Golf and More Than The Normal Spotlight On Nutrition

A brand new decade and a fresh golf season………could there be a better time to revamp and prepare your body for better golf? As much as we hate to admit it, getting older does change things despite your best efforts to ignore it. We have to adapt and change what we can control.

Years ago we didn’t think about food and how it affects our performance on the course. We could eat anything and be OK. Not anymore. Foods are heavily processed with too much sugar, salt, additives and preservatives and are wreaking havoc with our bodies…..and the kids are not immune. Any educators out there can testify to problems dealing with students following a sugar-laden breakfast or a carbed-out lunch. They are either bouncing off the walls or falling asleep; the same goes for us.

Top players take advantage of better nutritional information which probably does not include a hot dog, chips, and a pop at the turn. Don’t rely on past knowledge because everything is evolving as the latest education comes to light. For example,

adopting a Mediterranean diet of whole grains, nuts, olive oils, fruits, vegetables and yes, even red wine and dark chocolate will provide a host of research-backed benefits. The Med diet cuts metabolic syndrome (low HDL, high triglycerides and insulin), lowers your risk of breast cancer, maintains brain health and of special interest to golfers, reduces inflammation, which is the primary source of those aches and pains you attempt to swing around.

Ever have days when you feel jumpy on the golf course and you can’t calm down? Check your diet – you may be on sugar-overload. Consumption of sugar adds to many health woes, not to mention the waistline. Most people falsely assume a ‘not me’ attitude because their spoon doesn’t stray into the sugar bowl. But did you know there is sugar in almost everything?? Even in unlikely sources such as pickles, mustard, mayonnaise, yogurt, crackers, bread, soup bases; virtually anything that is processed or canned will have sugar, often listed under the ‘natural flavoring’ or ‘other spices’ umbrella. That infamous hot dog at the turn contains sugar in the meat, bun, mustard, ketchup, relish – and maybe even the onions, if they aren’t fresh-cut. Add a pop or energy bar to that meal….and watch out!

Let’s talk a skosh more about sugar: Too much sugar is not good for your body. It has only been in recent history – the last 200 years or so – that overconsumption of sugar has even been possible; but once it became plentiful, taste buds began to crave it. Except for WWII when it was rationed, sugar has inched its way into our food and around our waistlines.

Sugar adds calories, has no nutritional value, and goads your body into an insulin and inflammatory response which can surface as diabetes, asthma, gout, rheumatoid arthritis, and other ills, not to mention the damage it can do to skin. Yes, skin! Many studies recommend we get no more than 10 teaspoons of sugar a day but a normal person of average size consumes over 30 teaspoons per day. How so, you may ask? Drink 1 can of Coke (10 tsp.) and 1 Gatorade (9tsp.) and you’re about two-thirds of the way there already without eating any solid food! Read your labels……look at the grams of sugar and divide by 4 to approximate the number of teaspoons.

Be especially vigilant of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS). Despite the brand new ads on television dispelling fears of the chemical – and yes, it is a chemical though it starts out as corn – this ingredient is probably the most troublesome and evil sugar. Attractive to food processors because it is cheap, available, and extends shelf life, it is NOT beautiful for your well-being. Some scientists say that the body processes HFCS differently than regular sugar or corn syrup by decreasing our metabolism and fooling with metabolic hormones. So in essence, just when Mother Nature is slowing down our metabolism normally as middle age approaches, we get unnecessary and unwanted help as HFCS brings this process to a crawl. That’s why when you try to diet and exercise more you end up stagnating or even putting on excess weight. The science behind it dictates that HFCS causes you to continue eating past the point when you would normally stop because that ‘turn-off’ switch has been disabled; you never get the message to quit eating. You’ve been tricked into thinking you want more food, and your body tells itself to store more fat. If that isn’t a double-bogey/double-whammy, what is?

