Beyond the excitement of buying new golf equipment, electronics or apparel or reading up on the latest golf tips or golf instruction, it is critical to also spend time getting your body fit to play the game to the best of your ability.

So here is a quick golf guide that goes beyond golf shot instruction or golf product recommendations to help you stay injury free and promote your best golf swing.

First off, you should realize which parts of the body are used the most during the golf swing and ensure that, at a minimum, you have performed the proper golf stretching and pre-round routines necessary that focus on those potential problem areas.  Specifically, these areas are the shoulders, hips, wrists, elbows, knees and of course, the lower back.

Second, you should ALWAYS perform the proper golf stretches for those body parts before every round. Here are a few “go-to” golf stretches we recommend:

• Wrist and forearm stretch – Extend right arm and pull back fingers with left hand – hold for 10 seconds.  Point right hand fingers down and pull with left hand – hold for 10 seconds. Repeat stretch with left forearm and wrist.
• Shoulder and neck stretch – Pull right arm across chest to stretch right shoulder. Rotate head to right to stretch neck and hold for 10 seconds. Repeat with left shoulder.
• Back Stretch – Stand with shoulder width stance and place both hands on end of club. Lean forward while keeping back flat until stretch is felt in shoulders and upper back. Hold 10 seconds and relax.  Repeat 3 times.
• Hip and Lower Back Stretch – Sit on chair, cart or bench. Place right ankle on left thigh. Push down on right knee with right forearm.  Lean forward and feel stretch in right hip. Repeat stretch for left hip.

Third, you should incorporate golf fitness exercises into your regular golf training and golf practice routines. Make sure you do regular cardiovascular exercise including walking, treadmill, biking and/or running. When you play the game, walk the golf course or use a golf pull cart.  Doing so will not only save you a lot of money, but will burn hundreds of calories in the process.

Consult with your local gym trainer who can recommend specific golf exercises tailored for the golf game.  Do these exercises to both reinforce your golf swing mechanics and increase your core power.

In short, golf is a fantastic way to stay fit and have fun, but it will take a little work before and during your rounds as well as on the range. But the side benefit is that golf exercises can help you dramatically improve your golf swing fundamentals and lower your golf score.