A couple of years ago I enrolled in Dave Boivin’s winter golf program. Dave emphasized stretching, posture and balance. He also paid close attention to developing a consistent swing plane. I was surprised that these sessions could make such a difference. You see, our class never once hit a golf ball – instead sticking to the fundamentals of the swing. When I began playing again in early April, I found my iron play was the most accurate I had ever experienced. By mid-summer my handicap had dropped by 5 full strokes – to the lowest point since I had begun playing. I decided to take the course for the next two consecutive winters.
This past fall I had developed some disabling low-back pain – probably caused by years of long distance running combined with never stretching properly. As a result, I had stopped running altogether and had limited my golf play. I could not execute a full golf swing without considerable pain. I often could not complete the full 18 holes. My handicap ballooned to the highest level in twenty years. I signed up with Katrina Yniguez as my personal trainer. Katrina carefully experimented with exercises that strengthened my core muscles and significantly increased my range of motion. I have now begun to run again though not as far as before. I have also rejoined my regular foursome in golf and play as frequently as I did before the back pain had intensified. While I must now do a series of exercises every day (or suffer the consequences) the level of pain has diminished markedly and I am no longer restricted in my daily activities. My golf swing has been modified somewhat to minimize the stress on my back, but distance and accuracy have returned. Handicap is dropping rapidly.