Opinion & Analysis
Which is more important: Your equipment or your body?
I am asking this question because we as golfers have limited time and financial resources to put toward getting better at the game we love. Therefore, if we want to improve, it’s necessary to be selective about what we choose to invest in. A common dilemma is whether to upgrade our equipment or invest in our bodies. I have gathered the opinions of a variety of experts in the field of golf to help you decide whether your clubs or your body is going to get a tune up this year.
Before we crack on, it’s probably worth defining exactly what I mean by “your equipment” and “your body.”
Equipment: Driver, Fairway Woods, Irons, Wedges, Putter and any custom fitting thereof.
Body: Golf Fitness Assessment, Personal Training, Golf Fitness Training Programs, Fitness Equipment (golf specific or not), Strength Training, Yoga, Pilates, Movement Pattern Training.
Note: Coaching deserves its own category (and article) and is not included in this debate.
So which is more worthy of an investment of your precious time and hard earned dollars?
Some would argue that without the right equipment, it doesn’t matter how good your body is. Incorrect shafts are going to produce inconsistent ball striking, and too little loft on your driver will reduce your carry distance by 10-15 percent. But even a golfer with a body like Rory McIlroy’s is going to struggle without the right gear.
Others might suggest that you can have all the gear, but if your body doesn’t function well you can’t make use of it properly. You might have a driver that is brand new and custom fit to your swing speed and delivery conditions. If your swing speed is 89 mph, your path is 9 degrees left and your angle of attack is 5 degrees down due to mobility restrictions and a lack of strength, however, then you will always have a pretty low potential for improving your driving distance and accuracy by investing in a driver.
I am quite clearly and unashamedly biased in this argument. As a strength and conditioning coach, I will always say that your body is more important than your equipment and you should invest your dollars and your time into getting fitter, stronger, more mobile and improving your movement patterns. In my opinion, improving your body will raise the ceiling of your golf-related physical capabilities such as strength/power, flexibility, coordination and movement patterns. With bettered athleticism comes the potential to swing the club more effectively and hit better golf shots. You can find out more about my methods for raising your ceiling of potential by clicking here.
I am aware, however, that you probably don’t just want to hear this predictable and one-eyed view of the situation, so I have asked eight of my esteemed colleagues to chip in with their opinions on the matter. I tried to harvest a range of views from people who do various different aspects of golf stuff for a living. There are golf coaches, GolfWRX editors, GolfWRX writers, strength and conditioning coaches and even a former CEO of a famous equipment manufacturer. It’s a pretty broad spectrum!
For each of their responses I’ll award a point to either “Equipment” or “Body,” tally the scores as we go and summarize which category came out as the overall winner.
Chris Gibson: Golf Coach, 2015 Queensland (Australia) Teaching Professional of the Year
“I guess there are several levels to my answer that cover the different types of client that I work with. To start with, obviously if the clubs are grossly out of proportion (i.e. too long/short, heavy/light, game improvement/blade, etc.) then getting them somewhere near suitable is really important.
“If somebody walked through my door as a raw beginner and didn’t have clubs, I would always suggest not to buy them until we can improve their technique, which includes the physical training of movement patterns.
“If we are talking a long-term program for a player and their goals are to be as good as they can be, then physical first. This can determine how much they can practice and play and therefore have a significant bearing on their long term goals.
“If they are players who know they can’t practice due to work commitments or just aren’t motivated to practice more and enjoy the social aspect only, then clubs may be better suited to help them improve.
“If I am talking elite level athletes that have had their clubs fitted, then physical will always out weigh clubs or technology. Elite level athletes will adapt even if they are not spot on with a club fit.”
We start with a halve.
Scoreboard: Body: 0.5, Equipment: 0.5
Barney Adams: Founder of Adams Golf and the inventor of the iconic “Tight Lies” fairway wood
“Given decent equipment, meaning that you might favor some older models that play perfectly, well then I say unequivocally that body is more important. I’m 76 and at best exercise might slow down the effects of age, so equating age to condition there is no way I play as well as my younger years. Body, no contest.”
