OT: For the Golfers: Is this Guy's Physique Conducive to Excelling in the Sport?

[Elefantino]

Tiger Woods bulked up and it changed his game for the worse.

Those late-night all-you-can-eats at Perkins can lead to bad things.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Tiger Woods bulked up and it changed his game for the worse.

Those late-night all-you-can-eats at Perkins can lead to bad things.

Yes it did, didn’t it?

I can’t think of any sports (save possibly a defensive lineman) where an excess of muscle mass comes in handy. As a personal trainer, I just don’t get that. It has no functional application.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Elefantino

Tiger Woods bulked up and it changed his game for the worse.

Those late-night all-you-can-eats at Perkins can lead to bad things.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Yes it did, didn’t it?

I can’t think of any sports (save possibly a defensive lineman) where an excess of muscle mass comes in handy. As a personal trainer, I just don’t get that. It has no functional application.

I totally disagree. The dude has had something like 7 or 8 surgeries and I would argue that with any of these tour players who have sat in the top ten for any period of time that playing in pain and or the mental side of the game has a much larger impact on performance. There is no ideal golfer physique but the younger players are definitely more keyed into diet and exercise than previous players but that too is a double edged sword. If you are so strong that you are ripping every drive and long iron you will tear yourself apart. Even players who rely on accuracy and finesse see physical breakdown after eight trillion swings.

PS That muscle mass has not impeded Brooks Koepka's success as far as I can tell.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by charliedid

I totally disagree. The dude has had something like 7 or 8 surgeries and I would argue that with any of these tour players who have sat in the top ten for any period of time that playing in pain and or the mental side of the game has a much larger impact on performance. There is no ideal golfer physique but the younger players are definitely more keyed into diet and exercise than previous players but that too is a double edged sword. If you are so strong that you are ripping every drive and long iron you will tear yourself apart. Even players who rely on accuracy and finesse see physical breakdown after eight trillion swings.

PS That muscle mass has not impeded Brooks Koepka's success as far as I can tell.

Honestly, I didn’t know who Brooks Koepka was. Evidently, he’s a VERY good golfer. This is the first entry I found:

“Koekpa's impressive rotational power, core stability and lower-body strength help him absolutely destroy golf balls. On the 18th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open, Koepka smashed his 3-wood an incredible 379.3 yards. His average club-head speed of 124.4 mph ranks fourth on the PGA Tour and his average driving distance of 307.6 yards ranks fifth. It's no coincidence that Koepka's training partner is none other than Dustin Johnson, whose average driving distance of 312.1 yards ranks first on the tour. Whatever these dudes are doing in the weight room, it's clearly working.”

I’m not a golfer. I really don’t know what “club head” speed means and it’s relative importance compared to driving distance. Nor do I know how increased muscle mass affects putting. But I’m guessing not much.

Rotational power (generated primarily from the hip complex), core stability, and lower body strength all are a part of functional fitness.

Koepka (according to what I found online) is 6 feet tall and weighs 205 pounds. That is approximately my build. (He’s five pounds heavier, give or take) I do body weight push-ups and squats every day, but I’m by no means “muscle bound.” I don’t looked “jacked” and nor do I want to.

By comparison, Bryson D. is 6’1 and 240, and aiming to be 260. That seems to be in an entirely different realm.

There is also a difference between “muscle mass” and strength. I’ve known quite a few guys with big biceps who were actually not that strong.

[Spdntrxi]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

I’m not a golfer. I really don’t know what “club head” speed means and it’s relative importance compared to driving distance. Nor do I know how increased muscle mass affects putting. But I’m guessing not much.


.

Clubhead speed generally equates to ballspeed.. there are other physics like launch angle and backspin(sidespin too) of course but we just keep it simple for now. More clubbed speed equals ballspeed.

Back in my day when I cared... ballspeed=clubheadspeed(1.5) the 1.5 being optimal multiplier. Generally on a launch monitor is will give you all the critical info : ballspeed, clubhead speed,all the angles , spin carry.. etc. so you can calculate the multiplier.. Hell newer ones might even do that. I have a few collecting dust in the garage somewhere. Probably get one now for pennies of what I paid... technology moves fast.

[Hawker]

Originally Posted by Hellgate

I think a John Daly figure is conducive to long drives. That guy can swat 'em!

Gotta love the pants and the ciggy. I'm glad he's still alive...he was on the edge.

[Hellgate]

Originally Posted by Hawker

Gotta love the pants and the ciggy. I'm glad he's still alive...he was on the edge.

He's a character.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Honestly, I didn’t know who Brooks Koepka was. Evidently, he’s a VERY good golfer. This is the first entry I found:

“Koekpa's impressive rotational power, core stability and lower-body strength help him absolutely destroy golf balls. On the 18th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open, Koepka smashed his 3-wood an incredible 379.3 yards. His average club-head speed of 124.4 mph ranks fourth on the PGA Tour and his average driving distance of 307.6 yards ranks fifth. It's no coincidence that Koepka's training partner is none other than Dustin Johnson, whose average driving distance of 312.1 yards ranks first on the tour. Whatever these dudes are doing in the weight room, it's clearly working.”

I’m not a golfer. I really don’t know what “club head” speed means and it’s relative importance compared to driving distance. Nor do I know how increased muscle mass affects putting. But I’m guessing not much.

Rotational power (generated primarily from the hip complex), core stability, and lower body strength all are a part of functional fitness.

Koepka (according to what I found online) is 6 feet tall and weighs 205 pounds. That is approximately my build. (He’s five pounds heavier, give or take) I do body weight push-ups and squats every day, but I’m by no means “muscle bound.” I don’t looked “jacked” and nor do I want to.