So, what about artificial sweeteners? Many thought these were the answer, but consider this: they are almost totally chemical, have no nutritional value, are linked to migraines, and manipulate what your taste buds think is sweet. You are tempted to eat more since there are no sugar calories in the product. For a real eye-opener, check out a search engine and read how aspartame (NutraSweet) was approved by the FDA in 1981. The day I read that, about 3 years ago, is the day I stopped knowingly eating anything ‘diet’. I carefully chose the word ‘knowingly’ because these sweeteners are in many products you may not realize: yogurts, sugar-free ice creams, ‘lite’ drinks, gum, sugar-free candies, etc. Again, read the label.

If all of these things are so bad, what CAN you eat to add a little sugar to your life? Truvia (a leaf from the Stevia plant) is fairly new on the market but I find it has a bit of a bitter aftertaste. There’s another new sweetener available which has a very low Glycemic Index, meaning it is slowly absorbed into the body preventing blood sugar spikes. Blue Agave (yep, the tequila plant) syrup is about 25% sweeter than sugar, has 20 calories per teaspoon compared to sugar’s 16 calories – but you need less. Taste-wise, it’s a cross between maple syrup and molasses. FYI, it is perfect for making margaritas. Scrap the commercial margarita mix (HFCS, artificial flavors and more chemicals) and squeeze fresh lemons adding Blue Agave to the juice to taste……..mix with some fresh lime juice, Cuervo, Cointreau, and Grand Marnier……….Deee-lish! Who says healthy eating can’t be tasty….and fun?

Ask your favorite golf course to stock healthier alternatives in the clubhouse and at the halfway house. Fruits, string cheese, hard-boiled eggs, peanut butter and crackers, homemade soup, veggies and hummus (don’t laugh, I’ve seen it done), Med-style sandwich wraps and packages of nuts. In this tight economy, most courses are competing for your business and often will accommodate the requests of good customers. When they do, support the effort and you’ll win two battles: better food choices and getting your ‘voice of women’s golf’ heard. Armed with energizing food, you’ll be stacking up the pars and birdies in no time!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  If you have any quick nutritional tips you would like to share or just general comments, I invite you to leave them below.  I am getting ready to taste test the margarita recipe above…yummmm!

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Golfers Can Alleviate Exertional Muscle Cramps by Proper Hydration Techniques

By Susan Hill, Certified Golf Fitness Trainer

Competitive golfers are well aware of the perils of dehydration and its potential effect on performance. It can create significant risk to your game and your health. What research has shown is your body not only loses hydration but also its salt content through excessive sweating. With more than half the country locked in a heat wave it is very easy to begin excessively sweating during your round of golf.

Golfer’s in general usually know that you need to stay well hydrated during play but what you may not realize is that water alone is not the solution. You also need to make sure that you have the proper amount of salt replacement. One easy way to think about this is what ever is sweated out, must be put back in. If you do not keep yourself properly hydrated out on the course you will begin to feel small muscle twinges.

Small muscle twinges are the first sign that your body has a deficiency. If this begins to happen to you during your golf round you need to take a break, cool down and start to get fluids and salt back into your system. If you do not address the problem

and ignore the small twinges you can begin to get debilitating cramps in as little as 20 minutes.

These types of cramps are not localized to one muscle group; they can affect an entire area like your hamstrings in both legs. These types of cramps are referred to as exertional heat cramps. The underlining cause of these types of cramps is excessive sweating that causes you to lose fluid and electrolytes, which include sodium and chloride.

Once you have begun to cramp there are a few things that you can do that will help you to get your body balanced quickly and properly. First get out of the heat, most golf courses have plenty of shade so that golfers can rest during their rounds. Second begin replenishing your body with fluids, water will help but to really restore yourself you need to make sure that you also have enough salt.

One very effective mixture to drink that will stop your cramping immediately is taking a 20 oz Gatorade or similar sport drink and adding ½ teaspoon of salt to it. Shake it up and drink the mixture over a 10 minute period. For added benefit drink an additional 8 ounces of water. Rest for a little while and then you should be good to continue your round. This high of concentrate should only be used after cramping has already begun.