Body takes an early lead with Barney’s full support.
Scoreboard: Body 1.5, Equipment 0.5
Kane Cochran: Co-founder of Full Glass Labs and creator of Ranger GPS
“For me… the body is more important to lowering your scores. If we assume we’re discussing any of the major, higher-quality pieces of equipment out there, there performance, as we’ve seen, is generally similar. Materials and craftsmanship sets equipment apart, but if we’re talking generally, moving your body the right way will have a bigger impact than say, upgrading your irons from last season’s model to this season. Yes, we all should have clubs fit for our BODY and our swing and it is possible to lower scores simply by getting a proper equipment fit.
“Better (lower handicap) golfers will, in my opinion, see a bigger benefit from getting their body to work more efficiently through better conditioning/fitness, which will let them get in better positions and fire everything in a better sequence.
“Higher-handicap golfers who have not been fit for their clubs or are using older technology can lower their scores with properly fit clubs or better technology (more forgiving drivers and irons for instance). But they will still see a bigger benefit from having a body that can get in the correct positions more easily, allowing them to swing the club better and improve at a faster pace.”
This is looking bad for equipment.
Scoreboard: Body 2.5, Equipment 0.5
Zak Kozuchowski: GolfWRX Editor
“Equipment changes are best for short-term improvement, by which I mean your next few rounds. Simple things such as establishing proper wedge gaps and dialing in playable lofts and lie angles can create huge improvements in consistency for golfers of every level, and they aren’t usually that expensive. A shaft swap can also really help if golfers find themselves not being able to hit a certain type of club (driver, irons, wedges) as well as others in their set.
That being said, if it was either this or that, most golfers should probably invest in their bodies first, because they’ll only use new clubs for limited amount of time. They’ll need their bodies for their rest of the lives.
The best advice I can give to junior golfers and aspiring professionals is to understand what parts of their bodies could be limiting them and what they can do on a day-to-day basis to prevent injuries. Seek out the smartest coaches and fitters in your area, and you might learn what I did — some of the work I was putting in at the gym and on the range was not really helping, and in some cases hurting me.
Another halved point. Can equipment hang in there?
Scoreboard: Body 3, Equipment 1
Tom Stickney: Director of Instruction at The Vidanta Golf Academies
“Obviously the body is a huge part of the success of the player, but I feel at the lower levels of playing ability the clubs are more important. This is because the higher handicapper struggles to make up for poorly fit or inappropriate clubs. At least we can alter the clubs to aid the improper body motions for golfers with less ability.”
A full point for equipment. Start of a comeback maybe?
Scoreboard: Body 3, Equipment 2
Andrew Tursky: GolfWRX Assistant Editor
“I would say equipment short-term and fitness long-term. Equipment can help a golfer shave strokes without changing their technique. But improvement has a ceiling by strictly getting a set of custom-fit golf clubs.
Fitness, however, can help a golfer achieve a golf body (flexibility, stronger core, etc.) that allows them to practice more, while reducing the risk of injury. Also, they can possibly achieve movement patterns they wouldn’t have been able to without a golf-specific fitness regimen.
A new set of clubs isn’t much good if a bad back and tight hamstrings keep you from spending the proper time on the practice tee.”
A great argument in favor of body.
Scoreboard: Body 4, Equipment 2
Richard Woodhouse: Director Of Instruction at KDV Sport
“In regards to priority, I will always address how the body is functioning first and foremost. The golf swing requires both mobility and stability. If one or both of these functions are compromised, an equipment change may only “Band Aid” over the true cause of the inefficiency in the golf swing.
“Regardless of age, gender, ability, or time availability, we can all work toward a more efficient functioning body; this might mean incorporating dynamic mobility/stability, dynamic balance and/or strength and conditioning program.
