I tend to agree with Mark Twain, who famously quipped, “It’s good to walk spoiled in golf.” Nevertheless, in the spirit of being open to new things, I met up with Cam Abey and his dog Navy at CamFit CDA this fall to learn more about golf-specific training. I was there. Cam is certified by his Titleist Performance Institute, and in 2020 he started CamFit CDA, which he just moved to his current location in Dalton Gardens in September.
Since I’ve only played golf a handful of times myself, I brought along Dr. Tim Burns, a long-time partner at Ironwood Family Practice. Tim started playing golf in his eighth grade and tried joining his high school golf team “so I could play golf for free.” He has always enjoyed playing golf, but medical school, residency, and family commitments have taken him away from golf. Three years ago, he started playing golf. Tim participates in his nine-hole league and goes on his six-day golf trip with his friends once a year. Tim really enjoys the camaraderie and likes that golf is a sociable sport where “you get to talk a lot”. He primarily plays golf for fun, recreation, and going out with friends, but he always seeks an edge over his golfing buddies. So we thought he was the perfect person to help evaluate the golf-specific training offered at CamFit CDA.
Cam (and Navy) met us in their 2,200 square foot facility, evaluated our movements through a 16-point screen, and gave us a “Golf Fitness Handicap.” Here’s the difference between your golf fitness handicap and your actual handicap. How much are we overcompensating for declines in mobility and fitness?
Once the evaluation is complete, CamFit trainers will design a personalized corrective exercise program to improve the connection between your body and your swing. According to Kam, they focus on “functional training.” This means “squatting, twisting, lifting…using your body in more ways than just sitting on a stable machine and working just one muscle group.” She emphasized that CamFit’s trainers also want to improve your overall fitness level by providing you with the right workouts. Clients typically begin their sessions on a treadmill, which Kam says is “a nice compliment to an already active lifestyle.”
After our initial evaluation, Dr. Tim was ready to take the plunge and begin working with Derek Kohler, one of CamFit’s trainers. Typically, it takes him about four months to work with CamFit’s trainers before his golf swing is maximally improved, but I recently caught up with Tim after his fourth session of the week. He uses bands and light weights to work on tightness that limits range of motion and golf swings. He feels like it’s a full-body workout and ends up feeling sore and tired after an hour session.
Although he hasn’t retested in the simulator to see if he can drive better, Tim plans to keep doing it and even plans to increase his workout sessions to two and eventually three times a week. He likes that with goals built into his athletic training, he can combine getting in better shape with the end goal of a better golf swing and a better golf game.
Positives: Tim likes how energetic and encouraging Derek is. According to Kam, “That’s part of our job, not to pass judgment…because everyone starts somewhere. We want to give our clients peace of mind and feel like we’re doing it right.” It is very important to receive it.”
The Bad: Memberships start at $300 per month and go up from there depending on the length and number of weekly sessions, but they also offer personal training sessions and golf lessons with individual prices ranging from $45 to $75 per session. I am. And depending on your perspective, if you’re already paying for a round of golf, it might be worth the investment to make that round more enjoyable and successful.
Bottom line: As family physicians and partners in the same practice, Dr. Burns and I both strive to encourage our patients to move more by connecting them to bigger goals and fun activities. Or, as Tim succinctly put it, “When people choose something they enjoy, they’re more likely to stick with it.”
Dr. Emry is a family physician and partner at Ironwood Family Practice in Coeur d’Alene. Exercise Explorer MD appears biweekly in The Press. Dr. Emry can be contacted via email at his exerciseexplorermd@gmail.com. © 2023. This work is licensed under his CC BY-ND 4.0 license.
Dr. Jeff Emley