How Massage Helps Your Golf Game
Thailand is a fantastic destination for golfers, with a number of first-class courses to play in Phuket alone. It’s obvious that a massage after you putt on the 18th hole is beneficial, but did you know that a massage before you tee off could help to improve your game? Here are a few of the reasons why.
Eases muscles
Mark Twain rather unflatteringly described golf as “a good walk spoiled”. However, that would only be true if your walk included an obstacle course along the way. As anyone who has nursed sore muscles the day after a round of golf will tell you, 18 holes puts your body through its paces, working your core muscles especially hard. And then there’s the walk itself. If you’re doing a full round, you can easily find yourself trekking around 8 km during the day. Bracing your muscles for the trials ahead with a visit to a Phuket spa will help to minimise the stiffness the following day.
Trouble areas
Golf puts particular strain on specific joints and muscles. The areas to keep an eye on include the bits that are doing all the rotating during your swing, such as your lower back, shoulders and neck. If your stance isn’t quite right, you could also do some damage to the tendons in your ankle or foot. Finally, there’s the tendons on your elbow that are at risk of a repetitive strain injury.
How massage helps
It’s the repetitive strain that does the most damage to your body during a round of golf. The key to a good player is a consistent swing, but that consistency is as much a blessing for your game as it is a curse for your body. Being a surprisingly taxing sport, a lot of metabolic waste builds up during a round of golf, which also does its fair share of damage, particularly in the form of muscles feeling pained and inflexible – two properties that certainly won’t help your swing.
Regular visits to a Phuket spa help to keep your muscles relaxed and loose, reducing the risk of injury. They also help to improve your circulation, allowing your body to get rid of its waste more efficiently. You should ask the masseuse to focus on your neck, back, arms, hips and glutes as these are the areas that going to be at the highest risk.
Finally, massages also help to handle stress and anxiety, which is certainly going to help you focus on your swing.
