The world of professional golf demands a unique blend of skill, mental fortitude, and physical fitness. While some players are intensely focused on maintaining peak athletic condition for competition, others, like recently retired LPGA legend Michelle Wie West, are finding new fitness goals post-career. Meanwhile, active tour player Charley Hull is demonstrating a rigorous approach to training as she prepares for the upcoming season.
Michelle Wie West: A Post-Retirement Fitness Milestone
Michelle Wie West, a name synonymous with golfing excellence, faced numerous physical challenges throughout her career. Her battles with wrist injuries, including surgeries and arthritic conditions, eventually led to her retirement from professional play in 2023. Despite stepping away from competitive golf, Wie West remains dedicated to her physical well-being and recently celebrated a significant personal achievement.
Overcoming Adversity
Wie West recently completed her first-ever 60-minute walk/run class, a milestone that highlights her resilience. For someone who struggled with debilitating injuries, this achievement signifies a remarkable triumph and underscores her dedication to both physical and mental health. Her journey showcases a commitment to overcoming setbacks and maintaining a positive outlook. She has also spoken about the importance of core strength for golfers, emphasizing exercises like the rotational chop.
Wie West’s Fitness Philosophy
While no longer competing professionally, Wie West remains an advocate for fitness. She emphasizes the role of muscle memory in golf and has incorporated training tools like Tonal into her routine to reinforce swing movement patterns. Her experience highlights the importance of a balanced approach to fitness, even when not actively competing. Wie West also promotes the idea of using exercise to improve the quality of life in other areas.
Charley Hull: Intense Training for the 2025 Season
In contrast to Wie West’s post-retirement focus, active LPGA and LET professional Charley Hull is ramping up her fitness regimen in preparation for the 2025 season. Hull’s commitment to physical training is evident in her intense gym workouts, which she regularly shares with her large social media following.
A Glimpse into Hull’s Grueling Routine
Hull’s workouts are known for their intensity and variety. They include exercises like ski thresholds, box jumps, burpees, walking lunges, and kettlebell swings, demonstrating her commitment to pushing her physical limits. She has also been seen doing skipping, Russian twists, rope work, ball crunches, slams, skiing, rowing, running, and sledge pushes. Hull’s routines also often end with a 7-kilometer run.
Mental Fortitude and Physical Performance
Hull’s fitness philosophy goes beyond mere physical strength. She embraces discomfort and views pain as a weakness of the mind, showcasing her mental toughness and dedication to excel. This mindset, along with her structured workouts, underscores a holistic approach to athletic development. She is quoted as saying, “It’s being comfortable with being uncomfortable, as my dad has always told me pain is a weakness of the mind.” She also credits her gym trainer, Kate Davey, for her fitness updates.
Balancing Fitness and Lifestyle
Despite her intense training, Hull also maintains a unique lifestyle. She admits to smoking an average of five cigarettes per round but counterbalances this with a super clean diet and abstaining from alcohol for most of the year. She has also mentioned that her active lifestyle helps with jet lag and increases stamina. Hull has mentioned that golf-specific training is “boring” to her, and that she prefers running for both fitness and her mind.
The Importance of Recovery
Hull emphasizes the importance of recovery, including ice baths, physio, and massages, which she credits for her ability to avoid injuries. This approach underscores a balanced understanding of training and recovery for peak athletic performance. She also prioritizes sleep, getting around 10-11 hours a night.
The Evolving Demands of Golf
The fitness journeys of Wie West and Hull highlight the evolving demands of professional golf. While Wie West’s experience underscores the physical toll the sport can take, Hull demonstrates the growing emphasis on physical fitness and athletic conditioning.
A Shift in Training Approaches
Traditionally, golf was not considered a physically demanding sport. However, the modern game requires significant physical strength, endurance, and flexibility. Wie West’s workouts have evolved over the years, incorporating different approaches as she aged. This shift has led to golfers adopting more rigorous training regimens that focus on strength, power, and overall physical conditioning.
Personalizing Fitness Goals
Ultimately, both Wie West and Hull demonstrate that fitness goals are deeply personal and can vary based on an individual’s circumstances and objectives. Wie West’s fitness is more about maintaining a healthy lifestyle, while Hull’s focus is improving performance in the sport. Whether it is post-retirement well-being or preparing for competitive play, each approach highlights the importance of a holistic and tailored approach to fitness in the sport of golf.
Conclusion
The contrasting fitness journeys of Michelle Wie West and Charley Hull present a fascinating look at the world of golf and physical conditioning. Wie West’s post-retirement dedication to fitness after overcoming serious injuries is an inspiration. At the same time, Hull’s rigorous approach to training demonstrates the commitment of athletes at the highest levels of the sport. Their dedication highlights the importance of fitness for both performance and overall well-being in the modern game of golf.