“When I have my students applying themselves with structured programs as listed above, I see a dramatic increase in acceptance of swing/technique improvement. I always believe that time spent working on an efficient mobility/stability pattern will decrease the time required to implement swing improvements on the range.
“As the pattern of the swing becomes consistent regarding sequencing, we can then address the equipment and fit the player to equipment that will in turn compliment the players development.”
The first golf coach to go all out for body. This is turning into a one-sided contest.
Scoreboard: Body 5, Equipment 2
Nick Buchan: Founder of Stronger Golf / Co Founder of the Association of Golf Strength and Conditioning (AGSC)
“Obviously, what your body is physically able to do and the equipment you use can directly affect your swing mechanics. Getting properly fitted for your clubs can have you walking out of a 30-minute custom fitting sessions swinging better and ultimately playing better very quickly!
“Improving the function of your body in golf swing by addressing weak points in your movement chain, correcting movement patterns and alignment, etc., will optimise biomechanics and also allow improvements in swing mechanics albeit will considerably more effort and time investment. This approach has two advantages; first, the law of diminishing returns will impact physical training much more slowly or even be non-existent. There will almost always be physical issues affecting a golfer, which we can work to improve.
“Second, and most importantly, improving equipment choice and even swing mechanics through coaching is the equivalent of fine-tuning a cars engine. Increasing strength and power through physical training is the equivalent to making the cars engine bigger. A bigger engine simply has more potential for speed.”
The S&C coach predictably drives home the knife with another point for body.
Scoreboard: Body 6, Equipment 2
There we have it folks, a resounding four-point victory in favor of “your body.” The best custom fit equipment will take you right up to the ceiling of potential for improvement of your game, and there is no doubt that up-to-date and properly fit equipment can help you lower your scores — but increasing your level of (golf specific) athletic ability can raise that ceiling higher than you ever thought possible.
It’s well worth noting that quality coaching plays a huge role in game improvement. Often the best physical adaptations aren’t worth much without being told how to apply them to the swing, and every contributing member to this article massively advocates committing to some level of professional instruction if you want to get better.
As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the comments above and will encourage my fellow contributors to respond if they can find the time.
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19th Hole
Vincenzi’s LIV Golf Singapore betting preview: Course specialist ready to thrive once again
After another strong showing in Australia, LIV Golf will head to Sentosa Golf Club in Singapore looking to build off of what was undoubtedly their best event to date.
Sentosa Golf Club sits on the southern tip of Singapore and is one of the most beautiful courses in the world. The course is more than just incredible scenically; it was also rated 55th in Golf Digest’s top-100 courses in 2022-2023 and has been consistently regarded as one of the best courses in Asia. Prior to being part of the LIV rotation, the course hosted the Singapore Open every year since 2005.
Sentosa Golf Club is a par 71 measuring 7,406 yards. The course will require precise ball striking and some length off the tee. It’s possible to go low due to the pristine conditions, but there are also plenty of hazards and difficult spots on the course that can bring double bogey into play in a hurry. The Bermudagrass greens are perfectly manicured, and the course has spent millions on the sub-air system to keep the greens rolling fast. I spoke to Asian Tour player, Travis Smyth, who described the greens as “the best [he’s] ever played.”
Davis Love III, who competed in a Singapore Open in 2019, also gushed over the condition of the golf course.
“I love the greens. They are fabulous,” the 21-time PGA Tour winner said.
Love III also spoke about other aspects of the golf course.
“The greens are great; the fairways are perfect. It is a wonderful course, and it’s tricky off the tee.”
“It’s a long golf course, and you get some long iron shots. It takes somebody hitting it great to hit every green even though they are big.”
As Love III said, the course can be difficult off the tee due to the length of the course and the trouble looming around every corner. It will take a terrific ball striking week to win at Sentosa Golf Club.
