Many still think of golf as a businessman’s sport... the greens, and the 19th hole serving as the office where deals are done Donald Trump-style. Some see golf courses as a place to meet with family and friends on a summer’s day for a relaxing game and an easy stroll around the park. Don’t be fooled. While the game lends itself to all of the above, any avid golfer will tell you, in its purest firm, golf is a sport.

The aspiring golfer may be surprised to learn that the grand old game is an activity that challenges the entire body – building mobility, strength and endurance. With its focus on swinging, walking, bending, reaching and lifting, golfers need to prepare and be aware of their bodies.
Says David Lindsay, Physiotherapist at the Sports Medicine Centre, University of Calgary: “While the effortless appearance of a professional golfer’s swing may fool many into thinking no one could get hurt playing golf, many parts of the body are moving through maximum ranges of motion and at maximum velocity during the swing. In fact,” he adds, “a typical male golfer’s swing reaches a speed of 100 mph in less than one fifth of a second and requires between three to four horsepower of muscle power. This equates to about 30 pounds of muscle contracting as hard as it possibly can. In terms of stress, the golf swing puts three times greater load on the spine than running.”
Not to say that the links are a place for the strong of arm and back only. The beauty of the game is that it caters to enthusiasts of all ages and abilities (it may be worth noting both sexes as well – although long forgotten, the word GOLF originated as an acronym for “Gentlemen Only Ladies Forbidden”). Lindsay’s numbers simply mean that fitness and proper warm-up are just as important to golfers as they are to any other athlete or recreationalist.

“There are many different elements that contribute to a healthy level of fitness,” explains Lindsay. “They include an efficient cardio-vascular system, good posture, and an optimal balance of muscle strength, joint flexibility and coordination.” Physiotherapists recommend these key tips for golfers looking to stay out on the course this summer.

• To reduce the risk of strains and pains, it’s best to warm up and stretch prior to your tee-off.

• Stretching is essential to ensure greater flexibility, strength and endurance. Areas to stretch include the neck, shoulders, wrists, lower back and legs. Stretches should be slow and controlled, and held for 10-15 seconds, to the point of gentle tension.

• Choosing the right kind of golf shoe is essential as is ensuring proper body positioning to avoid discomfort and injury.

For more information, download the Canadian Physiotherapy Association’s S.M.A.R.T. Golfing Information Sheets at www.physiothera py.ca/informationsheets.htm.

Linking Amputees to the Greens

Golf is an interesting sport, one that offers unique challenges for amputees. For arm amputees, the challenge is quite simply gripping the club, while for leg amputees, the main issues are balance, rhythm, and the amount of walking involved. However, with the right adaptations, amputees are out there getting great scores.
There are specific golf clubs made with the single arm amputee in mind. Your prosthetist can also make a custom device to help you hold a club, such as a metal sleeve which slides into place over the shaft of the club to provide a firm grip. A custom socket can be designed whereby modified golf clubs can screw into the socket. (If you’re a little hot-tempered with a tendency to throw your club, using a golf-specific prosthetic arm which attaches to your club is ideal…. by the time you get your club out of the clamp, you’ve had time to rethink throwing that expensive driving iron!) Always make sure you wear a good gripping golf glove to keep a hold of the club.
For leg amps, a torque absorber will help compensate for rotational and shear forces on the residual limb. A prosthetic foot with good energy return and an artificial knee that provides some stance control are items to be discussed with your prosthetist – be sure to tell him or her before your fitting that you plan to spend time golfing on the limb so that the right selection of components is made.

Shoes – spikes or spikeless – is another important decision to be made. Spiked golf shoes may pose a problem because they reduce rotation, especially when the amputee is not wearing a torque absorber. But spiked shoes definitely help to prevent slippage, especially hard spikes over soft ones. The compromise may be a shoe with spikes on your sound foot only.

Bilateral above-knee amputees who have difficulty with balance can tee off in a number of ways: sitting on a bicycle seat on a tripod, sitting on a thick pillow in a wheelchair that has no arms, sitting in a golf cart with a swivel seat, standing or leaning against the cart. If walking the course is too difficult, rent a motorized golf cart.

The National Amputee Golf Association (NAGA), in conjunction with the Disabled American Veterans (DAV) Charitable Trust and the Professional Golf Association (PGA) sponsors nationwide “First Swing” seminars and “Learn to Golf” clinics annually. The one- or two-day clinics bring golf professionals, physical and recreational therapists, and individuals with physical challenges together to teach, learn, and enjoy golf.
The First Swing program began in 1988 and was developed and perfected by a double below-knee amputee, Bob Wilson, NAGA’s Executive Director. The initiative was designed to instruct therapists to teach and encourage golf enthusiasts with a disability to learn, or re-learn, the game of golf — not only because of the game’s universal access to any level of disability, but also because it contributes dramatically to the individual’s emotional and physical well-being, instilling self-confidence and pride in personal achievement. First Swing also enables the individual to enjoy the unique, friendly atmosphere found on the golf course.

Rehabilitation hospitals, parks, recreational departments and prosthetic and orthotic centers host the program. The first day of the program teaches the basics of the game to therapists and others interested in offering proper instruction. The rules of golf and the singular differences presented by various types of disabilities are covered. Participants are invited to swing a club standing on one leg, sitting in a wheelchair, using only one hand, etc., to better appreciate the demands that will be made on their educational training in teaching others. The second day is devoted to instructing participants attending the learn to golf clinic under the guidance of NAGA instructors. The program is open to anyone with a disability and is offered at no cost to the host facility.

To attend a First Swing Clinic or to host a clinic, contact NAGA at www.nagagolf.org.

Get in the Game

Canadian Amputee Golf Association
This CAGA helps amputees get started in the sport, as well as organizes tournaments throughout Canada.

CAGA,
P.O. Box 6091,
Stn. A,
Calgary, AB T2H 2L4;
www.caga.ca;
email: canamps@caga.ca.


Eastern Amputee Golf Association
Formed by Bob Buck, retired National Amputee Golf Association’s Eastern Trustee, and others who were interested in developing a regional amputee golf association. EAGA’s prime purpose is to organize and conduct amputee golfing events and “Learn to Golf” clinics for any physically challenged individual, provide communication between its members and act as a bridge between its members and the National Association. The EAGA also assists NAGA in conducting the “First Swing” seminars for rehabilitation, parks and recreation, and golf professionals.
Tel: 888-868-0992;
www.eaga.org;
email: info@eaga.org.


National Amputee Golf Association
In addition to its two national tournaments – The National Seniors and The National Championship – NAGA encourages its regional affiliates to host tournaments throughout the country. NAGA’s First Swing Program, which teaches adaptive golf to people with physical disabilities, includes over 30 clinics across the U.S. every year. The Golf for the Physically Challenged program has enabled many to realize first hand that they can play the game and have fun in an outdoor sport.

Tel: (800) 633-6242;
www.na gagolf.org;
email: info@nagagolf.org.


United States Golf Association
USGA has launched a new website for golfers with a disability.

www.resourcecenter.usga.org is a comprehensive database of golf instructors, facilities, equipment, programs and affiliates that provide services and access for golfers with disabilities. They also have stories of people who have taken up the game to encourage those who may be interested in giving the sport a try.

Tel: (719) 471-4810, ext. 15;
email: resourcecen ter@usga.org.