The best way to prevent this from happening to begin with is to make sure that you are properly hydrated before you begin your golf round. Drinking a sports drink prior to golfing will help and carrying a mixture of 32 ounces of sports drink with ¼ teaspoon of salt to drink during your golf round will help prevent exertional heat cramps in the first place.

Once you begin preventative measures you should pay attention to your salt intake as you do not want to have too much iodine in your system. It is all about being able to balance your input and output of fluid and electrolytes.

Information and recommendations were found in the Journal of Sport Rehabilitation.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  To learn more about golf fitness from Susan Hill please visit her at www.fitnessforgolf.com.

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Promote Your Golf Health

Recently I contacted Lynda Lippin, a certified Pilates Teacher Trainer, Personal Trainer and Reiki Master, after seeing a post from her on Facebook to a golfer friend of mine discussing a couple of Pilates programs that were being used successfully by golfers.  I asked her if I could get her neck pain and lower back pain Pilates programs for my personal use and as a basis for a review for this blog.

Lynda graciously agreed to send me a ‘review’ program with no strings attached other than to give it a go and write about my experience, pro or con.  I have a friend locally that conducts Pilates training programs but I have not taken advantage of his classes due to the fact that he is clear across town…hmmm, suggests a motivation problem on my end perhaps??  Actually it was a lack of understanding of the benefits Pilates provides.

Lynda delivered her programs to me quickly via email (how convenient is that?) and I got started immediately, anxious to see if I could get relief from the constant pain I have in my neck and shoulders and intermittent lower back pain.  Perhaps I was a little too eager because I tried to do both programs (neck and lower back) one right after the other.  OK.  That was like taking one step forward and two steps back for me.  I was ‘undoing’ what I was helping doing it like this. What I learned (from a consultation with Lynda) is that the better way for me was to focus on one program daily for a couple of weeks and get consistent relief THEN add the next one.  What a difference that made!

The relief I have felt with my neck and shoulder stiffness, lack of mobility and pain is hard to measure in words.  Since this is my biggest source of discomfort I have concentrated more on this area of my body than the lower back.  It is amazing how the simple movements that Lynda incorporates in her programs and the short duration of the exercises (approximately 30 minutes) can deliver such profound relief and even work up a sweat.  I found the physical benefits transferred to my golf game as I was able to swing more smoothly and with some additional rotation.  My best rounds were towards the end of the season in large part, I feel, due to the Pilates programs I was using.

Rather than try myself to explain the reasoning behind this I asked Lynda to provide some information on what she does and why it works so well especially for golfers.  Below is what she provided but I am also adding a video I found on her site that I think will help explain what Pilates is all about and its background.  Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqRJYK6iwTE

“Golf is a high spine impact activity that puts great stress on the spine, hips, and shoulders. Any imbalance in the muscular usage of the torso can cause pain and injury to a golfer, and can also detrimentally affect one’s game. Pilates helps to open up the chest, promote shoulder stabilization and mobility, and strengthen pelvic stability to allow for a greater turn with less sway and slide in the hips. Pilates practice leads to better alignment and less chance of injury. Plus the pelvic, ab, and back strengthening help to maintain better stability and alignment through the entire body while golfing.

The great thing about Pilates exercises is that they all work many muscles at once, some to stabilize and some to move. Plus many can be done standing. Realistically most Pilates exercises involve both stretch and strength. If your hamstrings are not as strong as your quads, then any hamstring intensive exercise should also be a quad stretch and vice versa. Generally I think people in general and especially golfers tend to focus too much on stretching their hamstrings and not enough on stretching the quads, hip flexors, and IT Bands. Also, people focus too much on flexibility at the expense of functional strength. Pilates requires both, which makes it very difficult to master but extremely worthwhile.