In his pre-tournament press conference last season, Phil Mickelson echoed many of the same sentiments.
“To play Sentosa effectively, you’re going to have a lot of shots from 160 to 210, a lot of full 6-, 7-, 8-iron shots, and you need to hit those really well and you need to drive the ball well.”
Golfers who excel from tee to green and can dial in their longer irons will have a massive advantage this week.
Stat Leaders at LIV Golf Adelaide:
Fairways Hit
1.) Louis Oosthuizen
2.) Anirban Lahiri
3.) Jon Rahm
4.) Brendan Steele
5.) Cameron Tringale
Greens in Regulation
1.) Brooks Koepka
2.) Brendan Steele
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Cameron Tringale
5.) Anirban Lahiri
Birdies Made
1.) Brendan Steele
2.) Dean Burmester
3.) Thomas Pieters
4.) Patrick Reed
5.) Carlos Ortiz
LIV Golf Individual Standings:
1.) Joaquin Niemann
2.) Jon Rahm
3.) Dean Burmester
4.) Louis Oosthuizen
5.) Abraham Ancer
LIV Golf Team Standings:
1.) Crushers
2.) Legion XIII
3.) Torque
4.) Stinger GC
5.) Ripper GC
LIV Golf Singapore Picks
Sergio Garcia +3000 (DraftKings)
Sergio Garcia is no stranger to Sentosa Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Singapore Open in 2018 by five strokes and lost in a playoff at LIV Singapore last year to scorching hot Talor Gooch. Looking at the course setup, it’s no surprise that a player like Sergio has played incredible golf here. He’s long off the tee and is one of the better long iron players in the world when he’s in form. Garcia is also statistically a much better putter on Bermudagrass than he is on other putting surfaces. He’s putt extremely well on Sentosa’s incredibly pure green complexes.
This season, Garcia has two runner-up finishes, both of them being playoff losses. Both El Camaleon and Doral are courses he’s had success at in his career. The Spaniard is a player who plays well at his tracks, and Sentosa is one of them. I believe Sergio will get himself in the mix this week. Hopefully the third time is a charm in Singapore.
Paul Casey +3300 (FanDuel)
Paul Casey is in the midst of one of his best seasons in the five years or so. The results recently have been up and down, but he’s shown that when he’s on a golf course that suits his game, he’s amongst the contenders.
This season, Casey has finishes of T5 (LIV Las Vegas), T2 (LIV Hong Kong), and a 6th at the Singapore Classic on the DP World Tour. At his best, the Englishman is one of the best long iron players in the world, which makes him a strong fit for Sentosa. Despite being in poor form last season, he was able to fire a Sunday 63, which shows he can low here at the course.
It’s been three years since Casey has won a tournament (Omega Dubai Desert Classic in 2021), but he’s been one of the top players on LIV this season and I think he can get it done at some point this season.
Mito Pereira +5000 (Bet365)
Since Mito Pereira’s unfortunate demise at the 2022 PGA Championship, he’s been extremely inconsistent. However, over the past few months, the Chilean has played well on the International Series as well as his most recent LIV start. Mito finished 8th at LIV Adelaide, which was his best LIV finish this season.
Last year, Pereira finished 5th at LIV Singapore, shooting fantastic rounds of 67-66-66. It makes sense why Mito would like Sentosa, as preeminent ball strikers tend to rise to the challenge of the golf course. He’s a great long iron player who is long and straight off the tee.
Mito has some experience playing in Asia and is one of the most talented players on LIV who’s yet to get in the winner’s circle. I have questions about whether or not he can come through once in contention, but if he gets there, I’m happy to roll the dice.
Andy Ogletree +15000 (DraftKings)
Andy Ogletree is a player I expected to have a strong 2024 but struggled early in his first full season on LIV. After failing to crack the top-25 in any LIV event this year, the former U.S. Amateur champion finally figured things out, finished in a tie for 3rd at LIV Adelaide.
