Jon Tattersall, the 2014 Georgia PGA Section Teacher of the Year, is the Co-Founder and PGA Director of Golf at Fusion Atlanta in Atlanta, Georgia.
Jon Tattersall on the importance of introducing golf fitness on your practice range:
Getting the word out on the importance of golf fitness is the key first step to engaging golfers on the topic and building a program for the future. How do we make golfers aware of the benefits of golf fitness and into a light version of the regimen and tools that encompass a larger program? This often starts with bringing fitness to the golfers, and the practice range is the ideal location for this. Golfers can apply some basic movements as a warm-up to their practice session, lessons or rounds of golf. Incorporating the range as a place where the technical and physical aspects of the game meet can be a catalyst to further golf fitness interaction. When golfers experience the benefits of some basic preliminary stretching and movement routines, many of them may be inclined to pursue a more extensive, long-term program. It is important for the casual golfer to understand that these concepts involve minimal initial commitment, and that they are as beneficial as chipping or putting before a round. Ideally, they will see the benefits and want to do more – it’s at that point when you can get them into the fitness facility for a more complete assessment and plan for continued progress. Whether your club has on-site golf fitness programming and facilities or if you partner with an external facility like ours at Fusion Atlanta, you can provide the tools for this light warm up. Some elementary items to start with include mats, indicators on the floor or ground that lead individuals through a movement routine that stretches his or her muscles and some easy-to-use bands for stretching.
Jon Tattersall on the business impact of introducing golf fitness on your practice range:
If you can move better, you will play better – there is no doubt in this statement. Creating awareness of this fact is vital to the growth of your golf fitness program. Having a movement stretching station or a brief regimen of specific warm-up exercises instills the importance of golf fitness without overwhelming members with an abundance of information. This also provides for added engagement between you PGA Professional staff and the members or customers you serve. It fosters conversation and enables staff on the range to share their knowledge and expertise, which can lead to increased lessons and deeper relationships. Bringing attention to the benefits of light fitness and the greater benefits of a more intense program will help build the program at your club or enhance the partnership you have with an external facility.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email jontattersall@mac.com.
