Golf asks quite a lot from the body
You need to rotate, stay balanced, control your posture and move different parts of yourself at different times, ideally without falling over or launching the club into a nearby hedge. If one area is stiff, weak or difficult to control, your body will usually find another way to complete the swing. That solution might work, but it may also make the swing less consistent, reduce your power or place more strain somewhere else.
A TPI movement assessment, from the Titleist Performance Institute, is a chance to look at how your body moves and work out whether any of it might be affecting your golf. Not in a dramatic way. In a useful, practical one. It helps us see what your body can currently do, what it finds difficult and where your training might help. If you are thinking about booking a TPI movement assessment in Poole, this is how it goes.
What will we actually do?
We’ll start with a chat. I’ll ask about your golf, your current training, anything your body has been through, any pain you experience and what you would like to improve. You do not need to arrive with a detailed analysis of your swing. “I keep slicing it into the trees” is perfectly acceptable information.
I’ll then take you through a series of movement tests. Some are performed in a golf posture. I may ask you to move your pelvis without moving your upper body, or rotate your upper body while keeping your lower body still. This is harder than it sounds. Most people discover that their body has its own opinions on the matter.
The aim is not to pass or fail you, and you will not be rushed through 16 tests before being handed a resistance band and shown the door. I’m looking at how you move, whether one side differs from the other, and whether another part of your body has to join in to help.
The technical part
The standard TPI physical screen includes 16 movement tests, covering mobility, stability, balance, posture, rotation, movement control, and your ability to separate different parts of the body. That last one matters most in golf. Your pelvis and torso need to move independently. If everything turns together like a fridge being moved across a kitchen floor, it is harder to create and control rotation through the swing.
The toe-touch shows how the tests read. Not being able to touch your toes does not automatically mean tight hamstrings. Despite what you may have been told since school PE, other areas can contribute to the movement.
The overhead squat gives a wider look at how your ankles, knees, hips, trunk, shoulders and arms work together. It is a very simple-looking test that manages to involve almost everything. The wrists and forearms get checked too. They are small, but irritatingly relevant.
The balance and stability tests tell us whether you lack movement, or whether you have the movement available but struggle to control it. That difference matters. If you already have enough range but lack control, endlessly stretching the area may not help.
What happens after the assessment?
I’ll explain what I’ve found and pick out the areas most relevant to you. The aim is not to give you a list of 16 things that are apparently wrong with you. Nobody needs that kind of negativity from an appointment they have paid for. We focus on your priorities.
Your programme may cover mobility, stability, balance, strength, rotational control, and speed and power, depending on your results and goals. We can repeat the relevant tests later to see whether your movement has improved. That gives us something more useful than “It feels a bit better, I think.”
Will I analyse your golf swing?
A TPI qualification helps me understand the relationship between the body and common golf-swing characteristics. It does not mean I am going to rebuild your swing or replace your golf coach. My role at Ocean Fitness is to assess and train the physical side. The best results often come from your personal trainer, golf coach and medical professional each doing their own job rather than everybody trying to do everybody else’s. A rare outbreak of common sense.
Common questions about TPI movement assessments in Poole
Do I need to be good at golf?
No. The assessment looks at how your body moves, not whether you hit a perfect drive. Beginners, club golfers and experienced players all benefit.
Will the assessment hurt?
It should not. Some movements feel stiff, not painful. If a test causes pain, I stop or adapt it. A movement assessment is not a medical diagnosis, and pain may require referral to an appropriate healthcare professional.
Will you analyse my golf swing?
I assess and train the physical side. I do not rebuild your swing or replace your golf coach.
Is a TPI movement assessment worth doing?
It will not guarantee every drive finds the fairway. Sadly, golf remains golf. It shows how your body moves and whether it is helping or limiting your swing, so training is built around what you actually show, not guesswork.
References
- Titleist Performance Institute. TPI Certified Level 1.
- Titleist Performance Institute. TPI Physical Screening Tests.
- Titleist Performance Institute. TPI Fitness Level 2.
- Titleist Performance Institute. The Body-Swing Connection.
- Titleist Performance Institute. Advanced Screening and Interpreting Results.