Ogletree should be incredible comfortable playing in Singapore. He won the International Series Qatar last year and finished T3 at the International Series Singapore. The 26-year-old was arguably the best player on the Asian Tour in 2023 and has been fantastic in the continent over the past 18 months.
If Ogletree has indeed found form, he looks to be an amazing value at triple-digit odds.
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In Tampa, there is a golf course that boasts carts that do not work, a water range, and a group of players none of which have any chance to break 80. The course is overseen by a staff of crusty men who have succeeded at nothing in life but ending up at the worst-run course in America. However, this place is no failure. With several other local courses going out of business — and boasting outstanding greens — the place is booked full.
While I came for the great greens, I stayed to watch our resident instructor; a poor-tempered, method teacher who caters to the hopeless. At first, it was simply hilarious. However, after months of listening and watching, something clicked. I realized I had a front-row seat to the worst golf instructor in America.
Here are some of my key takeaways.
Method Teacher
It is widely accepted that there are three types of golf instructors: system teachers, non-system teachers, and method teachers. Method teachers prescribe the same antidote for each student based on a preamble which teachers can learn in a couple day certification.
Method teaching allows anyone to be certified. This process caters to the lowest caliber instructor, creating the illusion of competency. This empowers these underqualified instructors with the moniker of “certified” to prey on the innocent and uninformed.
The Cult of Stack and Jilt
The Stack and Tilt website proudly boasts, “A golfer swings his hands inward in the backswing as opposed to straight back to 1) create power, similar to a field goal kicker moving his leg in an arc and 2) to promote a swing that is in-to-out, which produces a draw (and eliminates a slice).”
Now, let me tell you something, there is this law of the universe which says “energy can either be created or destroyed,” so either these guys are defying physics or they have no idea what they are taking about. Further, the idea that the first move of the backswing determines impact is conjecture with a splash of utter fantasy.
These are the pontifications of a method — a set of prescriptions applied to everyone with the hope of some success through the placebo effect. It is one thing for a naive student to believe, for a golf instructor to drink and then dispel this Kool-Aid is malpractice.
Fooled by Randomness
In flipping a coin, or even a March Madness bet, there is a 50-50 chance of success. In golf, especially for new players, results are asymmetric. Simply put: Anything can happen. The problem is that when bad instructors work with high handicappers, each and every shot gets its own diagnosis and prescription. Soon the student is overwhelmed.
Now here’s the sinister thing: The overwhelming information is by design. In this case, the coach is not trying to make you better, they are trying to make you reliant on them for information. A quasi Stockholm syndrome of codependency.
Practice
One of the most important scientists of the 20th century was Ivan Pavlov. As you might recall, he found that animals, including humans, could be conditioned into biological responses. In golf, the idea of practice has made millions of hackers salivate that they are one lesson or practice session from “the secret.”
Sunk Cost
The idea for the worst golf instructor is to create control and dependency so that clients ignore the sunk cost of not getting better. Instead, they are held hostage by the idea that they are one lesson or tip away from unlocking their potential.
Cliches
Cliches have the effect of terminating thoughts. However, they are the weapon of choice for this instructor. Add some hyperbole and students actually get no information. As a result, these players couldn’t play golf. When they did, they had no real scheme. With no idea what they are doing, they would descend into a spiral of no idea what to do, bad results, lower confidence, and running back to the lesson tee from more cliches.
The fact is that poor instruction is about conditioning players to become reliant members of your cult. To take away autonomy. To use practice as a form of control. To sell more golf lessons not by making people better but through the guise that without the teacher, the student can never reach their full potential. All under the umbrella of being “certified” (in a 2-day course!) and a melee of cliches.
