Balance Physical Therapy now offering Balance Golf Performance program at Salinas & Monterey clinics.

Avid golfers are notorious investors in their pastime of choice.

From the best equipment, courses, instruction, and clothing to the personal time they put into each round, the most ardent golfers leave few stones unturned when it comes to maximizing their enjoyment and performance in the sport.

Yet, Salinas physical therapist and avid golfer Dr. Daniel Guthrie continually sees one important area in which many golfers fail to invest.

“The body seems to be what golfers neglect the most, unfortunately,” said Guthrie, a physical therapist with Balance Physical Therapy and Human Performance Center in Salinas. “They can have the most quality clubs and the very best instruction, but if their body doesn’t move the way it needs to in order to, say, drive the ball farther, then they’re going to want to figure out why … and then correct it.”

This is a concept Guthrie and his physical therapy cohort, Dr. Ryan Hastie – both certified through the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) – hope to introduce to more golfers through Balance Physical Therapy’s new Balance Golf Performance program.

What is Balance Golf Performance?

A golf concierge service now offered at Balance Physical Therapy’s Salinas and Monterey clinics, the goal of Balance Golf Performance is to help golfers optimize their bodies so they perform better and experience fewer injuries on the golf course.

According to Guthrie, the program is not about offering golf instruction. Rather, it’s about identifying deficiencies in the body that may make proper golf mechanics difficult to achieve – a weak core, for example, or tightness in the shoulders or hips – then devising individualized strategies for correcting these issues.

“Instead of looking at angles of the club shaft or angles of the club face, we’re looking at the angle of the spine and the angle of the hips,” Guthrie said. “How much rotation are you achieving in your back and hips? Is there a limitation in your shoulders or wrists?”

Correcting such issues can lead to longer drives and lower scores, sure. But, it can also help your longevity on the course by identifying and correcting musculoskeletal factors that may put you at greater risk of future injuries.

How Does the Program Work?

The first step, Guthrie says, it to get a Balance Golf Performance assessment. “This assessment analyzes the whole body through simple moves that will highlight where they’re deficient,” he said.

From there, Guthrie or Hastie can explain how their findings may be affecting one’s golf game, then provide a simple, customized exercise and stretching regiment that can improve weaknesses in the body.

“We’re not trying to replace the golf pros out there who are doing a tremendous job helping people improve their games through proper fundamentals and techniques,” Guthrie said. “We’re simply looking to complement the work they do by helping ensure golfers have the strength, flexibility and stability to do the things that’ll help lower their scores.”

And, of course, the Balance Golf Performance program is also available to assess and treat injuries golfers experience on the course, such as soreness and pain in the back, knees, hips, elbow or wrist.

Stay Healthy, Achieve Your Goals

“Even if you simply want to just play golf without it hurting at the end of the say, that’s a goal we’ll help you achieve,” Guthrie said. “By helping you focus more on your body, stretching, and strengthening your core, and so on, you’ll definitely be playing happier and longer.”

To learn more about Balance Golf Performance, its rates, or to schedule your initial assessment, head over to https://balancept.com/services/balance-golf-performance or call the Balance Physical Therapy Salinas clinic at 831-422-4782.