Lee Trevino once referred to the difference between playing on the regular Tour and Senior Tour as the “flat-bellies” versus the “fat-bellies” but there is a growing trend among the over 50s to add physical conditioning to technical practice.
The ‘Tiger Woods effect’ is commonly credited with raising the physical fitness levels among the most recent generation of players on The European Tour but it is also increasingly prevalent now on the over 50s circuit, where the application of sports science can prolong and enhance careers.
Last year’s Senior Tour Order of Merit winner Peter Fowler is a prominent case in point, after the Australian embarked on a rigorous physical training regime following a back injury that threatened his career in 2009.
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yesterday, former Ryder Cup Captain Sam Torrance plans to spend the off-season working on his fitness as he attempts to capture a first Senior Tour title since 2009, while former World Cup winner Torsten Giedeon lists marathon running among his interests.
However, it is not simply conventional cardiovascular fitness that has permeated the ranks of the Senior Tour but also a focus on maintaining the body’s ability to perform the mechanics of a golf swing.
Physiotherapist Orlaith Buckley has worked with the Senior Tour players for the past four seasons, helping to improve and maintain their physical conditioning.
“The Senior Tour players are in the age profile range where they need to work on flexibility as they can suffer from posture and range of movement issues. This automatically reduces their ability to get into position to swing,” explained Moynihan.
“A reduction in this can force them to adapt their swing to compensate which can lead to less consistency and therefore more ‘bad’ shots. So we work heavily on marrying the technical and physical side of the game.
“During the off-season the younger players might spend a lot of their time trying to build more power into their swing but the Senior Tour players are more likely to be working on their flexibility and mobility between now and the start of the season.”
Tom Watson’s unforgettable performance in finishing runner-up in The 2009 Open Championship as a 59 year old brought the issue of longevity in golf firmly into the spotlight three years ago. The evergreen American then became the second oldest winner of a Senior Major when he captured the US Senior PGA Championship last year at 61 and while Watson, who attributes part of his longevity to genetics, is perhaps exceptional, there are several other recent examples of golfers defying the aging process.
Miguel Angel Jiménez has won more times on The European Tour in his 40s than he did prior to that milestone, while Darren Clarke lifted the Claret Jug at the age of 42 at last year’s Open Championship at Royal St George’s.
Back on the Senior Tour, South African John Bland won the 2010 Wales Senior Open aged 64, making him the second oldest winner after Neil Coles, who won the 2002 Lawrence Batley Seniors Open at the tender age of 67 years and 276 days.
Meanwhile, 58 year old Englishman Carl Mason won twice last season to become the most prolific winner in Senor Tour history with 25 victories, while Irishman Des Smyth, who turns 59 next month, captured the Van Lanschot Senior Open and lost in a play-off to Juan Quiros in the Cannes Mougins Masters.
Both players have had their health and injury problems in recent years but are examples of Senior Tour players whose fitness regimes ensure they remain competitive as they approach their 60s.
“Some of it is genetics, of course, but the work players are doing these days is helping them to maintain their swing movements ,” said Buckley. “We are seeing more and more players playing for longer and with less changes to their swing caused by adaptations due to slowing bodies.
“Peter Fowler stands out on his own in terms of his regime but a lot of his focus came through his rehab following his back injury. You have a number of players now on the Senior Tour looking at what the younger guys are doing however a lot of them don’t like to disclose what they do off the course as this work gives them their edge.”
