Fitness for golf is prevalent at every level. You hear about it all the time on the television and even teaching pros are talking more about the importance of fitness for golf.

The reason being is the belief that your 'physical limitations' are keeping you from optimal swing mechanics, power, distance and accuracy.

For the aging golfer this is most prevalent.

Without a golf-specific exercise program, it is virtually impossible to maintain and/or improve swing mechanics. The human body declines rapidly without stress being put on it.

What I mean?is muscles and bones need stress and pressure on them to remain strong, stable and injury-free. Without this stress?the body weakens and breaks down quickly?resulting in a rapid decline in strength and flexibility.

This is death to your golf swing!

The old adage ? "use it or lose it" is very true. Haven't you experienced a time when you were too busy with family obligations, work commitments and other stress-related issues and you felt you didn't have the time to devote to your health and fitness?

What happened shortly after that?

Did you energy level go down? Did you start getting aches and pains and even newfound stiffnesses? How about your golf game? Did you feel like you didn't have the same amount of umph on the ball?

This is that declining strength and flexibility I'm talking about. And the ONLY way to stop this from happening is maintaining some sort for fitness for golf program if it pertains to your golf game.

There are also two forms of fitness. "General fitness" and "sport-specific" or fitness for golf in regards to you as a golfer.

There is a major difference between these two forms of fitness.

One that is very common is going into a gym, plopping down on the machines and isolating one muscle group at a time in a controlled environment. Picture for instance an abdominal machine. You lie down in it, grap fixed handles that guide you through a set range of motion.

That would be considered "general fitness".

On the other hand, picture standing (just like you do in golf) holding a single hand weight (dumbbell) straight out in front of you, and rotating (turning) back and through just like your golf swing. That is an exercise that would be consider fitness for golf. It directly benefits your rotational strength AND flexibility?enabling you to make a bigger turn with more power.

This area rapidly declines with the older golfer. Abdominal strength and flexibility if not tested often, will decrease, and the ability to make a full backswing with stored energy will be less and less?resulting in a massive reduction in power output, therefore distance.

So the next time you're on the course and you get frustrated about you lack of distance off the tee?ask yourself "what was the last time you worked on your BODY?" Your answer will dictate your performance on a daily basis.

I have just barely scratched the surface of the importance of fitness for golf?but I hope I've got you thinking about how important fitness for golf is if you want to play your best golf.

About The Author: Mike Pedersen is one of the top golf fitness experts in the country, author of the Ultimate Golf Fitness Guide, and founder of several cutting-edge online golf fitness sites. Check out his new golf fitness products site at Perform Better Golf.