GET GOLF FIT
By Anna Hall
It’s easy to forget when we are playing golf
in a warm climate to make time for some
fundamental preparation. Whether you are
playing to win or just for fun the following
preparations can prove essential in the
long term.
Firstly Stay safe in the sun…. I know this
isn’t everyone’s favourite topic, but when
travelling abroad the sun is undoubtedly
stronger than that of the UK. Given
the time spent chasing that little white
ball around the beautiful sun exposed
course, being diligent about skin and eye
protection is essential.
In brief there are two types of rays that
we require protection from, UVA and
UVB. A very lose description of how each
type effects our skin is that UVB causes
the skin to burn and UVA can penetrate
the skins surface and cause ageing. Both
however can cause cancer as they both
can potentially damage the integrity of
the skin cells. When choosing a sunscreen
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chose one that clearly states on the label
that the UVA protection is rated at 5 stars.
Look for a cream that also offers complete
sunblock, this will often contain Zinc
Oxide and/or Titanium Dioxide. If you are
unsure about which SPF factor to use then
here are some guidelines. Your skin natural
level of protection can only guard you so
far, If your skin can naturally protect its
self for 10 minutes before burning then an
SPF 15 with multiply your natural resistance
15 times (to 150 minutes). Most sunscreens
wear off after 90 minutes and should be
applied regularly especially if you perspire
frequently.
Sun cream is just not enough. Investing in
some quality UV protective clothing (long
sleeves and hat that also protects your
ears etc) could be the difference between
a healthy glow or the pure agony of sun
burn later when you hit the bar. Think long
term about the effects of skin cancer from
over exposure to the sun rays.
Destination Golf TRAVEL
Secondly warm up before play. A weekend
abroad playing golf whether you are
competing or playing for pleasure will
put extra strain on the body. Warming
up properly will help protect against
injury especially that which is caused by
repetitive motion. More importantly a
good warm up will reward you with better
a performance on the course. Recent
research from has shown that a series of
golf warm up exercises before play can
have a measurable effect on your golf
swing. I have been practising yoga for
10 years and teach many yoga skills to
golfers. These techniques when practised
regularly will improve core strength and
stability, improve flexibility (resulting in
a better range of motion), protect the
spine from injury and help stretch the hips,
shoulders, arms and legs for a more fluid
performance. We may not all have time for
a sequence yoga session especially when
travelling, but even the most basic warm
up techniques can have measurable effects
on performance.