I created my Back and Neck/Shoulder Pain Pilates audio programs to give people easy to follow short (30 minute) exercise sequences that they could do anywhere with their iPod or mp3 player to help relieve basic lower back and neck/shoulder pain and tension. But once my golfer friends got a hold of them I started hearing how much their game was improved by doing one of the audios before going out to hit the ball. They all experienced better shoulder turns, easier hip mobility, and a better, more pleasant, and less painful golf experience!”

So, if you have wondered about and/or considered taking Pilates courses but haven’t yet taken that step, let me encourage you to do so.  I can’t imagine that you wouldn’t find it anything but helpful whether it be to help your golf game or to just feel better overall.  Lynda is wonderful and is accessible online or there are probably many certified Pilates Trainers in your city if you prefer a face-to-face encounter.  Give yourself the gift of improved health, you deserve it!!

Lynda Lippin has been teaching Pilates for over 20 years with students from all levels from basic mat to post spinal cord injury, to athletes, teens, mothers, celebrities, and other Pilates teachers. My academic background is in writing and philosophy, and I maintain that cerebral connection through my writing in books, blogs, social media sites, and magazines. I am a certified Pilates Teacher Trainer, Personal Trainer and Reiki Master, so I have both a very western workout approach as well as a more eastern energetic healing approach. I have had a lot of golfer clients and worked very closely with Mike Wright for a number of years. We have several articles at Titleist Performance Institute and I am certified through him in Pilates for Golf. I believe that fitness should help us function in our everyday lives so we can do whatever it is we enjoy without worrying about pain or injury. I currently teach in the Caribbean, at the exclusive COMO Shambhala Spa at Parrot Cay, where Strength Without Struggle is my mantra!

Thanks for stopping by Ladies on the Tee at www.sherrytabb.com.  It’s time to post this and get off the computer so I can relieve my neck and shoulder strain form sitting at this computer most of the day

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There have been articles posted on Ladies on the Tee on fitness, stretching, yoga and chiropractic care.  How about one that addresses the pain immediately following strenuous exercise, on or off the course?

Over the years I have found ice to be my closest friend when it comes to soothing sore muscles or problem joint areas.  The difficulty up until now has been how to ice those areas without creating a pool of water where I was sitting and how to be mobile without losing the ice pack.  If the icing didn’t give me such great relief  I would have given up in frustration years ago.

Stepping up in today’s market is a new company, Moji, based in Glenview, IL.  They produce what they call – The Smart Icing Alternative.  Moji uses an innovative cold cell therapy that is designed to provide comfortable cooling while eliminating wetness and leakage.  The Moji Knee and the Moji Back are currently available at http://www.gomoji.com.  The Moji Shoulder should be made available very soon as well.  These cold cells are attached to a compression wrap (various sizes available) for maximum effectiveness.

Not only does Moji provide the products, they also have the Moji Interactive Library to provide pertinent information using articles, videos, warm-up and cool-down routines along with FAQs answered by quite a variety of trained and certified specialists.

To be clear I am not on the Moji payroll but I do encourage you to look into this company and their products.  I am sure you’ll be glad you did.  Now off to the freezer to grab my Moji Back!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. I hope we are able to make your life a little more comfortable.

A review copy of this product was provided for me to read and review.  This review is solely based on my opinion of the product.

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Continuing with my golf fitness quest I turned to Dee Tidwell of www.golffitnessguys.com.  He has written some fitness articles for our blog which provided some great exercises and stretches – complete with pictures.  It wasn’t until I received an email from Dee that discussed the prevalence of hip tightness, shoulder and back pain with golfers that I took notice. BINGO! The proverbial light bulb went off in my head.

Talk about hip tightness!! Mine are so tight they make a tightly wound coil seem tension-free. Boy! Was I ever excited to see this email and at the same felt blatantly stupid for not paying attention to his exercises long ago when I first posted them.  AAGH!

