The Perfect Golf Swing….It Don’t Mean a Thing…

If you’re an avid golfer, chances are you devote countless hours on the green in pursuit of the perfect shot. While striving for the” Holy Grail” you’ve likely positioned yourself in line with the flag, placed your club on the ground behind the ball, taken aim, settled into your grip, assumed your stance, performed the waggle, the takeaway with backswing rotation, downswing, hip shoulder rotation and thwack….once again, you’ve shanked the ball! What is going on?

For golfers, the #1 most common injury is to their pride. However, despite its perception as a low-risk sport, golf injuries are a common problem especially amongst amateur golfers who lack proper technique. In fact, I see a number of golf related injuries in my clinic, and I can tell upon examination of the injury, what skill level the golfer has attained. Starting from the limbs and moving inward with skill; beginners have injuries to wrists, elbows, and ankles, intermediate players suffer more injuries to the shoulder and knees, and advanced golfers can find the sport to be a pain-in-the-rear, with lower back and hip problems! Acupuncture can help with many golf related injuries. It will increase blood circulation and increase flexibility, which makes the swing more fluid and powerful. It reduces pain and promotes healing for overall well-being.

My golf patients also request acupuncture treatments to enhance their performance. Golf is as much a game of mental outlook, of feeling connected with the ball and not over thinking the swing. Acupuncture helps with one’s focus by flushing out toxins that can lead to mental confusion or “brain fog” thus improving concentration. It produces changes in the limbic system of the brain; the part of the brain that affects emotions, behaviors, and long term memory.

Remaining flexible in body and mind is essential to a good golf swing. And for those of you who strive to attain “perfection” in your game, acupuncture can help you to achieve optimum wellness so you can perform at your personal best. As the great Ella Fitzgerald used to sing: “It don’t mean a thing, if you ain’t got that swing.” Although she was talking about the sway of the hips for dance, I think it couldn’t be more true for golf.