Benefits to your golf after weight loss????

Phil2511

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I know that many of you guys went on diets throughout 2012 and going by the recent diet posts it seems many lost some or alot of weight.

After struggling with my irons, gradually getting worse and worse since mid October when I started playing less and less due to darker nights and the weather. I have been trying all sorts to get it back and to no avail.

Been taking videos over past few weeks whilst trying to work on them and have finally come to the conclusion its a physical issue rather than a swing issue.

Going by the video from tonight especially it is obvious I have piled on the pounds especially round the middle in particular and Christmas has boosted that somewhat more.

The current issue is that to make a full shoulder turn my left knee now turns/bends in too much and then when I go to start my downswing the knee has to turn back much farther to get through, thus restricting my weight shift onto my left side and allowing the club head to get ahead of my hands at impact.

It seems to worsen the shorter the club as the knee bend seems to worsen the more bent over I am.

Driver and rescues still go with a bit of draw but rescues are quite often going much higher. As the club gets shorter and the knee bend worsens its hard to even get the face squared.
Mid irons are a very high fade and short irons are a high, more slicey type shot and wedges are the same or practically a shank.

I watched videos of myself at the range from mid season 2012 and whilst still too much knee bend the gut was smaller and the knee bend was much much less and I was playing quite well. (Broke 90 in Sept)

So its been a big eye opener that I have to lose big weight and try and increase my leg strength and flexibility to stand any chance of improving my game.

Obviously I am too top heavy for my legs to support and then with the inflexibility due to size that makes matters worse. So I am hoping that if I can strengthen the legs/knees and lose weight that each will help the other.

So how did all you guys who lost weight in 2012 find it benefitted your game. Obviously you won't feel as tired on the course but how did your swing/power/distance/impact etc improve of change?

Did anyone that lost alot of weight find their golf got worse?

Look forward to reading the replies.

Regards

Phil
 

Sweep

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I lost 3 stone, went down from 15 stone 9lbs to 12 stone 9lbs and my golf went down the toilet. I can't really blame the weight loss though. It turned out my grip had slipped badly along with a whole raft of other swing issues.:angry:
 

chrisd

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I know that I feel better and fitter on the course when my weight is below 14 stone than when it creeps up to 14 and a half stone.
 

Wolfman

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I too have considered that losing a bit would help, more so as i carry and being fitter would help me keep my posture through 18 holes

I plan to lose 1 stone, i am 6ft 1" and 15st 10lbs

I think being over weight doesnt help but not sure if it is detrimental to the physics of the swing but more to lack of energy
 

PhilTheFragger

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I find it's the belly following through about a second behind the body that throws one off balance
Also the belly slap sound is a bit off putting :(
 

Lump

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It does help. If only to create more room in your swing. I don't get anywhere near as tired after a round too and don't huff going up our long uphill holes.
Golf wise I did get worse while the weight was dropping off (I think that was more down to the lack of energy due to dieting)but as soon as the my weight leveled off normal service was resumed.
 

bladeplayer

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Not realy the answer to what you asked Phil but my twopenceworth , Im also in the area of needing to loose weight ,
i find when im playing well the buzz will keep me going for the 18 but when im not playing well the concentration goes , i blame fitness for that
 

JT77

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Maybe a slightly different outlook, but through season I'm usually around a stone lighter due to playing more, at 5'8 and 13 stone I'm not the lightest, but I'm not fat just solid :) my swing is more in sink, tempo better and flexibility is better, over winter, like now I'm sitting just below 14 stone, 13'12, and I'm not in time as much, but then I'm not playing as much either. The more I play the more rhythm I find I have and being a bit lighter helps with fitness and being able to swing more with less fatigue if that makes sense.
 

slicer79

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Carl Petterson also seemed to lose his game after weight loss, put the weight back on and his form returned.

Hoping to lose a stone myself. More for health reasons and feeling good but if it improves my golf then that would be a added bonus.
 

Mattyboy

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I lost some weight last year but put it back on the latter half of the year. So a new year means back to the diet and more importantly some more exercise. Monday night I played footi. Tuedsay I went for a run (they both hurt - alot!). My legs are stiff now! As the week goes on I intend to move to more golf orientated stuff (as I play at weekends).

I woud say that if you went running or built up leg strength in some way, you will hit the ball further. I did when I went running many years ago. About 20 yards further with the driver.


My poor ball striking is largey to do with getting stuck on the right side and I wonder if a set up or swing fix is required as well as diet and exercise? I think it is for me!
 

virtuocity

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I'm on a diet of no alcohol, no takeaways (i.e home cooked meals only) and no sweets etc, plus more exercise.

Played badminton with a mate last night and just back home from 18 holes. Legs are dead.
 

JustOne

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As I said to you after seeing your swing - I don't think your weight is necessarily an issue (apart from the health implications). You're a big guy so it's hard to get the club/left arm DEEP ENOUGH behind you to get the club coming from the inside without really contorting/collapsing your left knee.

You should play a fade (from a slightly open stance) and stop trying to draw the ball... it's as simple as that. You are really risking injuring your left knee ligaments with your current swing.
 
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JustOne

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I first found out I could draw a ball after putting 3 stone on, maybe it was swinging around that big belly!

Heh... probably

Phil is a big guy and amazingly flexible, unbelievably in fact.

He winds his body like a corkscrew but it compresses his left knee, he has an amazing hip turn and gets the club into a great position at the top... unfortunately as the corkscrew unwinds it starts to throw the club to the outside so he steepens it on the downswing (in an effort to hit from the inside) but the plane is already going left... so he hits a cut fade across himself - not great,.. especially considering all that effort to hit from the inside :mad:
 

fundy

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Interesting question this, lost a lot of weight back half of last year and initially I felt very weird stood over the ball, had far too much room compared to what I had become used to and it all became a bit too loose. Few small adjustments and its getting better again (still some work on posture as the old hunch doesnt work with the belly missing lol), bit more weight to go and some flexibility work to get them hips rotating better :) Has to be said its nice never feeling tired on the course and also have more faith that my knee and/or calf arent about to collapse on me again too
 

duncan mackie

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the good news is that just getting around when severely overweight means that loosing weight will mean your apparent leg strength will go through the roof!

I've varied between 13.5 and 17.8st over my golfing years (30) whilst my handicap has remained in the 7-12 area, and there's no doubt I play better lighter.
 

Phil2511

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the good news is that just getting around when severely overweight means that loosing weight will mean your apparent leg strength will go through the roof!

Thats what i am hoping for Duncan, started the exercise bike this morning and when im sitting waiting for deliveries in Dublin im going to do a brisk walk around the block which takes about 20 mins approx

I've varied between 13.5 and 17.8st over my golfing years (30) whilst my handicap has remained in the 7-12 area, and there's no doubt I play better lighter.

As golf has been my only exercise i noticed as i played more and more last season i started to improve alot and had shed some weight, but as the golf and therefore exercise decreased due to dark nights and weather my weight went up again and golf got bad

The difference from summer to now could easily be 3 stones, so be interesting to see if i can get that and more off before the season starts and if i can still keep the other exercise going if i can shed even more during the season will see how it effects my game.

So far it seems that most have seen improvements which is a good sign as i had heard some guys before saying they lost their swings after weight loss.
 

duncan mackie

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......... i had heard some guys before saying they lost their swings after weight loss.

so much will depend on an individuals swing and triggers.

a lot of people who loose a lot of weight find that they are now physically capable of getting into positions that aren't conducive to a good swing! James references this sort of thing, albeit obliquely as he was making another point.
 
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