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Yoga and Golf: Swinging into Balance

Therese M. Pope | May 16, 2008

Marie Friedlander is helping golfers improve their game in a positive, innovative way with YogaGolf (www.mpoweryoga.org). Friedlander’s teaching philosophy is to take yoga off the mat and to incorporate it into people’s daily lives. She’s doing just that with YogaGolf. She teaches yoga classes geared towards golfers at The Resort at Pelican Hill Golf Club in Newport Coast, California.

Friedlander, who fell in love with yoga at 14 years old, has been teaching yoga since 1999 and trained with well-known yoga gurus, John Friend (Anusara yoga) and Baron Baptiste (Power Vinyasa yoga). Her husband, who is golf professional, inspired her to couple the practice of yoga and golf together.

“As I taught my husband yoga, he taught me golf and we started integrating the concept of yoga and golf,” Friedlander explains.

Yoga and Golf – The Perfect Fit

She and her husband noticed that the golf industry could only offer so much to golfers. Golfers could only develop as far as the equipment allowed. Friedlander knew golfers needed a new approach to their game—it was time for golfers to focus on their bodies.

“It is up to you as the person to get more fit,” remarks Friedlander.

Golfers Learn to Slow Down and Focus

There are many physical and mental benefits for golfers who practice yoga. She teaches golfers how to breathe properly, how to focus and slow down their lives, and how to “be present” in their golf game.

“Golf is 98% mental and yoga is also very mentally focused as well,” Friedlander comments.

Golfers Increase Strength and Improve Flexibility

As a result of practicing yoga, golfers build strength (especially core strength). She points out how more professional golfers, like Tiger Woods, are also adding strength training (like yoga, Pilates and weights), to enhance their golf game.

Yoga also improves golfers’ flexibility and balance (both physical and mental balance) which is very important in golf. The physical poses of yoga allow golfers to open up tight hips, shoulders and arms. When golfers swing, they need to be able to twist and turn their bodies at certain angles. Thus, yoga poses really helps them to stretch and release tension in these areas.

Golf and Yoga are Ageless

Just like golf, people can practice yoga at any point in their lives, which makes it complementary to golf.

“Golf is a game that you can age with,” reflects Friedlander.

For golfers who are hesitant to try yoga, she advises golfers to just get out there and try a class. She’s had skeptical golfers take her class, only to realize how intense and difficult yoga can be. However, her students found it a positive experience and realized how much yoga helped both their golf games and personal lives.

The Future of Yoga and Golf

Because yoga is becoming more mainstream in today’s society (especially amongst athletes), Friedlander sees a rise in the need for yoga classes geared towards golfers. Golfers realize that something is missing, and golf students face a level of frustration with their games. They are turning to yoga to help them become more enlightened, balanced and stronger golfers.