This of course is not just happening at my muni but is a systemic problem around the country and around the world, the consequences of which are giving people a great reason to stop playing golf. But hey, at least it’s selling a lot of golf balls…
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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19th Hole2 weeks agoJustin Thomas on the equipment choice of Scottie Scheffler that he thinks is ‘weird’
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19th Hole2 weeks ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole3 weeks agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole3 weeks agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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19th Hole3 weeks agoNeal Shipley presser ends in awkward fashion after reporter claims Tiger handed him note on 8th fairway
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19th Hole2 weeks agoBrandel Chamblee has ‘no doubt’ who started the McIlroy/LIV rumor and why
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Equipment3 weeks agoJason Day on his recent switch into Srixon ZX5 and ZX7 Mk II irons
Semi
Jul 30, 2015 at 8:06 am
I am in my 50’s and decided to start playing golf again after 4 years but before I pick up a club – I’ve decided to hit the gym for a month to build some muscle and flexibility up that I have lost. I have a good set of clubs that are about 4 years old which I will not be upgrading. I know for the most part new clubs will not improve my game as much as being able to get in positions that I want or need to get into. Besides the physical side of things, knowing that I will be more capable of swinging the club better will give me confidence which helps with the mental side as well.
So for me, it’s the Body.
marcel
Jul 29, 2015 at 8:49 pm
dont be lazy hit the gym. lose the beer belly and enjoy your intimate life again and golf!
Larry
Jul 29, 2015 at 2:37 pm
I have always taken pride in being in good physical shape. It has definitely helped my golf game. However there are plenty of overweight and out of shape players who are much better than me. Why? They have better swings especially at impact. How do you get a better swing? I don’t know. I’ve tried lessons and practice. Still an 8- 10 handicap. Recently switched my 10 year old Irons for new Taylormade aero burners and instantly picked up 12 to 14 yards. May not affect the handicap much but it sure is more fun. Equipment changes especially if your equipment is old are the quickest and most certain way to improve.
MHendon
Jul 29, 2015 at 3:37 pm
Larry you’re probably right. I’m one of those overweight and out of shape guys you refer to. I can out play most people I come across. Could I improve by getting in better shape, yeah probably but my guess is not much. I’ve always said golf is the most athletic game that no one wants to accept is a sport and I’ve always been very athletically gifted. I am planning on starting a work out program soon so hopefully I’ll be able to better answer this question in 6 months to a year.
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:50 pm
Good on you for considering the physical side MHendon, if you need a bit of advice getting started then don’t hesitate to get in contact
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:53 pm
Larry golf is still a predominantly skill based sport. The most skilful person will almost always beat the most athletic person so it’s about maximising your skill potential. As we have seen in the arguments put forward, some people in some scenarios get a bigger boost from equipment – no question.
Tom Wishon
Jul 29, 2015 at 11:22 am
My son has a B.S. in Exercise Science, is a multiply certified personal trainer too, and from his supervision I have been committed to a golf specific training program for 7 yrs. I’m 64 now and no matter what, this year I am seeing my clubhead speed drop for the first time. No question the training staved that off, but it is a fact that at some point the body is going to break down and with it, a loss of swing capability comes that none of us can avoid. In turn that means I have to shift some of the fitting specs of my clubs so as to have my equipment get the most from the body and swing characteristics I now have.
At the same time, with younger people, no question the right training program can open the door to enhance/improve your swing characteristics. And in that positive direction of training result, that too is going to require the person to be properly fit so their equipment best matches to their improved body.
While it is certain every person on the planet will benefit from exercise and should commit to a good program, in the relationship in golf of the body to equipment it is the body and its swing characteristics that will forever dictate what the equipment needs to be. To work out and just buy off the rack clubs is a waste of time and money. To not train the body and be custom fit will at least optimize the equipment for the state of the body and its swing characteristics. To work out properly AND be correctly custom fit is of course the ultimate.
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:47 pm
Eloquent and on point, thank you Tom for your insight.
