Trolley aid is vital to England Elite squad, says fitness coach
England physio explains why top golfers justify athlete status
Golfers at the top level - both amateur and professional - are fully justified in calling themselves athletes.
That’s the verdict of Andy Larmour, physio to the England Amateur Golf squad since 2004.
“In the early days,” he says, “only a few players were working on their physical side; now it’s just a given.
“These guys all know the importance of fitness; it’s not a hard sell.”
But when I spoke to him at a recent training week for the England elite squad at Woodhall Spa, he was keen to stress that he wanted the amateur players under his guidance to avoid carrying their golf bags and putting further strain on their muscles.
And he welcomed the extension of PowaKaddy’s sponsorship of the England team with a Lithium-powered PowaKaddy Sport trolley for each of them.
“Using an electric trolley in competition and practice is very important and a huge benefit,” adds Larmour.
“These are very fit guys but they play a lot of tournaments which often demand they play 36 holes in a day.
“This can be very tiring and the less they have to carry, pull or push their bags the better. We recommend they use electric trolleys from an early age.
“Golf’s a game when you want to play the appropriate shot at the appropriate time - when you’re feeling at your best. The less tired you feel in a round the better and an electric trolley will always help that.”
As well as their clubs, balls and waterproofs, Larmour says a powered trolley also serves as a mule for other items the top international amateur golfer needs.
“We like them to keep fully hydrated and have the right amount of food on board, so they can graze their way through a round and maintain their energy levels.
“We don’t want them having to worry about how heavy their bag is. They can just load it with everything they might need in any circumstances.”
Feature continues. Click here to hear from two England internationals and some fitness tests.
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