logo
How PGA Tour pros recover from travel and golf fatigue — and what you can do, too

How PGA Tour pros recover from travel and golf fatigue — and what you can do, too

USA Today4 days ago
It's a long way from Royal Portrush to Minneapolis. Discover the recovery tools PGA Tour pros use to bounce back from majors and long flights.
Sam Burns and Wyndham Clark both made the cut last week at the British Open and are scheduled to play this week in the PGA Tour's 3M Open in the Twin Cities, Minnesota. To get there, they first have to drive about an hour from Royal Portrush, Northern Ireland, to Belfast International Airport. From there, it's a nearly nine-hour flight across six time zones to Minneapolis-St. Paul. So if they left on an 8 p.m. flight Sunday, they'd land around 11 p.m. local time on the same day in Minnesota. But after playing 72 holes of major championship golf and spending the last two weeks on British Summer Time, it would still feel like 5 a.m. to their bodies.
That long flight, the time change and the physical toll a major championship can take on a player will make even the fittest golfers exhausted. It's why so many top pros not chasing FedEx Cup points are skipping the 3M Open — they need time to recover.
You weren't chasing the Claret Jug, but if you've played 36 holes in a day, tackled a buddy trip to somewhere like Bandon Dunes or Pinehurst or survived a weekend member-guest marathon, you've felt that same heavy-legged fatigue.
So, how do the best players in the world bounce back — and what can you learn from their routines to speed up your recovery and help you feel refreshed and ready to play again?
Compression therapy: Squeeze out the waste
Step inside the physio trailers at PGA Tour events and you'll see several pairs of long, black zip-up leggings with hoses coming out of the top of each legging. These are Normatec 3 leggings ($899), also known as compression boots, which are a favorite tool among players for flushing the legs after long rounds or workouts.
After zipping their legs into the boots and attaching the hoses to a small base unit, the Normatec device alternately inflates and deflates the boots, much like a blood pressure cuff around a player's feet, ankles, knees and thighs.
'What the Normatec does is like squeezing toothpaste from the bottom of a tube, squeezing it all out,' said Corey Hug, a PGA Tour physical therapist who travels to numerous events a year to help players. 'It squeezes fluid back in your system, goes back to your heart through your kidneys, and you get it out. So things like lactic acid, which is build up from working out, along with other metabolic waste, it squeezes all that heaviness out of the legs. And when the legs are done, they feel lighter, fluids circulating, you're ready to go again.'
Many players will even use Normatec boots before workouts if their legs feel tired, helping them get circulation moving before hitting the gym or the course.
Hyperice, the company that manufactures Normatec boots, also offers tubeless Normatec Elite boots ($1,099). This version, which is more portable and packable, utilizes rechargeable units in each boot instead of relying on a base unit to supply the pressure for both leggings.
Percussive therapy: Thumping out the tension
In 2020, the PGA Tour formed a partnership with Hyperice, maker of popular percussive therapy devices often called therapy guns. These handheld, battery-operated tools deliver rapid, targeted pulses to areas of the body that feel tight or sore.
The rapid percussion helps increase blood flow to specific muscles, reduces stiffness and aids in recovery by loosening up tissue that can become rigid after repeated swings, travel or extended practice sessions.
These devices are small enough to pack in a carry-on, easy to use and come with interchangeable tips to target different muscle groups. At many PGA Tour stops, players can grab a therapy gun from carts stationed near the driving range to use as part of their warm-up.
Hydration and nutrition: In with the good, out with the bad
Flying is brutal on the body, largely because airplane cabins are low in humidity to prevent condensation and corrosion. The air pressure is lower at altitude, which, combined with drier air and increased respiration rates, causes the body to lose moisture faster than usual. Add in the typical snacks — processed meats, salty chips, sugary drinks — and it's easy to see why a flight can leave you feeling stiff and inflamed.
Some top-tier golfers travel with personal chefs, but a valuable resource available to all PGA Tour players is the on-site nutritionist, provided at many tournaments.
'We do discuss nutrition a lot,' Hug said. 'Like, what are good things to eat before or good things to eat after you play? What are good things to do for hydration? The PGA Tour does have a nutritionist that actually travels to quite a few tournaments, and aside from just picking what foods are going to be in the player dining, they actually will consult with any player at any time about their nutrition needs.'
While most recreational golfers don't have a nutritionist on speed dial, focusing on anti-inflammatory foods can help the body bounce back faster. According to Harvard Medical School, eating leafy greens like spinach and kale, as well as fatty fish such as salmon and tuna, berries and nuts like almonds and walnuts, can help reduce inflammation and support your body's recovery after a long day on the course — or a long flight.
Hit the gym: Move to feel better
Jon Rahm is based in Scottsdale, Arizona, but his schedule on the LIV Golf tour and his participation in major championships have him flying all over the world. After a long trip, you might assume the first thing the two-time major winner wants to do is take a nap. That wouldn't be terrible, but Rahm does the exact opposite.
'If you have time and [access to] a gym or whatever it may be, get a little bit of exercise in,' Rahm said recently. 'It doesn't need to be crazy. It could be 30, 40 minutes of just some kind of stretching or whatever to get the blood flowing a little bit more so your body can just naturally recover and get things moving.'
Many hotels and golf resorts offer fitness facilities, but even a brisk 20-minute walk upon arrival can help improve circulation and ease stiffness.
'I found that being very beneficial when I go across the Atlantic, when you go to Europe, Dubai flights like that,' Rahm said. 'But landing and going straight to the gym, and actually if it's mid-afternoon trying to get a hard workout in, has helped me by far the most get over jet lag and things like that. It's like a reset to the body.'
The takeaway
You may not have a fitness trailer, a physio team or a nutritionist traveling with you, but the blueprint for recovery is the same: keep your body moving, stay hydrated, eat smart and give your muscles a little help when they're tight or sore.
Whether it's a therapy gun in your golf bag, compression sleeves in your suitcase or a gym session after your next flight, these are simple ways to help you feel fresher and play better — even if the only thing on the line is the weekend game with your buddies.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Padraig Harrington plays bogey-free at Sunningdale and builds 1-shot lead in Senior British Open
Padraig Harrington plays bogey-free at Sunningdale and builds 1-shot lead in Senior British Open

