Here are some suggestions you might want to consider:

Just Stretch

Usually runners and other athletes follow some type of stretching routine in order to loosen up the muscles in their legs and back before they head out.  This is a good idea even for those about to walk, especially for those who are very sedentary throughout the day.  Muscle cramp up very easily and make it difficult to move around when you do want to be active.  You might easily dismiss the idea of stretching in order to improve your golf game, but this would be a mistake.  Loosening up the back and shoulder muscles can help you to maintain the right stance without hurting your back and can make that swing much easier to achieve.

You may remember some basic stretching moves from high school or from an exercise class you’ve attended.  Just sitting with your legs stretched in front of you and stretching your arms out past your ankles will open up your back and sides.  Or you can stand up straight and raise your hands over your head as far as they’ll go and then gently lean forward and touch your toes, or reach as far as your leg muscles will allow.

Gently twisting from side to side will also open up the muscles of the back.  Remember, you need to be gentle as you don’t want to pull muscles or jerk your back and sides around; this is what causes tears, stresses, and strains.

Regularity

Another thing to remember about stretching and getting yourself in good physical shape for your golf game is that you need to do this regularly.  Stretching once a month probably won’t do much to keep your muscles limber and loose.  It’s best to try a quick routine every single day or several times per week for maximum benefit.

At the very least, make sure you stretch out every time you go out golfing.  You may notice a few players on the course holding their clubs horizontally in front of them, twisting back and forth.  Hopefully this is not the only stretching they get throughout the week!  By doing these small things for your body on a consistent and regular basis, you’ll notice a much more relaxed approach to your game and will have a much easier time with your swing.

Yoga also helps to strengthen muscles since they get opened up and are able to receive more blood and oxygen.  This includes not just leg muscles but the muscles of the back, shoulders, neck, and all other areas of the body.  Someone practicing even a moderate amount of yoga every day or several times per week can be stronger, more limber, more flexible, and all around healthier.

So what does it have to do with your golf game?  Practicing yoga means stretching out and strengthening the muscles of your back, legs, and arms which means you’ll be more flexible and able to control your swing.  You’ll have less stress and strain on your back and hips.  And no doubt you’ll enjoy the game that much more as well!  If you’ve ever come home from a game somewhat stiff and sore and reaching for the tube of muscle cream, you may already know how beneficial it would be to try something that would prevent you from having to go through that pain in the first place.

But if you’ve never tried yoga and aren’t sure where to start, don’t worry.  We can outline a few simple movements and routines you can try in order to benefit yourself and your game.  And keep in mind that if the term “yoga” bothers you for whatever reason – you think it’s just ancient mumbo jumbo or you’re concerned about the religious implications – think of this section as being just a beginner’s guide to a good stretching routine.  In reality, yoga is just that – stretching.  There’s no need to incorporate meditation or any religious thinking or teachings if you don’t feel comfortable with those, and if it’s embarrassing or silly to you to try “yoga,” just tell yourself that you’re going to be doing a “warm-up routine” instead.

Before starting any of these suggestions, remember that yoga is like any other physical activity.  You need to go at your own pace and work your way up to more strenuous routines.  Don’t overdo anything especially at first.  Yoga is also meant to relax the body and the mind, so make sure you’re breathing deeply and forcing your body to relax when you feel it tensing up.  And if you suspect you may have injured yourself in any way, stop this practice immediately and consult your doctor.

Basics of Yoga

Before you begin, there are a few things to remember about your yoga or warm-up routine.  First, it’s good to dress appropriately.  Loose clothing is best since you’ll be stretching.  You don’t need special shoes or even socks for these routines since there is no impact during yoga.

A good yoga mat is also typically recommended.  They give your back and muscles some added cushion against shock and usually are slip resistant which is also helpful.

Also, yoga is meant to be done slowly and deliberately.  There are no jerky movements and no impact.  You stretch your body into a particular pose very slowly so that there is no injury and so that you know how far you can reach.  While you may want to follow the routine of a professional, don’t try to mimic them exactly especially when you’re first starting out.  If that yoga instructor can stretch out so far that he looks like he could slide under a car, that’s good for him but probably not within your reach!  So you want to challenge your body and actually stretch your muscles but your comfort level will no doubt be different than someone else’s.

At the same time, don’t get discouraged if you feel a bit uncomfortable when you first start out.  Your body may resist your routine and your muscles may feel a bit tense because they’re being used for the first time in a long time.  Continue with your routine and it will become easier over time.  When you try a position and it seems a bit uncomfortable, this doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try it again.  Ease your way into your routine and positions but don’t give up on them just because your first time was harder than you thought it would be.

