseball pitcher.
• Golf is a power sport that applies massive and traumatic force to your body.

Fit 360 offers free golf fitness valuation that includes FMS (Functional Movement Screen), a series of movement tests designed to assess general movement quality and asymmetry which includes ranges of motion, muscle control, and balance.  The screen can identify limitations that provide a link between physical deficiencies and potential swing tendencies and limitations.  The instructors then discuss the screen results and how it relates to the individual’s golf swing.

Golf fitness training of the body is the key to a longer drive, better control, and lower scores with fewer injuries. Golf fitness training helps improve physical limitations that impede a golfer from having a more biomechanically efficient swing.

Areas of focus during golf fitness training: flexibility, mobility, balance, strength, power, and endurance, all critical components to a better golf swing. Benefits include swinging with less effort and driving the ball farther. Fit 360 will help you develop an increased club head speed and help you prevent injuries, especially in the lower back. You will feel better and score better.

Fit 360 has several golf fitness training packages to offer:

• 60 Minute Training Session:  $70
• 45 Minute Training Session: $55
• 30-Minute Training Session: $40

60 Minute Buddy Golf Fitness Training Session:  $35 Each

Dana Toberer-Proctor and Fit 360 are good people to know if you want to improve your golf game.  

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