Golf Life Tips, Gear & Travel

Staying fit as you get older to stay on the Senior Championship Tour takes discipline and hard work. Here from professionals about staying flexible, in shape and on top of your game with these tips on diet, exercise and practice techniques.>> LET'S CATCH UP WITH SOME OF THE SENIOR PLAYERS ON THE CHAMPIONS TOUR TO LEARN HOW THEY KEEP THEIR GAMES AT A TOP LEVEL THROUGH THE YEARS. >> THE WHOLE KEY AS YOU GET OLDER IS STRETCHING MORE THAN WEIGHTS AND STUFF. IF YOU CAN STRETCH AND KEEP YOUR BODY IN THAT TYPE OF SHAPE, RATHER THAN WEIGHTS, THAT’S WHAT YOU HAVE TO DO IN ORDER TO KEEP SUCCESSFUL ON THE SENIOR TOUR. >> EXERCISE AND DIET. SIMPLE AS THAT. JUST LIKE ANYBODY IN THIS WORLD. KEEP YOUR WEIGHT DOWN. EXERCISE AND DIET. EXERCISE MEANS A LOT OF STRETCHING, SOME WEIGHTS. KEEP YOUR LUNGS IN SHAPE AEROBICALLY. THERE’S NO SECRET TO IT. I’LL FINISH ON THE PRACTICE TEE, TODAY, AND GO TO THE GYM, GO TO THE FINISH TRAILER. I DO IT FOR MY GOLF GAME AND FOR ME, AS WELL. >> THE BIGGEST THING IS EXERCISE. YOU MAY BE STRETCHING MORE THAN EXERCISING BUT, A LITTLE BIT OF CARDIO. STRETCHING WOULD BE PHYSICALLY THE BEST THING FOR YOU. YOU TEND TO BE A LITTLE MORE INJURY PRONE OF YOU DON’T DO THAT. SO ACHES AND PAINS. JUST STIFFNESS SHORTENS YOUR SWING UP AND THAT KIND OF THING. THAT, AS MUCH AS ANYTHING, WILL KEEP YOUR FLEXIBILITY AND KEEP YOUR BODY IN BETTER SHAPE SO THAT YOU CAN PLAY FOR A LONGER PERIOD OF TIME. >> THE BIGGEST THING I SEE IS GUYS DON’T TURN THEIR BODY. IT’S MORE OF AN ARM SWING. YOU LOSE A LOT OF POWER AND YOU LOSE A LOT OF ACCURACY. YOUR TIMING HAS TO BE JUST RIGHT TO DO THAT. I THINK THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS JUST TO TRY AND GET THE CLUB TO COME BACK MORE INSIDE AND, MAKE SURE THAT YOU’RE TURNING YOUR CHEST BACK RATHER THAN SWINGING YOUR ARMS UP. THAT’S THE BIGGEST THING I SEE WHEN I PLAY WITH GUYS MY AGE. >> YOU NEED TO STAY UP WITH TECHNOLOGY, FOR ONE, AND THEN AFTER THAT, THEN WORK ON SOME PHYSICAL CONDITIONING. BECAUSE A LOT OF GUYS GET CARRIED AWAY, THEY GET WHERE THEY DON’T PLAY AS MUCH, SITTING AROUND A LOT WITH A CHANCE OF WEIGHT GAIN. SO YOU NEED TO WATCH YOUR DIET, YOU NEED TO EXERCISE. I TRY TO DO SOME STRENGTHENING EXERCISES, ESPECIALLY, IN THE OFF SEASON AND GET READY FOR THE NEXT YEAR. ALL OF THOSE THINGS KEEP YOU A LITTLE YOUNGER. IT GIVES YOU AN EDGE, MAYBE. >> I LIKE TO KEEP FAIRLY STRONG. I’LL DO SOME AB LONGES FOR THE STOMACH, WHICH IS GOING TO SUPPORT THE BACK. IF YOUR BACK FEELS GOOD THEN, YOU’VE GOT FLEXIBILITY. THAT’S HALF THE BATTLE OF THE GAME. FREQUENTLY, GET LESSONS ABOUT THE GAME, RATHER THAN TRYING TO DO IT YOURSELF. HAVE A PLAN. ASK THE LOCAL PRO AT YOUR GOLF CLUB DOES OR SHOULD BE DOING. THAT’S WHAT HE’S TRAINED TO DO IS TO COACH AND SEE VIDEOS OF YOUR OWN SWING. YOU HAVE SOME IDEA OR A PLAN OF WHAT YOU WANT TO ACHIEVE WITH THE SWING. I BELIEVE YOU CAN MAKE MAJOR CHANGES AND YOU CAN SEE YOURSELF ON VIDEO. YOU CAN GET A GOOD IDEA OF WHAT’S GOING ON. I'M NOT A RUNNER. >> BECAUSE THERE’S A LOT MORE MOMENT ON THE JUNIOR TOUR, THESE GUYS ARE WORKING A LOT HARDER. THEY’RE DOING A LOT MORE PHYSICAL EXERCISE. YOU SEE A LOT OF THE SENIORS, THEY’RE GETTING IN THAT TRAILER AND TALKING TO THEIR GURUS. ME, I’D RATHER GO HAVE A DRINK AND HAVE A GOOD TIME. I COME UP TO ASPEN AND I SPENT FOUR DAYS IN ASPEN TRYING TO GET ACCLIMATED TO THE WEATHER. I PLAYED A COUPLE ROUNDS WITH A FRIEND, UP THERE, AND HIT A FEW BALLS, ONE DAY. THAT WAS ABOUT MY TRAINING. I HAD A FEW WINES AT NIGHT AND A FEW SPAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS. THAT WAS MY TRAINING.