Golf, as in any sport these days, has become a year round endeavor. This does not imply that other sports cannot be in the picture, but they must take a back seat to the program. Golf has evolved over the years, as has the approach to success. As we look at what it means to perform at a very high level, it is clear that a player is only as strong as their weakest muscle and only as efficient as their worst movement. We believe that golf is one of the most over played and under trained of all sports. Most coaches place a great emphasis on teaching the swing but little is understood about maximizing performance and the corrective measures needed for the physical limitations.

The Futures Program is not about promises… it is about giving serious, dedicated players an opportunity to get the genetic maximum out of their abilities and prepare these players for a chance at the next level what ever that may be. Many programs throughout the country make promises to players and parents that are impossible to make happen. No one can guarantee a scholarship to college, or tell you that your son or daughter will be on the tour. The best that anyone can do is to develop you to your genetic maximum and this is something that most people just do not understand the amount of time needed to achieve this level. The NHA includes one of the most technologically advanced golf evaluation processes (TPI) in existence focusing on swing efficiencies and conditioning. Utilizing our physical screening process, we measure your ability to generate and transfer speed and determine the most efficient energy transfer throughout your body. We will isolate any physical limitations, correlate these findings to your swing technique and prescribe a custom-conditioning program.

Swing technique and style is as unique as a player's fingerprints. With TPI technology we utilize their proprietary MRI motion capture system to develop a three-dimensional figure of your golf swing including all of the rotational speeds of your body. This provides a precise picture of what is happening during your swing. We can then match your swing technique with your physical attributes to help you build a more repeatable and efficient golf swing.

NHA believes that equal if not more time should be placed on drills and conditioning to build strength, timing, rhythm and feel. In this program, we take the four performance absolutes and integrate them into a year round program. A Macro Cycle of training, skill work, and rounds. We address Biomechanical efficiency, Functional Strength, Nutrition, and Mental/Emotional. When you add recovery we call that closing the loop to performance. These areas encompass the next generation golfer. We will become your complete performance advisor and your personal trainer. We will provide you with all the guidance and instruction necessary to get you to your next level.

Functional Strength Training
We will address the neuro-muscular system as a unit. The integration of this system rather than the isolation of individual muscles is critical during strength training. We will increase the ability to produce force, reduce force, and stabilize the kinetic chain. You will develop the optimum levels of strength, speed, and power in your golf swing. Functional strength training will be an off-season, pre-season, and in-season activity.

Mental/Emotional
Thinking versus feeling or the connection of mind and body, a kinesthetic awareness. Physical tasks of the body are driven by mental/emotional state of the individual. You can't do two things at once. When trying to do something we can only perform one task at a time with conscious effort. When we want to improve our mechanics, we must decide which part of the brain program needs to be rewritten at what particular time. Effective management of emotions and mental focus are critical to the health and performance of the player. This will be a very important part of our process in training and games. Each player must master the boredom of repetition.

Nutrition Counseling
Nutrition includes all of the materials needed to both supply energy and maintain good health in a very complex athlete with very specific and complex needs. What we want to accomplish is to provide the information necessary for the elite player to understand these needs well enough that, they can confidently make the appropriate decisions to meet their specific nutritional needs.

Recovery
Closing the loop is a rehabilitation and pre-habilitation process of the human body. Athletes prepare to compete, they compete, then (ideally) they repair from their competition before starting to prepare again. This routine must be managed game-to-game and week-to-week in micro cycles, as well as month-to-month and year-to-year in macro cycles if players are to have a chance at successful, and healthy careers.

About Steve Johnson

Steve is a Certified Performance Analyst specializing in striker thrower sports and holds a degree from the University of Maryland. He specializes in the Four Corners of Performance biomechanical efficiency, functional strength and conditioning, mental and emotional preparation, and nutritional support. We then close the loop to performance with the pre-habilitation and rehabilitation exercises as they relate to golf performance and recovery. Over the years he has helped both professional and amateur, reach their peak performance through the Four Corners program. His unique form of functional strength training combined with cross-specific motor learning drills has made him one of the top coaches in the United States.

He is currently working with Dr. Greg Rose at TPI the Titleist Performance Institute in Oceanside Ca. and with Dr. Tom House at the Rod Dedeaux Performance Center at the University of Southern California. Their research is on analyzing the 3-D biomechanics of the swing and isolating the physical limitations, as well as the development of the functional strength protocols for performance and corrective training.

Steve appears weekly as a golf and fitness analyst on the ESPN Radio show “Double Bogey Blues”. He also has conducted instructional clinics at the Jim McLean Golf School and serves as guest lecturer on performance training to players and coaches at the professional and college level. His work has been featured in such arenas as MASN sports network, ESPN Radio, MLB International, Train the Swing DVD, and in the book he co-Authored with Dr. Tom House “The Art & Science of Pitching”.

“ Steve is a valued member of our group and his performance training is as good as anyone’s“

Tom House advisory board TPI and currently at the Rod Dedeaux Performance Center at USC

“I am putting my golf future in Steve’s hands and I feel very confident he will get me to the next level” Dean Carrigan current tour player

“Steve has a very complete understanding of the physical limitations that golfers face and has been trained to address their specific needs.”

Dr. Greg Rose co- founder Titleist Performance Institute

Final Thoughts

I would like to thank you for your interest in our Futures Program. During my years as a player, coach, and trainer I am very excited about this program, more than any I have ever seen or been involved with. We have studied the best players in the game to understand what makes them special and identify any physical limitations. Players are placed through a complete array of tests usually reserved for the best golfers in the world. By assessing a “total picture” of your body and swing our team will recommend a program that will seamlessly integrate into your existing coach, PGA or LPGA professional. This instruction will help you optimize your performance and this process will translate to success and will get every player to his or her genetic potential.

Coach Johnson

To Learn More