It’s winter in Minnesota. As often as we used to get outdoors as kids, the novelty and enjoyment of sledding, skating, and adventuring in the woods seems to wear off as we age. Unfortunately for many of us, this means that we’re more sedentary in the winter than any other time of year. Instead of succumbing to the allure of the couch and television, get up and work on your golf game this winter!

Stay in golf shape this winter

Cardio the Right Way

Golf training doesn’t require extremely high levels of endurance—very few professionals will recommend that you spend hours jogging away on a treadmill. Instead, they’ll recommend interval training, which can help boost your focus as well as your bursts of high-intensity action required when playing golf. The goal in interval training is to work very intensely and then drop your intensity all the way down in an instant. For example, swim at a sprinting pace for one minute, tread water for a minute, and repeat.

Get to the Core

While the rest of your foursome spends their winter expanding their waistline over the holidays and in the subzero temperatures, you’ll assure yourself a few skins next spring if you commit to a good core workout. Having a strong lower back, stomach, hips, derriere, and thighs will significantly help your swing strength and stability.

Focus, focus, focus

If your knees were sore after every round or your shoulders creaked with every swing—work on it! Identify and isolate the areas that give you trouble, and give that spot extra training in the off season. Rather than coming out of winter out-of-shape in need of conditioning, approach the season with new life and vigor.

Step onto the first tee box this spring comfortable and conditioned. We look forward to seeing your great swing again soon!

Hazeltine National Golf Club is a private golf club located in Chaska, Minn., about 30 minutes southwest of downtown Minneapolis. The club opened in 1962 with a mission to build and maintain a golf course suitable for the conduct of national championships. Hazeltine is one of only two courses in the United States to have hosted the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, U.S. Senior Open, U.S. Women’s Open, U.S. Amateur, and Ryder Cup. Hazeltine’s meeting and event space, golf shop and specified services in the learning center are open to the public. More information about becoming a member at Hazeltine is available at www.hazeltinenational.com.