By comparison, Bryson D. is 6’1 and 240, and aiming to be 260. That seems to be in an entirely different realm.

There is also a difference between “muscle mass” and strength. I’ve known quite a few guys with big biceps who were actually not that strong.

As my Dad always says (Head, Hands,Hips) is what you need to know to swing a golf club. He's a scratch golfer and is 6'3 210-250 at his heaviest. He is 80 and still plays quite well.

Here is a good example of someone who in many peoples eyes defies the physical characteristics of an athlete (some think golf is not athletic) Craig Stadler had over a dozen tour wins and played competitively for many years. By all accounts a great golf career.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xa5fAsRJ62c

[Mr. Pink]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Yes it did, didn’t it?

I can’t think of any sports (save possibly a defensive lineman) where an excess of muscle mass comes in handy. As a personal trainer, I just don’t get that. It has no functional application.

I do upper body work to protect myself from skiing impacts, and I'm convinced it has saved me from lifelong damage. Had one really good hit this winter that had me kneeling on the ice waiting for the pain to go away, and it finally did. Otherwise, (I'm 67), without protection, that never would have healed properly after the operation. It's no wonder these Tour racers break like twigs when they fall. Froome looks scary shirtless. But, I'm assuming that I carry an extra 20-30 pounds on the bike with that bulk. Oh, and, of course, chicks dig shoulders.

Best thing to happen to me when I was learning to play golf was to play with a few really good female players. That'll show you proper technique. Not my macho ex brother in law who sliced and hooked 250 plus more than half the time. Always blamed his clubs.

[fiamme red]

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Yes it did, didn’t it?

I can’t think of any sports (save possibly a defensive lineman) where an excess of muscle mass comes in handy. As a personal trainer, I just don’t get that. It has no functional application.

Tell that to McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds.

[charliedid]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I do upper body work to protect myself from skiing impacts, and I'm convinced it has saved me from lifelong damage. Had one really good hit this winter that had me kneeling on the ice waiting for the pain to go away, and it finally did. Otherwise, (I'm 67), without protection, that never would have healed properly after the operation. It's no wonder these Tour racers break like twigs when they fall. Froome looks scary shirtless. But, I'm assuming that I carry an extra 20-30 pounds on the bike with that bulk. Oh, and, of course, chicks dig shoulders.

Best thing to happen to me when I was learning to play golf was to play with a few really good female players. That'll show you proper technique. Not my macho ex brother in law who sliced and hooked 250 plus more than half the time. Always blamed his clubs.

Funny you mention. Last Sunday on Father's Day we were talking about golf (as might happen in my family) and I brought up a daily fee course I go to once in a while. I mentioned the growing number of Korean players and especially the women. Beautiful, methodic and consistent in their swings and play. So freaking good...compared to all the American dudes riding in carts swinging for the stands every. single. time.

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by fiamme red

Tell that to McGwire, Sosa, and Bonds.

Yes, I thought about them. But steroid use contributed more to injury recuperation and longevity more than actual power increase. Also, there's no way Bonds was a better all-around athlete after taking the "flaxseed." He could barely move. "Man boobs" are a detriment to chasing down fly balls and swiping bases.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/a...etter-athlete/

Why didn’t Rodriguez’s batting average improve during the years he took steroids?

"There’s limited research indicating that he could actually enhance his batting average with steroids. A batting average is more indicative of performance ability such as hand-eye coordination. However, research with frogs has shown that anabolic steroids can enhance androgen receptors on nerve endings, so there’s some potential for increased reactions. Hitting in baseball is all about reaction time, whether it’s a curveball or a fastball.

The key benefit with anabolic steroids is that they can help you be consistent over an entire baseball season. That’s the reason you’re seeing those higher statistics for Rodriguez from 2001 to 2003. If you take a look at good power hitters in April and May (early in the baseball season that runs from April to September, excluding the playoffs), their numbers are going to be pretty good. But these guys aren’t able to maintain that in August and September. Take the New York Mets: If that team was on anabolic steroids the way they were in 2000, they probably would have made the playoffs the past two years instead of running out of gas late in the season. It makes a big difference when having that little extra.

Now a guy like A-Rod – he trains really hard. With the steroids, he is maximizing his potential. Would he be a great player without them? Without a doubt. Would he be as consistent? The answer to that is probably no."

[XXtwindad]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I do upper body work to protect myself from skiing impacts, and I'm convinced it has saved me from lifelong damage. Had one really good hit this winter that had me kneeling on the ice waiting for the pain to go away, and it finally did. Otherwise, (I'm 67), without protection, that never would have healed properly after the operation. It's no wonder these Tour racers break like twigs when they fall. Froome looks scary shirtless. But, I'm assuming that I carry an extra 20-30 pounds on the bike with that bulk. Oh, and, of course, chicks dig shoulders.

Best thing to happen to me when I was learning to play golf was to play with a few really good female players. That'll show you proper technique. Not my macho ex brother in law who sliced and hooked 250 plus more than half the time. Always blamed his clubs.

No doubt. The opposite side of the coin.

[jet sanchez]

I remember that when Tiger came onto the scene he could easily bench 300 lbs

[pbarry]

Came on the scene and seriously challenged Niklaus, then he bulked up.. and lost his swing. That example seemed to keep other players from attempting to gain an advantage in the weight room, until Tiger..

Article is a few years old, but Miller's comments are worth reading.
https://www.sportingnews.com/us/golf...w1fzw3n9sjhbac