It is the end of May and the second major of the year, The PGA Championship is being held at Oak Hill Golf Club in Rochester, New York. The time of year and the physical and mental challenges of Oak Hill will be a wake up call to all golfers on the PGA TOUR. This time of year the chiropractors and physical therapists in the PGA TOUR Performance Centers will start to see an uptick in visits. PGA golfers are in the middle of playing 4 out of 5-6 weeks and will only play more frequently over the next three months. This is the time of year where playing 7 out of 8 weeks is not that unusual as the FedEx playoffs will begin the second week of August.
Playing at Oak Hill Golf Club will be a strong test of their physical conditioning and mental strength. It is a Major and Oak Hill has been described by all players as difficult and challenging yet fair. They know to make the cut and have a chance to win will require total focus on every shot. Their bodies have to be ready to answer the mental demands.
Although no injuries are alike many golfers have had problems with their lower backs, hips, and neck/upper back areas. The treatment approaches have to be comprehensive to alleviate symptoms and improve movement patterns. It is a time of year to stay on top of injuries and dysfunctional movement patterns. This time period is when body failure starts to show up. Golfers and sports medicine specialists that do not assess injuries properly and rectify problems will find performance fading over the next couple of months. A crucial time of year clinically that directly will influence the golfers performance and success this year.
