An overdue catch up

Hi folks, time for a catch up and sorry it’s going to be a long one. As I mentioned in one of my previous post 2016 was planned as a year of change for me. First off is a bit of equipment change. I’ve been fitted for a new driver and I am now playing a Taylormade R15 (cheaper than the M1 and not enough difference to me for the cash). For me distance hasn’t always been an issue but accuracy has. The R15 has really helped with this. Secondly was a change in irons / shafts. Last year I rather hastily and foolishly changed my irons. I was fitted for some Taylormade Burner irons with Dynamic Gold shafts some time ago and changed these on a whim for a set of Taylormade CB irons with a different set of shafts in them. Which short term were ok but soon I realised I had made a mistake. I then had a bit of luck and won a set of iron shafts of my choosing from True Temper on Twitter. So I choose a set which closely matched my previous shafts and had them fitted to my CB’s. The difference has been great and transformed the clubs. I just need to sort my pitching and chipping out and I’ll be sorted!…..

Next up was a change of course. I’ve been a member at Bedlingtonshire GC for a few years now but with a recent change of job and meeting new fellow golfers I have changed to Longhirst Hall GC which offers two courses and also hosts a PGA Europro event there every year. They are both very different style course to which I’ve been used to playing in the past and I am looking forward to the challenge of learning the new courses.

Finally and maybe most importantly 2016 is a year of getting fit. A little bit of mid-30’s spread and slide in diet and lifestyle has led me to putting a few pounds on and a struggle with fitness. A recent diagnoses of a vitamin D deficiency also explains a bit of a struggle too. For me a general lack of fitness and niggling back and hip problems finally made me take the plunge and seek help. After my Vit D deficiency diagnoses and a Dr’s referral for some physio on my back it was time to get fit.

I sought out the help of a good friend of mine, Mark Middleton of M1 Fitness & Nutrition (@fatdadgotfit on Twitter) who is a qualified personal trainer and works out of the Fitness Rooms in Benton. The goal we have set is to loose a few pounds work on general fitness and really focus on my core. So far the plan we are following is a general warm up then a good 30 minutes plus of truly focusing on core work. After this we do around another 30 minutes plus on general strength work but also trying to incorporate full body exercises that works the core too. And finally as Mark likes to call it we do “a nice little finisher” which is generally a full body, lung bursting excercise. In the my latest session this was using an evil bit of kit called the Prowler which is a weighted sled that you first pull towards you using a rope then push it back to the start and repeat until your lungs are about to bust and your legs are gone!

We haven’t been going that long yet and I am really starting to see the difference already with my general energy levels, mood and of course fitness and strength which has got me excited for the year ahead and more progress. If your in the North East and are in need of a bit of fitness guidance then give Mark a shout up at the Fitness Rooms in Benton. I’ve also included a few pictures below of our latest session with me being put through my paces.

Last thing (if you still reading this far) apologies for the long post. This was going to be a few posts but simply haven’t had time to write them so hence one long one.

Thanks for reading and happy golfing. Promise the next posts will be shorter!
Iain

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