Ken Pierce
Jul 29, 2015 at 10:47 am
This article and the testimonials from some of the top teaches and coaches confirms that improving your body with golf specific exercises and training will have a more positive affect on your game than any of the newest “gear”. We have been helping golfers improve their motor pattern memory and golf specific movement patterns with resistance based swing training products since 1986. Thanks Nick for presenting this information. Ken Pierce GolfGym.com
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:48 pm
Thank you Ken, I had a feeling you might have enjoyed the outcome of this article 😉
Christosterone
Jul 29, 2015 at 10:22 am
Body 99
Equipment 1
Take a look at any of tigers sawgrass U.S. amateur with a 43″ TTDG X100 driver that looks about 280cc…
He was piping 330 yard drives with wound balatas…..
While the equipment has helped, it pales in comparison to aging….
Another reference is Jack’s swing circa 1966 vs 1976 vs 1986…..he swung out of his shoes through about 1972 and his age required him dial it back incrementally….
Heck, look at how Jack was putting in ’86 vs ’66…..his age required him to stand up more which really affected his distance control…
Had Jack had a 20 year old back he would’ve won 15 majors between 1980 and 1990 IMHO
-Christosterone
MHendon
Jul 29, 2015 at 3:48 pm
You are using the best golfers in history as proof that exercise is more important than equipment. I believe you’re missing the point of the article. It’s what will help the average golfer more, equipment or exercise. Jack or Tiger in they’re respective primes could’ve beat anyone with just about any equipment but that’s because of their skill level not conditioning. Jack was always know for being a little pudgy and Tiger was at his best before he got so serious in to conditioning. As Larry stated above he’s always taken pride in keeping in shape but a knew set of irons did more for him than his exercise.
Christosterone
Aug 1, 2015 at 12:35 pm
I never made a reference to exercise….my point was that AGE is the factor paramount importance in golf.
Yes fitness helps….but being Peter Lonard doesn’t make you great….
Trevino, Casper, Monty and Floyd are all saw no issue with their lack of physical fitness….it was AGE that saw them lose their hall of fame greatness…
I can name 30 others of the top of my head that prove age is the determining factor in a golfers decline to an exponentially higher degree than any other factor.
-Christosterone
That guy
Jul 29, 2015 at 9:51 am
Depends. Pros have maximized both body and equipment. For the average person I think it depends on where their game is at, and how well they preform.
If they are scoring as low as they can and have a consistent repeatable swing, than maximizing their equipment could give them an edge to score lower.
If they aren’t scoring well and don’t have a consistent repeatable swing, than maximizing their body could give them an edge to score lower.
There is no right or wrong, but it starts with a true assessment of your current skill, and your consistency with your swing. If your not consistent with your swing, absolutely no equipment will make it better. Therefore; you must start with your body first, before maximizing equipment…
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:55 pm
Absolutely, it’s worth mentioning again that quality instruction trumps both of these factors hands down!
Todd
Jul 29, 2015 at 7:38 am
I think people buy equipment too frequently. Equipment does improve but not to the degree that manufactures tout. As people get older I think their overall fitness declines more rapidly than the equipment. People should focus more on their health and functional fitness.
Nick Randall
Jul 29, 2015 at 4:57 pm
Thanks for your comments Todd, I agree with you that manufactures overstate the positive effect their equipment will have. There is almost certainly an element of that in the fitness side too. I think what we have seen is that both are very important, but like you say – get the body right first!
Balle
Jul 28, 2015 at 8:39 pm
All of the above
Bobby Mqarshall
Jul 28, 2015 at 6:15 pm
Niether. Your mind is the most important.
Patricknorm
Jul 31, 2015 at 6:42 pm
You’re not wrong. So if you include mental, physical and then equipment, I’d always put your brain number one. But that wasn’t the question.
Given the context of
From the article it’s always physical and then equipment. The qualifier being a good, positive, confident attitude. And with Tiger knowing his body is a wreck because of surgeries, it clearly affects his confidence.