Fitness Blog

Are We Having Fun Yet?

Coach Joey D Apr 4, 2017 2:15:00 PM
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I'm going to ask you a question about your golf game and it's not the typical question you'd expect from me.

I'm not going to ask if you're loading properly into your left side or if you're able to comfortably maintain your spine angle or if you're staying connected to the ground throughout your swing. I'm going to ask you a far more simple -- but no less important -- question: Are you having fun?

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Know Your Miss!

Coach Joey D Mar 15, 2017 3:19:00 PM
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If you're constantly slicing the golf ball or never feel like you're getting enough power in your swing, my guess is that there's something not quite right with your body.

Most golfers have very selective memories. I'm sure you know players that can give you a network-TV-quality play-by-play of a brilliant approach shot they hit 23 years ago or of a drive to within a foot of the cup they hit in college. Ask them -- at the end of a round -- why their shoes are full of sand or why they're a couple of sleeves of balls lighter than when the round began, though, and suddenly memories become foggy.

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Earning Your Luck

Coach Joey D Jul 11, 2016 7:11:08 PM
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It was truly amazing to see Dustin Johnson overcome all sorts of obstacles, dig deep, and win his first major at Oakmont.

In the week after the US Open, I must have been asked roughly eight million times if I think DJ had discovered some brand-new gear -- some “Beast Mode” -- that was going to let him go undefeated for the rest of the PGA Tour season. And while I told people that I’d like to be able to say “yes,” the answer -- to be really honest -- was “no.”

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Growing the Game of Golf

Coach Joey D May 20, 2016 2:40:55 PM
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I’m a big fan of social media.

It not only lets me stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues wherever my crazy schedule takes me, but it also lets me have some great conversations with my ever-growing gang of Twitter pals. A few years ago, someone might have recognized me out on the course or while I was going about my day-to-day business down here in Florida and we’d be able to talk about golf, fitness, whatever. Today, though, anyone – anywhere! – can start a Twitter conversation with me 24/7. It’s a little bit mind-boggling.

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Why is 2016 Starting in 2015?

Coach Joey D Feb 25, 2016 12:20:29 PM
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I've been in the fitness world for most of my life. I've been involved with the PGA Tour for almost 20 years.

I've seen plenty of things that have caused a player to lose his edge and slip athletically: injuries, lack of focus and discipline, improper nutrition, etc. Over the past couple of years, though, another factor has become more and more responsible for players not being able to perform at the top of their ability: economic pressure. With the PGA Tour season now being essentially a twelve-month long schedule of events, the lack of any real off-season is leaving many pros dealing with burnout both physically and mentally.

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Coach/Caddie Joey D

Coach Joey D Jan 19, 2016 7:31:29 PM
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To become a caddie on the PGA Tour wasn't on my list of New Year's resolutions for 2016

But if you followed the action at the Hyundai Tournament of Champions in Maui, you would have seen a familiar face in a very unfamiliar position. It wasn't completely foreign territory. I had caddied for Vijay Singh many times back in 2004 and 2005, but I never planned on becoming the Brett Favre of caddies and coming out of retirement to carry the clubs. Life happens, though, and when Dustin Johnson's brother and caddie, Austin, went down with an injury, you do what you have to do.

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The Off-Season is the Most Important Season of the Year

Coach Joey D Dec 15, 2015 5:07:52 PM
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In a lot of parts of the country, once Thanksgiving Day has come and gone, the golf season is just about over.

The clubs may make a cameo appearance over the next few months during a weekend to Hilton Head or Myrtle Beach, but for the most part, once the clock strikes December, your playing days are done.

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Who's Your Caddie?

Coach Joey D Jun 3, 2015 12:48:05 PM
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If you've paid attention to anything I've said or written about golf fitness over the past 15 years,

you know I'm all about the muscles you've probably never heard of. Sure, big biceps and huge pecs might make you look great out on the course, but it's strong and stable Subscapularis and Gluteus Medius muscles that will actually let you play great on the course.

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Shovel Your Driveway, Fix Your Swing

Coach Joey D Feb 19, 2015 7:16:42 PM
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I've been feeling a little bit guilty recently. Last week, I was at Pebble Beach and I honestly don't remember when I've been in such a beautiful location and had such consistently beautiful weather. I don't feel guilty about enjoying perfect weather; I've worked very hard to get to where I am in my career. I tweeted out what I thought were some amazing pictures from my week, but started to feel some twinges of guilt when I saw some of the weather pictures that a lot of my Twitter followers were tweeting back.

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State of the Industry 2015

Coach Joey D Jan 12, 2015 4:34:25 PM
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I was going to write about the state of golf-specific fitness training and conditioning as we enter 2015.

To be honest, it's reached a level of acceptance and recognition that I never imagined it would. When I started working with golfers back in 2000, the idea of sport-specific training for golf was where it was for other sports back in the 1970s. Sure, there were a few guys who understood the need to be fit, but there wasn't any real plan or strategy for how to adapt the concept of "fitness" to the world of golf.

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