Historically golfers have not been perceived as the best conditioned athletes. Recently, the game has changed and now most tour players are in excellent condition. However, the average player is not likely to go to the gym and workout like a professional athlete. They are left wondering how to get in shape for golf.

There are a number of great exercises to get in shape for golf that utilize golf clubs. This is very appealing to most golfers since it doesn’t feel like they are trying to get in shape. In addition the time spent feeling the weight and balance of their clubs allows them to swing better because they are more attuned to both their bodies and the clubs they are swinging.

Good golfers are very strong in the hands and forearms. To work on strength and flexibility in these areas grab two clubs, one in each hand. Standing up straight with a club in each hand simply flex the wrist upward until the club is pointing straight up in the air or as far as you can comfortably go. When this becomes easy to do, put two clubs in each hand, then three and so on. This is a great way to get in shape for golf by flexing the wrists. It will add a lot of zip at the bottom of your swing.

To build up your forearms hold one club between your two hands at arms length directly in front of you. The club shaft should be in your finger tips. Now, rotate the shaft away from you just using your fingers. You will start to feel a burn in your forearms. Then rotate the club towards you. This will be more difficult. You can also tie a weight to the middle of the club suspended by a piece of string. Then you will be trying to wind up the weight to the golf shaft. In time you should feel your forearms getting very tired. Strong forearms are important for getting in shape for golf because they help stabilize your swing path particularly in the impact zone area.

Finally. To loosen up your chest, arms and back. Bend over from the waist until your chest is parallel with the floor. Hold a club behind your back between both hands. Now, raise the club as high as you can go. For some of you that will only be about two inches or so. Other may be able to get the club high up over their shoulders. This is a great overall stretching routine and will really help you get in shape for golf. This stretch also tells you how high your hands should be in your backswing. If you can only get the club up to the middle of your back then you should have a relatively flat backswing. Otherwise you are disconnecting from what your body can really do.

In all of these stretches try and work for improvement. That can be an increase in the range of motion you are getting or in the amount of weight or resistance you are using.

Of course the best way to get in shape for golf is to play a lot of golf and/or hit la lot of golf balls. Just make certain that you are properly stretched out ahead of time.

Hollywood feels similarly about golf. Samuel L. Jackson is a huge fan, even though he only started playing at the age of forty five. There are also movie stars who state in their contracts that location sites must provide easy access to major golf courses. And then there are stars such as Johnny Mathis, who spend more time on the golf course than on their jobs.

Golf is increasingly becoming less male and less white, too, in part because of networking possibilities and in part because it is a fun way to stay in shape. Experts believe that golfers that walk eighteen holes once or twice a week can improve their health dramatically. Golf is also the game of choice for a number of physicians and health care professionals. “Usually when I walk and play a round, I lose about four pounds,” says teaching pro Marvin Childress.

Minorities are turning to golf not only because the game is fun and challenging, but also because the game provides a great deal of access and networking opportunities that are not always readily available in the boardroom. The senior vice president of Nova Chemicals in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Jeffrey Pina learned this the hard way when he was invited to play the game with his boss but had to turn him down since he did not know how to play. So, Pina made sure that never happened again. After a crash course, he hit the links and discovered the real world. He says, “I saw how business was conducted on golf courses. I saw how relationships and trusts were built.” He was surprised to see the level of business that is carried out on the course. “The account executives delivered all the news they needed to deliver instead of having a business meeting, and it was done in an environment that was more cordial and far more supportive, because you’re playing a game as well as conducting business.”

Black women are among the most passionate supporters of the game today. Another golf plus, according to the publisher of the African-American Golfers Digest, is that the game gives you a personal edge. Given that golf is such an expensive sport to play, it can act as a major personal selling point. There is, moreover, a fraternity or sorority of golfers, and once a golfer meets a golfer – a client, CEO or a potential date – they enjoy an instant rapport. Although corporate executives and celebrities spend relatively large amounts of money on club fees and green fees, most golfers spend relatively modest amounts playing municipal courses.

Celebrity golfers like Michael Jordan are fueling the golf craze. Not only do people pay attention to what celebrities are doing, but they also try to incorporate the competitive spirit of the likes of Jordan. Leonard S. Coleman Jr., former president of baseball’s National League, says he enjoys golf because “it’s extremely competitive, and I relish playing the game with my friends and competitors.” And the vice president of multicultural marketing at Schieffelin & Somerset Co. says he enjoys the camaraderie of the game and the opportunity to relax in beautiful natural settings with like-minded colleagues.