For years I have gone to bed with ice packs on my hips and low back. Every time I walked, used the elliptical machine or rode my bike, I would pay a hefty price with pain in my hips and back. Imagine what swinging a golf club was doing to my body. I swear Dee knew what I was going through and made his series of 3 videos just for me. Well, actually he didn’t but I would like to think that he did.

These exercises, like the ones that Susan Hill provided me, may be done in the comfort of your home. One simply requires a tennis ball and the other a Styrofoam 6-inch roll pictured here.

Check out these videos from Dee to see how easy they are.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=8jYboh3_TUg

I have been doing them for a few weeks now and the difference in my hips is amazing. I still use ice packs at night but the intensity of the discomfort is greatly reduced. Dee refers to finding ‘sore spots’ to focus on for the gluteus maximus (butt cheeks to you and me) and the IT band. Finding sore spots was NOT a difficult task for me as the tightness was consistent from gluteus maximus all the way down to my knee.

I think these exercises along with the other stretching and strengthening provided by Susan Hill at www.fitnessforgolf.com will help me prolong my golf ‘life’ but most importantly reduce some of the pain and add more enjoyment to my game.  For more tips and training exercises go to the websites mentioned here.

If you feel you too could benefit from some ‘golf fitness’ I highly recommend both Susan and Dee. Even if you are not in the same city, check them out. There is so much personalization training that can be done via online communication and videos.

Happy Golfing!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Please tell is what you think below including any suggestions for future topics.

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My Quest to be Pain-Free!

Recently I wrote about the benefits of playing golf if you have arthritis and the role a chiropractor can play in keeping you ‘in the game’. Now we need to address another very key element for playing better golf. That is golf fitness.

Playing better golf is subject to individual interpretation. For some it means consistently hitting the ball farther than before. Others might see it as scoring lower on a regular basis. Still others may describe it as having a better feel for their shots or being able to ‘shape’ the ball. For me it means physically surviving a round of golf without constant neck, hip and back pain.

To that end I enlisted a couple of brave Golf Fitness Instructors to help me improve my physicality. In other words…to improve my strength and most importantly, my flexibility. After describing the litany of injuries I have suffered over the years from all of the softball, volleyball, basketball and tennis I played, a program was developed for me to begin my quest for ‘less pain’ and more enjoyment. Personally I do not adhere to the ‘no pain, no gain’ philosophy so this was going to be interesting.

Susan Hill, President of FitnessforGolf.com, after consulting with me and asking about my physical history offered to help.  She provided me an initial 4 week course that focused

as much on stretching for improved flexibility as it did exercises for strength training. This entire program could be performed in the comfort of my home which was a major plus. There was no need for a health club membership (even though I do have one, I think!). As soon as I saw her program I was immediately alarmed that I would struggle with the upper body elements. I have had 3 shoulder surgeries, even though I only have 2 shoulders so I knew that was a major weakness and problem area of mine.

Amazingly after adjusting the exercises with Susan’s input, I very quickly progressed to the point that I was able to execute the exercises as described – no more short cuts or adjustments. I will be totally honest and tell you that Susan’s 4 week course has become more of a 4 month course because of my lack of focus and planning. This is a problem a lot of us have and the way I finally tackled it is by setting ‘appointments’ every other day for myself that provide a block of time (usually less than 45 minutes) dedicated to just training. It’s amazing how quickly the results come by doing it this way. I sometimes go to the club so that I have access to the cardio equipment there but it is not mandatory.

I still have a long way to go but I am hitting the ball better with better balance and, on most days, with less pain. Susan will be adding to my training as we go forward so I will keep you posted. My sincere thanks to Susan for her time and patience. If you are dealing with some of these same issues I encourage you to check her out.

