Is Phil Feeling Fit?

Phil Mickelson has not been performing too well of late, so far this year he has not even recorded a top ten finish. When top performers go off the boil, in any sport, people are looking to see what has changed. Has the athlete changed something, has an outside event had an effect on them, or was it just an off day.

In Phil’s case it is not just a case of an off day, his malaise goes back quite a way. In fact when Tiger Woods finally slipped down the rankings everyone assumed there would be a natural progression for Phil to step up to number one, he didn’t.

The golf swing relies on a lot of factors being right at the precise moment of impact of the club-head with the golf ball. The least known, or even discussed of these factors is balance. All the great athletes around the world possessed great balance. It is not something to you consciously think about, it just happens.

Crucially your balance is less effective as you age, as a gauge just look at the kids zooming around on skateboards. You wont find too many older folk performing this seemingly easy task. How did Phil four putt in last weeks tournament, J.B. Holmes recorded 38 one putts for the four rounds.

Balance control starts with your feet, a whole series of acupoints are located in the soles of your feet. These sensors create signals that are sent to your brain, along with information from the eyes and ears, which computes where the body is in relation to the world around it.

Whether your driving, putting or using wedges, it is your overall balance that is the difference between an average shot and a good one

Over time the signals from your feet become weaker, mainly due to the fact that you have spent many years wearing socks and shoes. Phil has spoken to his putting coach, Dave Stockton, maybe be all he needs is a little time with his bare feet in contact with an uneven surface.

Amazingly you can rejuvenate the sensors in you feet, simply by walking around bare foot as much as you can, on an uneven surface. The easy way of achieving this to use a pebble mat, just spend ten minutes a day on a pebble mat and your foot sensors will regain their sensitivity.

This is scientific fact, proved by the Oregon Research Institute; they will even sell you a pebble mat. The first signs that your balance mechanism is not working correctly manifest’s itself in an aching back. The reason for this is that the major muscles in your back are working overtime to keep you upright.

Give your back and balance system a real boost, by walking on uneven surfaces in your bare feet. Hopefully Phil will read this and take some remedial action.

Putt Well,

Pete

(Cover Photo Credit)