March will be the first chance many golfers get to be back out on the greens in several months, and that initial game of the year is something many are looking forward to. But players will want to remember that they've had a few months off from the game, so they shouldn't let their eagerness get out of hand, golf professionals say. Unfortunately, people tend to go too hard on those first games when they're not in shape and they get hurt. To prevent common problems like back and shoulder injuries, there are things golfers can be doing now to get into the swing of things. Mr. Schultz and Mike Habermehl, the golf pro at St. Joseph's Fairview Golf Course, say golfers don't need to exercise like they're training for a marathon to get in shape for golf season.
Simple things can make a big difference, they say.
What you want is that range of motion. Dr. Tom Aldrich says he's been working on building up his flexibility for golf all winter. Since November, the St. Joseph resident has been doing yoga to keep himself in shape for the game during the months he can't play. I thought I'd give yoga a try and see what it could do. Dr. Aldrich says a recent vacation where he got in a little golf gave him the chance to find out whether his winter training was of any use.