Phil Mickelson has said it himself; his ability to play golf at a level capable of winning Major championships beyond the age of 50 is due largely to his enhanced physical fitness.
You don’t need to shed the kilos or become a coffee fiend to keep swinging the golf club well after 50, but you do need to incorporate some simple exercises to get your body into the positions needed throughout the swing.
I never play a round of golf without first doing some static squats. It is a great way to stretch your hamstrings and glutes, it opens up your hips and gets your base ready for the rotation you need to generate in the golf swing. When I do it, I place my hands on the top of my thighs and push down on the way up, creating continuous movement.
Another simple drill is to grab both ends of a golf club and stretch the obliques on both the left and the right side.
Lastly, I suggest taking 15 to 20 continuous swings with two clubs as part of your warm-up. Just make sure both clubheads are not at the same end because it gets too heavy.
You may not hit “bombs” or “hellacious seeds” like Phil after 50, but if you can find 10 minutes a day to do these drills your best golf is still ahead of you.
Quick tip
Short and sweet
More than his long bombs, Phil Mickelson is renowned for his short game. The reality is that we don’t hit the ball as far as we get older but if your short game from 50 metres and in is sharp, so too will be your scoring. Get that part of your game right and any lack of distance will cease to be an issue.
Jason Laws is an Australian Golf Digest instructor and NSW PGA Teaching Professional of the Year recipient
If you have any questions or are interested in undertaking some online lessons, e-mail Jason at [email protected]
Featured image by Getty images: Icon Sportswire