Here’s more about Susan:

Susan Hill is the president of FitnessforGolf.com, a web based company specializing in golf fitness training programs for recreational to elite level golf competitors. She is a certified Golf Biomechanic, Sports Performance Nutritionist, Fitness Trainer and Youth Conditioning Specialist. Her work has been featured in Golf Illustrated, Travel Golf, Junior Golf Scoreboard, Self Magazine, Atlanta Golfer, Pacific Northwest Golfer, Resort Living, GolfersMd.com and ESPN. Susan is a published author, public speaker, and successful internet entrepreneur. She has directed the golf fitness program at the International Junior Golf Academy, where she has been responsible for overseeing the training of more than 150 competitive junior golfers. She has served as the golf fitness consultant to the Colombian Golf Federation in South America. She currently works with college golf teams, competitive amateurs and tour professionals.

I mentioned that I found two golf fitness instructors to help whip me into shape. I will tell you about the other ‘miracle worker’ in my next article.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com. Do you have a personal story about golf fitness that you would like to share or just some thoughts??? Please tell us below.

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Should You Use It?

We recently discussed playing golf with arthritis. Trying to maintain your body to allow for a long ‘golf life’ is a quest and challenge faced by most ‘older’ golfers. (I’ll let you define the word ‘older’). As we age we get stiffer in the joints, become less flexible and have more pain than in our youth. My mother always told me that I would ‘pay’ for all of my years in sports. I hate to say she was right but I have found there are ways to deflect the sting from that adage.

Regular exercise (off the golf course) including stretching, cardio and weight training are keys to keep up your stamina, improve waning flexibility and building strength, tone and balance. For some specific exercises look at our articles on our Golf Fitness section of our blog.

However, there are times that more is needed to keep the body tuned up. There are two primary options that I personally recommend. One is getting regular medical massages (which I will discuss in another article). The other is chiropractic treatment. A lot of us have ill perceived views towards the chiropractic profession. Folks…that is OLD SCHOOL!! Chiropractors are definitely mainstream today often working hand-in-hand with physicians to maximize the treatment options for patients everywhere.

Chiropractic care is more prevalent today than ever before. In fact, chiropractic care is standard for many professional golfers and should be for more amateurs. Choosing the right Chiropractor is key. Just as with other physicians, you need to seek out the professional that you can relate to on a personality/temperament basis and that is up-to-date with current modalities. Ask your primary care physician as well as friends and family for recommendations. Once decided who to go to make sure you discuss not only what is going wrong with your body but what the options are for treatment. Don’t be afraid to ask questions a la interview style.

Treatment options can range from manual manipulation, the use of an activator and body energy to focus on trigger points, as well as the Bio Energetic Synchronization Technique (B.E.S.T.). There are others as well but the old ‘neck-cracking’ techniques have been supplanted by more modern and effective treatments.

Think about what the golf swing does to your body, especially your back. There is tension in the spine along with all of the twisting and bending incurred. No wonder so many golfers have back problems. Unfortunately the problems are not limited to the back. Hip pain, shoulder, neck and knee problems all seem to surface after years of abuse. These problems aren’t specific to golf…just aging in general.

So if you are feeling ‘out of joint’ don’t overlook the value of having a good chiropractor on your medical team. Who knows maybe you will gain extra yardage off the tee…just so your drive will go deeper into the woods.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com . Please add your comments below.

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After spending last week at the 25th Anniversary Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic LPGA Tournament in Sylvania, OH,  I was amazed at what I witnessed.  This was much more than an ordinary women’s golf tournament.  Nine out of the top ten LPGA players were there to compete.  It was sad that reigning champion Paula Creamer had to withdraw due to the thumb injury she has been dealing with for the past couple of weeks.   But true to form, Paula played in the Celebrity Pro-am to ‘give back’ to the sponsors that made the event possible.  Additionally, she personally visited the sponsor boxes to thank them up face-to-face for their support, past and present, and hopefully, future.

Nancy Lopez was on-hand but not as a player.  I saw her giving a putting lesson to Pat Hurst right before she teed off on Friday.  On Saturday, Nancy was seen talking to Christina Kim just outside the scorer’s tent after Christina finished her round. This wasn’t just a casual conversation..it was as much a coaching lesson as anything else.  Nancy is doing what she can to shore up the US players in preparation for both the US Open and the upcoming Solheim Cup.  Nancy is by far the greatest ambassador to the game of golf on the planet.  We regretted not getting to see her walk up the 18th hole as a competitor but her presence was felt nonetheless.

