Conditioning for 72 Holes: Why Fitness Shows Up on the Back Nine

Golf does not look tiring. A tournament round is still four to five hours on your feet, several miles of walking, often in heat, with a hundred or more full-effort swings counting practice. Do that for three or four days and fitness begins to decide scores.

What fatigue does

• Clubhead speed drops. Tired legs produce less force.
• Posture and sequencing slip, and contact gets less consistent.
• Decisions get worse. Concentration is one of the first things to go.
• It adds up. The third and fourth rounds start from a lower level than the first.

One of our golfers described better endurance late in rounds as one of the main changes after training, along with distance and consistency.

What to build

An aerobic base. Walking, cycling, easy running or rowing, 30 to 45 minutes, two or three times a week. This is what lets you recover between shots and between rounds.

Leg and trunk strength endurance. Carries, split squats, step-ups and holds, so your legs and posture last 18 holes.

Some harder intervals. Short bursts with recovery, once a week, to raise your capacity.

Strength and power, as usual. A stronger golfer uses a smaller share of their maximum on each swing and tires more slowly.

During the event

• Eat and drink on a schedule. Small amounts every few holes. Waiting until you are hungry or thirsty is too late.
• Warm up the same way each day.
• Recover between rounds. Food, fluids, light mobility and sleep.
• If you carry your bag, train carrying in practice rounds.

When to do the work

Build conditioning in the off-season and early pre-season. In season, maintain it with one or two short sessions a week and by walking your practice rounds.

A simple test

Compare your scores on the front nine and back nine over a season, and your first rounds against your last rounds in multi-day events. A consistent drop-off suggests conditioning is costing you strokes.