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By Sean Cochran
Special to PGATOUR.com

It is often said scoring in the game of golf occurs from 100 yards into the green. Statistics back up this point by stating the majority of your shots on the course are from this distance. As a result this week we will discuss the benefits of golf fitness training for this aspect of your golf game.

GET TO KNOW SEAN COCHRAN

Sean Cochran is one of the most recognized golf fitness instructors in the world today. He travels the PGA TOUR regularly and works with TOUR professionals, most notably Masters and PGA Champion Phil Mickelson.   He has been involved in the production of numerous golf fitness videos and books including Core Golf Fitness. He has authored numerous articles with publication credits in Golf Digest, Sports Illustrated, and Golf Magazine.   In addition to working with Mickelson, Cochran has worked with LPGA Champion Hee Won Han, U.S. Open Champion Corey Pavin, world-renowned golf instructor Rick Smith and short game expert Dave Pelz.   Cochran continues to speak at seminars and clinics around the country on golf fitness. In his free time he enjoys golf and surfing. He resides in Del Mar, Calif.   To learn more about Sean and his golf fitness programs,  click here • Training tips archive,  click here • Off-season workout,  click here • Set-up exercises,  Click here • Tightness?  Here's your help

If you have been following our latest series of articles, we have been discussing the benefits of golf fitness training for different aspects of your golf game. We began with putting, moved off the green to chipping and pitching, and last week discussed greenside bunker shots. We will now take a few more steps away from the green and discuss those shots we hope to stick for tap in birdies.

Shots from 100 yards into the green require a multitude of different swings and clubs. Club selection depends upon such variables as distance from pin, type of lie, and even your angle into the green. As a result of the varying number of shots and the finite execution required within each of these shots, it is very important that the mechanics of each of these shots is fundamentally correct.

It is safe to say the development and refinement of the mechanics of shots into the green is accomplished through proper instruction and practice. Instruction from a qualified teaching professional will provide you the fundamentals to execute these shots correctly. And, of course, proper practice will ingrain this process into your body.

This is also the point at which golf fitness training can assist you as well. Often times the amateur golfer is unable to implement fundamentals of such shots because the body is lacking in certain physical parameters. If the body is lacking certain levels of flexibility, balance, muscular strength, endurance, or even power, learning the fundamentals of such shots can become very difficult.

To prevent such a situation from occurring and provide you the greatest opportunity to successfully learn and execute these types of shots, we can use golf fitness training to guarantee your body has the physical parameters required of such shots.

Looking at shots into the green, one very important aspect of these shots is control. Often times you are trying to control the distance and flight of the golf ball. This requires swings of different lengths and speeds. On the "physical side" of the equation these characteristics lends themselves to the concept of proprioception.

Proprioception is essentially "knowing where your body is in space". During athletic movements, this allows you to control limb movement in accordance to the requirements of the sporting activity. Improvement in the proprioceptive qualities of your body refines the ability of controlling limb movements (i.e. arms and legs) and creating even greater control over the execution of precise athletic movements such as the golf swing.

Bottom line, if we improve the proprioceptive qualities of your body, we can increase your ability to execute golf shots requiring large amounts of control.

The type of golf fitness training that improves the proprioceptive qualities of your body is what I refer to as balance training. Balance training will increase the efficiency in which your brain, nervous, and muscular systems interact.

One such balance exercise I often use with professional golfers to improve their proprioceptive capacities is the Physio-Ball Seated Airplane Rotation. Begin the exercise seated on top of a physio-ball, feet shoulder width apart, torso upright, and arms extended from the shoulders.

Lift your left foot off the floor a couple of inches and maintain balance on the physio-ball. Slowly rotate your arms, shoulders, and torso the left. Continue to rotate to the left until your shoulders are perpendicular to your hips. Pause for one second, return to the starting position of the exercise maintaining balance on one foot. Repeat the rotation in the opposite direction and alternate back and forth for 10-15 repetitions. Repeat the exercise balancing on the left foot.

Remember proprioception is a key component as it pertains to controlling movements of the body in athletic actions. Improving the proprioceptive qualities of your body can have a great benefit to those shots into the green.