And lastly, remember that yoga is meant to relax your body while stretching it.  Try to have a quiet, comfortable place where you can practice your routine.  A separate room in the house is always nice but if you use a corner of your bedroom or living room, make sure you have things like unpaid bill and unfolded laundry out of sight.  Make it a point to relax your mind while stretching.  If your mind is tense, the body is tense and you won’t get the maximum benefits from your routine.  Soothing music is good as well.  Above all else, relax!  Don’t get discouraged from your routine or push yourself so hard that you come to hate this time.  Concentrate on how you’re benefiting your body and how this will improve your golf game and even your health overall.

Poses

Now that you have the right mindset for yoga, what’s next?  How do you know what to actually do?

Getting a DVD of a beginner’s routine is always helpful but of course you can go online and find many sites devoted to yoga and the basic poses.  It’s good to understand that there are many poses meant for beginners, those at an intermediate level, and those that are at an advanced level.  If you’re not sure of your own abilities, of course you should start out at a beginner’s level and slowly work your way toward the more advanced poses and routines.

To get you started, consider the following as a good beginner’s routine that will help stretch your entire body and relax those back muscles as well as strengthen your upper body.  These areas are important for your golf game!

Easy Pose

The easy pose is just sitting with your legs crossed and your back straight.  Your arms are in front of you, your hands resting on your knees very comfortable.  As you take deep breaths, sit up straight and feel your body lengthen without forcing it.  Your breath should fill your lungs slowly as you breathe in and out.  Move into:

Table Pose

The table pose is just simple being on your hands and knees with your back straight.  The point of this pose is to allow your shoulders and back to relax.  You may feel your back and its tension as it collapses into your stomach area; this is not unusual.  There is so much pressure on the back every day that when you reverse positions and put that pressure on your hands and knees, you really feel those muscles unwind!  Next:

Cat pose, dog pose

The cat and dog pose are very similar.  While you’re still on your hands and knees, slowly curl your head down so that it hangs loosely from your shoulders and gently arch your back at the same time.  Your body should be like a half circle; this is the cat pose.  From there, gently arch the other way – pull your head up gently and put your back into a reverse arch so that your hip bones are sticking up slightly, your back now concave.  This is the dog pose.  Reverse these positions a few times; you’ll probably really feel your lower back and hips unwind as you do this.  Slowly move into:

Downward Facing Dog

This position is probably going to give you the greatest benefit when it comes to stretching your legs so that you can freely swing your club without putting undue pressure on your back.  In this position, you simply rest on the palms of your hands and the soles of your feet.  Many beginners find it impossible to completely flatten their feet in this position as this stretches these leg muscles so far, so don’t worry if you find yourself up on your toes.  Very gently relax your legs so that you can get that stretch in your hamstrings and calves.  You also want to relax your shoulders as well; if you feel any part of your body tense during this position, make a point to relax everything.

Some get a bit nauseated during this position simply because your head is hanging low and some of the blood may drain.  If you notice this happening with you, simply switch back to your easy pose for a few minutes and then return to downward facing dog.  Next, move to:

Child’s Pose

Child’s pose is one reason that people associate yoga with religious practices, although this really isn’t accurate.  In this pose, you get down on your knees and lower your body onto your legs with your arms stretched out in front of you, your forehead touching the ground.  Your entire back is straight, your buttocks resting on your heels.  It definitely looks like a pose used in many worship practices but this pose is just meant to stretch those legs and the tendons around the knees, as well as the entire back.  If your knees have a problem bending all the way, just lower yourself as far as what is comfortable to you.  Next, move into:

Cobra Pose

In this position, you lay flat on your stomach and stretch your legs out straight behind you.  Put your hands into the same position you would use for a pushup.  Then slowly curl up your head and upper body, pushing gently with your hands, until your hip bones are off the ground.  You’ll feel your lower back collapsing into your front side as you curl your spine this way.  By doing this you’re taking pressure off the back and undoing all the stress caused by poor posture and other practices.

Repeat this pose three or four times, then move into:

Corpse Pose

Your first time doing this routine, you may feel like becoming a corpse for real!  But the corpse pose is meant to relax all these muscles you’ve just stretched.  Lie flat on your back with your legs and arms at about a 45 degree angle from the body, palms up.  You simply want to relax and breathe deeply in this pose, letting your body relax.

