Welcome!
My name is Kameron Crosswhite, Doctor of Physical Therapy and a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Certified provider here at Apex Physical Therapy in the greater Spokane, Washington area. This is the first of what hopes to be many articles related to golf and physical therapy. I am excited to begin this journey and hopefully spread some of my knowledge to golfers of all ages and skill levels. Well, here we go!
If you don’t know what TPI is or why it is important, you are not alone. Many golfers out there have picked up the game similarly to myself: self-taught over the years, picking up tips here and there to try and better ourselves at the “unwinnable game” that is golf. Maybe we aren’t the best, but dang it we have fun, right?….RIGHT?
Most people will tell you that there is no better way to improve your game than getting profession lessons; but let’s be honest, rarely do we listen to that wisdom. Instead, we go for the next greatest innovation in the form of equipment and gadgets. Don’t get me wrong, these are great! Everyone loves getting new toys like drivers, range finders or training aids. But are we getting to the root of the problem in our game or are we just covering up a “symptom”? (Pardon my Physical Therapy pun). That’s where I and other TPI providers come in.
The body is the first link in the chain when it comes to our overall golf game. If your body is not at its optimal self, your swing, and ultimately your score, will not be at its optimal level. With a TPI screen, you can more accurately identify what physical limitations may be holding you back. Whether that is tight hip flexors, weak glutes, or possibly a combination of things; these can all affect your connection to the club and your striking of the ball. If your hips are tight, limiting your ability to achieve the best position in your backswing, this can set off a chain reaction of compensations that your body has to contend with in order to get back into position to strike the ball. For some people, they compensate so well that they are still able to hit pure shots, but maybe at the detriment to increased risk of injury.
All of these factors can be addressed by a TPI Screen/Evaluation. Your provider will take you through a comprehensive assessment in order to identify faults in the key factors of the golf swing including flexibility and strength in certain muscle groups as well as stability of joint position. Here’s the good news: these things can all be addressed with specific exercises! Each player has a unique body, which means their swing and exercise prescription must be unique as well. With a TPI Screen/Evaluation we can get you set up with the most specific-to-you exercises for your unique impairments to optimize your swing and get you playing your best. This has been proven in recent years with 25 of the top 30 players in the world being advised by a TPI certified expert.
At the end of the day, we all want to play better golf. If I can help you achieve that with “assessing, not guessing”, please reach out so we can get you playing at your true potential!
Talk soon,
Recent Comments