The final field was very international with 29 Americans, 29 South Koreans, 9 from Sweden, Norway and Finland , 5 from Australia and the balance from Thailand, France, Italy, Scotland, Mexico, Japan, Taiwan, Japan and South Africa.  A total of 83 amazing female golfers.

They did not disappoint even though it looked like Eunjung Yi was going to walk away with the tournament after her blistering 10-under 61 posted on Saturday.  Morgan Pressel got close then fell off with 2 bogeys until…she eagled the 17th hole to tie Yi at 18 under.   The electricity in the stands and the roar that could be heard throughout the golf course told us that the gap had been closed and this was going down to the wire.

There was a playoff between Pressel and Yi and even though the majority of us were pulling for Pressel we couldn’t will her ball in the hole on 18 – it just barely slid by.  Yi held firm and sank a 10 foot birdie putt to win on the 1st playoff hole.  She definitely deserved the champion’s crown.

Next year, if there is a next year

for the long-running, crowd favorite Jamie Farr LPGA, the street that runs along side Highland Meadows Golf Course will change from Paula Creamer Blvd to Eunjung Yi Blvd.  What a great tradition!  But will it be back in 2010 and beyond?

Behind the scenes something even bigger was happening.  We have learned that some of the top players on the LPGA Tour held a ‘behind closed doors’ meeting calling for the resignation of Carolyn Bivens, the current LPGA Commissioner .  There is so much controversy surrounding Bivens tenure as Commissioner most of which is centered on the loss of sponsors and events that are leaving gaping holes in the LPGA Tour schedule going forward.

Certainly the economic downturn could not have been predicted when Bivens laid out her business plan for the LPGA.  However, when it was evident that companies were struggling and that was having a direct impact on their ability to maintain their sponsorships in the same manner as they had in the past, why wouldn’t there be a ‘temporary hold’ on increasing licensing fees and prize purses until the economy improved?  Is Bivens the proverbial ‘bull in the china shop’ just charging ahead and leaving turmoil and destruction in her wake?  Given the list of lost events and player unrest, it seems to this author it is time for new leadership at the top.

My personal vote for ‘interim commissioner’ would be Nancy Lopez.  Who better to mend fences and right the ship than this legend who has earned the utmost respect from players, fans and business leaders throughout the world.  I know am speaking out of turn as nothing has changed within the LPGA as of this writing but in a perfect world….

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com.  Please feel free to leave your comments, pro or con, below.

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Golf and Arthritis

Good news! If you’re an arthritis sufferer, you don’t have to give up your golf game! In fact, playing golf can add strength and mobility to your body overall and improve your range of motion.

Research shows that one of the best treatments for osteoarthritis is exercise. It can improve mood and outlook, decrease pain, increase flexibility, improve the heart and blood flow, maintain weight, and promote general physical fitness.

Usually, osteoarthritis (the most common form of arthritis) comes on slowly. Early in the disease, joints may ache after physical work or exercise. Osteoarthritis can occur in any joint. Most often it occurs at the hands, hips, knees, or spine.

Right. All those areas used in playing the game of golf.

No worries, though. Golf actually helps increase your range of motion and your balance as well. And the walking, if you can do it, will benefit your health in numerous ways. In short, golf is one of the perfect exercises for someone with osteoarthritis!

Now here’s the key – you are probably going to need some special products to make golf a little easier on your joints.

The Arthritis Foundation shares some tips for golfers to help you keep enjoying this wonderful sport and suggests some products that might help you.

• For instance, it’s a good idea to wear wrist braces and gloves when you play. This will help stabilize the joints in your wrists and hands. Both these items are inexpensive.

• Try using a lower compression ball.

• Golf shoes without spikes will likely be more comfortable for you.