So how do you get over this thinking?  What can you do to regain your confidence on even your worst of days?  Here are some things to keep in mind:

Each Course is Different

Do you know how Olympic swimming pools, tennis courts, baseball diamonds, and football fields are all different from golf courses?  The answer is that these types of fields or structures are exactly the same – the same size, the same distance between markers, the same everything.

But think of golf courses for a minute.  Not only are all the courses different but every single hole is different as well.  They may resemble one another in many ways but no two holes or courses are exactly alike.  There are so many variables you deal with at each hole that whatever it is you’re having problems with for one hole or one game, this may not ever come up again with any subsequent holes.

So what does this have to do with confidence?  Simply put, if you do very poorly at one hole you have an entirely new chance to try again at the next hole.  A baseball runner might not do well in stealing bases because they’re all evenly spaced, a football quarterback can only throw the ball so far, and so on.  But for a golfer, each hole is like an entirely new game and what went wrong on the last hole has nothing to do with this next one!

A lack of confidence often springs from the idea that if you have a problem once, you’re going to continue to have that problem no matter what.  If you strike out once in baseball this must mean you’re a bad hitter, so you dread your time on the plate.  And if you have one bad round of golf or one very embarrassing hole, you assume the problem is you – your swing, your approach, your stance, something.  This just compounds the problem of having no confidence.

So remind yourself that every hole and every course is just too different for you to assume that your performance with one is going to set the tone for your performance overall.

But golf is not a game about physical strength, adrenaline, or overpowering an opponent.  It’s about gently yet firmly guiding the ball to your desired target.  Think of a shepherd guiding sheep along the edges of the herd – he or she needs to be firm with their staff but obviously not tense or angry as this would startle the sheep.  Golf is much the same – you do need a bit of strength and force but it’s typically much better to be relaxed and calm in your approach so that your swing and stroke are smooth.

Unfortunately many have just the opposite problem with golf – they get so tense and anxious about their game that this tension shows up physically and their entire stance and swing becomes unnatural.

How can you relax yourself when out on the course, especially when you’re frustrated with your high score and apparent lack of success?  Here are some pointers to remember.

Recognize your Programming

Humans are programmed much like computers, except that our programming comes from the world around us and not just a programmer writing lines of code.  That programming includes specific instruction from someone but also includes our own impressions and opinions about things.  For instance, you may have heard repeatedly that for your golf swing to be successful you must keep your head down and keep your eye on the ball.  This is part of actual instruction.  But your programming when it comes to your swing and the game itself is also influenced by watching other players and by your own frustration and tolerance levels.  You watch Tiger Woods approach the tee and swing a particular way and think you should do the same.  You can’t break 90 and get so frustrated that every time you approach the ball you hear a voice in the back of your head telling you that you’re just wasting your own time.

That subconscious programming is very difficult to resist, if you’re even aware of it.  Often people don’t realize how they’re applying what they see and hear to their own actions and responses.  As an example of this, have you ever noticed yourself repeating something you heard your parents say while you were growing up, or has anyone ever told you that you walk like one of your parents or use the same types of gestures and facial expressions?  You’re probably not aware of these things but have simply learned them over the course of many decades of absorbing that behavior.

You need to recognize your own programming when it comes to your golf game or you’ll never be able to relax and concentrate.  If you just imitate what you see another golfer doing or allow your tension and anxiety to run amok, you’ll not progress and of course will never relax.  So recognize that programming and you’ll be on your way to fighting against it.

The benefit of going slowly

If there’s one thing that makes golf different from many other sports, it’s the pace.  How many other sports do you know that involve the players walking rather than running or jumping or skating?  Or where you don’t need to worry about flinging your body in front of your opponent or the ball or a puck?

Going slowly is not just part of how the game is played; it’s a great way to relax yourself and mentally prepare for each shot.  Anxious thoughts can be quieted.  Tension can be chased away as you instead focus on what you need to do and how you’ll accomplish it.

Some people may rush through their game simply because we often learn to rush through many things today – you need to get through one project at work to move on to the next, or you need to rush and get dinner on the table because it’s late and everyone is hungry.  Going slowly is not typically a habit that people have today, and yet it’s imperative in the game of golf.

Think seriously about your pace when you’re on the links.  If you find yourself constantly backing up against the group in front of you, this might mean you’re going too fast.  And really, what’s the rush?  Your ball isn’t going anywhere, so slowing down to take your time and really think about what you’re doing will help to get you relaxed, which in turn will loosen up the tension you might be feeling.