Yoga for golfers

An entire training program, tailoring yoga to the needs of golfers, was developed ten years ago by Scottsdale golf expert, Katherine Roberts. Yoga for Golfers applies the principles of yoga -- flexibility, strength, core conditioning, balance and mental focus – to success on the golf course.

While yoga is a popular form of exercise for golfers and non-golfers alike, Yoga for Golfers promises benefits any golfer would dream of: greater distance and accuracy off the tee, better rhythm and tempo in the golf swing, improved concentration and visualization capabilities, reduced risk of injury and more effective club control and weight distribution.

The program selects yoga poses that are most suited for golfer’s needs, such as enhancing flexibility and strength in muscle groups involved in the mechanics of the golf spring -- primarily the spine, shoulders, hips and legs.

“A lot of people haven’t recognized it yet, but there’s a very basic connection between yoga and lowering your golf score,” Debbie Horovitch, a Toronto-based Yoga for Golfers instructor, told the National Post. “The foundation of yoga, which I think most people misunderstand to be stretching, is actually coordinating breath and movement together. One of the biggest keys in golf is being able to quiet your judgmental mind and find your tempo with your breathing.”

In fact, the root of the Sanskrit word yoga is yug, which translates to "the union of the mind, body, and breath." A yogi, or one who practices yoga, uses postures to bring an overactive mind to a level of calm and quietness. This is especially important for golf, a game involving both physical and mental challenges.