When people think about golf, the image of an old retired man playing the game to relax comes to mind. But in reality, ultra-competitive PGA Tour and other known golf tournaments require players to be in peak physical shape.
Golf may look like a relaxing game, but when you are met with intense competition from around the world, you need your body to be fit. Here are the golfers who are in the best shape in 2019.
Tiger Woods
Tiger Woods may not be the same as he used to be when he got featured on the cover of Men’s Fitness in 2007, but he is still quite fit for his age. Wood considers fitness a crucial part of his routine and he spends a lot of time in the gym to keep himself in shape.
When we talked to Woods, we found out that he likes to lift weights during the days he is competing which is quite rare for golfers these days. Before Wood begins his workout, he makes sure that he goes through an intensive stretching circuit for 35-40 minutes centered exclusively on flexibility.
He then moves to the conventional high-weight-low rep workout routine. He also incorporates high reps in his workout. According to his trainer Steven Kleven, Tiger Woods likes to focus on control, endurance, speed, and balance.
Brooks Koepka
Being 6’0 and 186 pounds, Koepka is currently one of the most filled-out golfers in the world. He has a powerful frame that helps him produce his mammoth signature dives. In 2018, Koepka managed to tail an average drive of 307 yards and a 122.33 mph average club head speed.
Jorden Spieth
Professional golfers depend a lot on skill to win a game, but the ones that reach the top depend on both skill and fitness. Speith has proven time and time again that he is good at both. He won the 2015 Masters and then went on to win the 2015 U.S Open Championship.
That’s a lot of big wins for a golfer in a single year. The 21-year-old golfer is without any doubt a force to be reckoned with and its all thanks to his balance between skill and fitness.
Rory Mcllroy
Mcllroy is 5’10 and 160 pounds, making him a bit on the lesser side compared to other golfers these days, but he is surprisingly fit for his body. He managed to bag the 2012 PGA championship at an age of 23.
He was also able to win the 2012 PGA player of the year award. His impressive clubhead speed and his average drive distance are his major strengths.
When looked into clubhead speed, Mcllroy currently ranks at the seventh spot with a clubhead speed of 121.56 with the leader on the board being at 123.70. He is also on the third spot in average drive distance (310.5)
With these stats, Mcllroy has proved that he is not only a fit golfer but also very sharp.
Paul Casey
37-year-old Paul Casey hasn’t won too many tournaments, but he is very fit. In the days when he played for the Arizona State University golf team, he used to get up at 6 Am and would start his workout routine at 6:45 AM.
The golfer followed this routine three times a week for many years. When asked about his workout regime, he revealed that he was always very excited to do it.
Lee Westwood
Lee Westwood may be growing old but he makes it up for his age through his fitness level. The 42-year-old has been involved with professional golfing for more than 20 years and he is still on the top of his game.
Westwood wasn’t always this fit. By the time he reached 30, he was 243 pounds on the scale. He then committed himself to work out and successfully shredded 12-15 percent of body fat ever since he started.
In 2010, after he had completely transformed himself from an overweight guy to a fit golfer, he became the number one golfer in the world. Now he is one of the fittest golfers in the world and still very much competitive.
Westwood is now aiming for his first major title and he is determined that his workout routine and practice will get him there.