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THE FREE PRESS Thursday, July 18, 2013
www.thefreepress.ca
A tiny piece of equipment in constant evolution
Get in shape to avoid injury I
t may surprise you to learn this, walking, and cycling will all help but physical fitness is an essential in keeping these joints and muscles part of playing golf. Any golf pro lubricated and supple. will tell you that training and regular exercise greatly help to At the golf course, start reduce the risk of injury, your golfing routine especially back pain, gradually, as most tendonitis, or strained Golfers who want injuries are caused by muscles. That means abrupt movements. to have a long, golfers who want to Your golf coach successful season could also check your have a long, successful season should consider should consider technique and make committing to a fitness committing to a adjustments to your program. Starting swing, if necessary. fitness program. Before playing your an exercise regimen immediately and first round of golf, sticking to it will help you would be wise to them golf pain- and spend some time on strain-free all summer the practice course. long. Start by hitting balls with your short irons to build a rhythm, then proceed Consulting a healthcare professional to your long irons and finish your before starting a regular exercise training session with the woods. program is always a good idea. A personal trainer or fitness centre Get into the habit of doing warm employee will be able to suggest a up exercises before every game: do program that will help you improve a few arm and shoulder stretches your flexibility, endurance, and and loosen up your back with some balance. The areas of the body most gentle twists and hip rotations. A strained in golfing are the base of few minutes of stretching will help the spine, wrists, elbows, shoulders, you to avoid injury throughout your and upper body. Stretching exercises, golfing season.
D
esigned to elevate the ball on the teeoff, the tee has evolved considerably over the years. This simple little wooden peg has made a lot of progress and still remains an important accessory for golfers.
It’s hard to believe that one of the smallest and most useful accessories continues to help golfers improve their game!
The time is long gone when players used a pile of sand to elevate the ball! The arrival of the wooden tee not only allowed golfers to improve their drives but also to avoid damaging
the grass on the tee-offs. Tees have become much more sophisticated over the years. These days they are made mainly from variously coloured wood
or plastic. S o m e g o l f e r s prefer the traditional wooden tees for their effectiveness, while others will opt for those made in plastic because of their greater durability. Large manufacturers of golf equipment are constantly searching for improvements and a wide variety of tees
A 2 Pe tour dult/J rs nam unio A lter on r ent n sho Jul t fu ate y 28 n n Jul y 26 ight th 201 Fairway Drive, Fernie - 250-423-7773 Ranked #2 Public Golf Facility in British Columbia
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Buy 1 piece of clothing and receive 15% off, 2 pieces 25% off and 3 or more pieces 35% off! Twilight rates $26 for 9 after 5pm and $46 for 18 after 4pm
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are now available on the market. One option is the wooden tee in two colours and varying lengths, while the range of plastic tees is more elaborate. Apart from conventional tees it is also possible to obtain “zero friction” tees, where the ball is placed on three small supports. There are also oversized “brush” tees that reduce the rotation of the ball and tees of adjustable heights. Biodegradable tees made of bamboo are also available in specialized stores. It’s hard to believe that one of the smallest and most useful accessories continues to help golfers improve their game!