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		From Teeing Ground To Green Reprinted from February 2006 Issue -by JOE MADAY Use the Off-Season to get in Shape for Spring That’s probably good advice. I haven’t wasted my winter, but unlike past winters I haven’t been shoveling snow and I haven’t transferred my training regimen to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan either. No, I’ve been whiling away the winter playing golf with Tiger on my Xbox, carbo loading on chips and salsa, and quenching my thirst with any cherry-flavored diet cola product that is on sale. My protein comes in the form of little smokies drowning in Cattleman’s barbecue sauce. And I think to myself, “better get in shape Maday.” Every year, it’s the same thing. I start a new golf season with higher than my usual very high scores, short drives and aches and pains? Sound familiar? Let’s be honest: It happens more times than you’d like to admit. So, let’s do it different this time. Instead of dunking that Twinkie into that vanilla flavored Frapacino, keep golf at the top of your frontal lobe and get started on a golf-specific fitness program. Prepare your body in anticipation of the coming spring. I can tell you, it’s no fun coming off the course feeling tired and achy when you should have energy to spare. We may only have a few short weeks to improve our strength, flexibility and stamina, but it may be the wisest things to do to improve our game for next season. When you begin the season with a body that’s been neglected all winter, you’re taking two steps back. Be proactive. Move forward. Prepare yourself by getting your body and fitness routine, in motion. Take advantage of winter. Make it your friend and think what a great opportunity this will be to get an edge on your playing partners. Finally, you’ll get a chance at redemption from a previous season that saw you paying out more than you received and being the brunt of sophomoric jokes in the clubhouse after every round. No longer! Say it with me—this is the time to make the commitment and exercise! No excuses. No more reasons to put it off. Sure it won’t be easy—but nothing worth doing is easy. It’s no secret that if you get your body in shape, stronger and more flexible, you will swing better and hit longer drives that produce lower scores. That’s what we all want. Need a bit more motivation? Think how it would feel to be the longest (and straightest) hitter in your group. Always hitting your approach shot last because you were the farthest down the fairway. Those are the thoughts you should have while you’re working out. How do you get started? Find a local fitness professional that works with golfers and really understands the mechanics of the swing and how the muscles work. Get a book on golf fitness at your bookstore. Just make sure you can put together a good regimen from the content of the book. Or go online and do a search for golf fitness programs. So don’t let the rest of the “off-season” go by without improving your body. All it takes is 2-3 times a week for 30-40 minutes to improve your game. Is that too much of a sacrifice to play better golf? Once you hit the links with your new hardbody, remember your golf etiquette. Replace your divots, repair your ball marks, rake the bunkers, and love the game. I’ll see you here, next month, in The Entertainer. About the author - Joe Maday is a member of The Northwest Golf Media Association. He is also the Co-Founder of The Brotherhood of The Dimpled Orb™, b.o.d.o.™ Golf, and the b.o.d.o. Tour™. He has competed as a regular player on the b.o.d.o. Tour™ and was the Commissioner of the Tour’s august body of brethren. If you have any comments about this article, questions on where to play, or problems with your game, you can reach Joe at his e-mail address: bodogolf@televar.com.