• Ask your local golf store specialist about the latest helps for making golfing easier on your joints. New products are coming out all the time.

• Always warm up before you play. Do some basic stretches, take some practice swings. Start out swinging about half strength. Never try to hit the ball too hard. This one goes for everyone – not just folks with arthritis. It’s accuracy that counts!

• Using tees will help.

• Drink water while you’re playing. (again, a tip for everyone)

• If you feel tired, listen to your body and rest a bit. It’s not a mortal sin to play less than 18 holes. The key is to enjoy the game.

Now, if you’re feeling sore after play, here are some things to try.

• Take a warm shower.

• Do some gentle stretching exercises.

• Use an ice pack on the sore area.

• Rest the sore joint.

• Try magnetic therapy.

• Try to keep your weight down. Too much weight can make your knees and hips hurt

If playing golf causes pain that lasts for more than 1 hour, it’s too much. Work with your physical therapist or doctor to adjust your game when you notice any of the following signs of too much exercise:

• Unusual or persistent fatigue

• Increased weakness

• Decreased range of motion

• Increased joint swelling

• Continuing pain (pain that lasts more than 1 hour after exercising)

Really, when it comes right down to it, playing golf (along with warming up for your game with range of motion exercises) may be just what the doctor orders for arthritis help!

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com.  Please leave your comments below.

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With golfers worldwide finally embracing a more comprehensive approach to training for golf, it’s now time to bring in the elements of solid golf nutrition.

It goes without saying that proper nutrition is important for all of us. But, if you are serious about shaving valuable strokes off your scorecard, you need to make some tough decisions on seeing your diet through. If you travel for golf, or play in frequent tournaments, it is important not to fall into the trap of ‘settling’ for fast food or a quick bag of chips or chocolate bar. Make a commitment to use some or all of the following tips and your energy will reach new heights in your next round.

• Avoid large amounts of food in the two hours leading up to tee time. Food in your digestive system diverts blood away from your brain and muscles, affecting concentration and physical performance. A meal two to three hours before play is preferred.

• Avoid caffeine and alcohol. Both of these are diuretics and cause fluid loss. They also both affect performance. Coffee can over stimulate your mind or your muscles, making your performance uncontrolled. Excessive consumption of alcohol severely affects your coordination.

• Combine carbohydrates, proteins and fats at each meal. This aides in overall digestion and ensures you are getting the proper nutrients.

• Don’t skip meals. Golfers need that slow and steady release of energy to see them through difficult or long hours of play. Smaller meals are better to help increase metabolism.

• Eat 5 to 6 small meals throughout the day. This gives your body the nutrition it needs to last.

• Drink lots of water. Think in terms of 8 to 10 glasses each day. Continue throughout your round to stay hydrated especially during the summer months.

• Stick with the basics. Don’t try new foods just before you play. Stick with what you know your body responds well to.

• Bring a snack or bag lunch. Beverage carts are not known for healthy choices, so don’t put yourself in a position to feel forced to rely on them.

• Avoid high processed foods or sugar based foods. They tend to raise blood sugar levels quickly and, then, drop rapidly causing fatigue.

• Keep it simple. There is no need to make elaborate meals or go to great extent in preparation. A piece of fruit and bag of nuts will go a long way in replenishing energy when you need it.

As a golfer, especially if you are of a championship caliber, it is essential to have a wide variety of complex carbohydrates to maintain your energy through an 18-hole match or a 72-hole tournament.

Mentally your brain needs to stay conditioned to tell your body what to do, not to mention calculating distances, swing strength and maintaining focus. Follow these 10 tips and watch your scorecard drop to new lows.

Susan Hill is a professional golf fitness trainer, CHEK golf biomechanic and sports nutrition specialist. For more information on golf specific nutrition, exercises or stretches, visit http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.

Thanks for visiting Ladies on the Tee Golf Blog at www.sherrytabb.com.  If you would like to share any of your nutritional tips, please comment below.

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