Fox Sports

time15 minutes ago

  • Fox Sports

Padraig Harrington plays bogey-free at Sunningdale and builds 1-shot lead in Senior British Open

Associated Press BERKSHIRE, England (AP) — Padraig Harrington birdied his last hole Friday for a 5-under 65, giving him a one-shot lead in the Senior British Open as he goes for his second senior major title of the year. Defending champion K.J. Choi had the lead late in the second round on the Old Course at Sunningdale until he took bogeys on the 16 and 17th. Choi had to settle for a 67 and was one shot behind along with Thomas Bjorn, who had a 63. Harrington is trying to become the fifth player to win the British Open and the Senior British Open. 'Where I should make a score I scored, and then I got in trouble on plenty of other holes,' Harrington said. 'Hit some recovery shots and managed my game, but I never showed much confidence out there at all in my swing at all. I obviously like these 72-hole ones, and the bigger golf courses suit me.' The Senior British Open is the fifth major on the PGA Tour Champions. The regular tournaments are 54 holes. Harrington won the U.S. Senior Open at The Broadmoor in Colorado. Bjorn was an angry Dane on Friday and it worked in his favor. He was furious with himself for ruining a good start in the opening round with three bogeys over the last four holes. He channeled that frustration into four birdies in five holes at the start. He made eagle on the 320-yard 11th. And after dropping shots on the 16th and 17th holes, he finished with a birdie. 'Just got out here in that mode of I know I played well yesterday and I was hitting the ball well. I knew I was playing well, but I was just angry,' Bjorn said. 'Wanted to get off to a start and hit a great shot on 2, which it's not like a given birdie, and then I hit some good shots from there. 'The first 12 holes was just an absolute joy.' Among those two shots behind were Ernie Els and Justin Leonard, who made the cut in the British Open last week at Royal Portrush. ___ AP golf: recommended Item 1 of 1

BetMGM Bonus Code WIREBG150: Bet $10, Win $150 in Bonus Bets for MLB, UFC, WNBA & More
BetMGM Bonus Code WIREBG150: Bet $10, Win $150 in Bonus Bets for MLB, UFC, WNBA & More

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

BetMGM Bonus Code WIREBG150: Bet $10, Win $150 in Bonus Bets for MLB, UFC, WNBA & More

If you're a new bettor interested in wagering on a crucial MLB series between division leaders, the 3M Open from Minnesota's TPC Twin Cities or anything else on the sports betting calendar, then BetMGM is the place you want to be. BetMGM features two terrific welcome offers designed for you to get the most out of your experience. If you're in Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania or West Virginia, you'll use the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150 that hands you $150 in bonus bets just for winning a $10 first bet. If you're in any other state where BetMGM operates, then you'll use the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE that guarantees you a protected first bet up to $1,500. The Tigers owned the best record in the American League since early in the season but were passed by both the Blue Jays and Astros this week after being swept by the Pirates. Detroit continues a four-game set against Toronto tonight at Comerica Park. You can bet on Blue-Jays-Tigers, Athletics-Astros or any of the games on tonight's schedule after signing up with one of the best sportsbook promos on the market. Click any BET NOW button on your screen and answer a few simple questions. When you're asked whether you have a bonus code, type in either the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150 or the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE to activate your welcome offer. BetMGM Bonus Code Promos: Get $150 in Bonus Bets or $1500 First-Bet Offer NFL training camps opened this week and we're less than a week away from the Hall of Fame Game between the Chargers and Lions. BetMGM already offers odds on NFL Week 1 games, as well as futures odds on the Super Bowl winner, conference winners, top seeds, MVP, offensive and defensive POY and more. The Liberty host the Mercury tonight in a matchup between the No. 2 and No. 3 teams in the league while the league-leading Lynx host the Aces. UFC Fight Night from the United Arab Emirates is tomorrow and with these UFC betting promos you'll be all set. When you join forces with BetMGM, you have the latest odds at your fingertips for events all over the globe. You need just two minutes to create an account, so find the nearest BET NOW button so you can trigger either the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150 (you secure $150 in bonus bets when you win a $10 first bet) or the BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE (one protected first bet up to $1,500). How to Sign Up for the BetMGM Bonus Code Offer If you're 21 or older (in most states) and in one of the more than 20 states where BetMGM operates, you can sign up for a new account with a BetMGM bonus code in a matter of minutes. Here's how: If you're signed up for the $1,500 BetMGM bonus code SBWIRE, place your first bet on any of today's matchups (or any other set of odds), and if it settles as a loss, you'll get bonus bets back. For wagers of $50 and up, the refund comes as five equal bonus bets, while smaller wagers get a single matching credit. With the BetMGM bonus code WIREBG150, you can wager on any set of odds, and if it comes back as a win, you get your winnings plus three $50 bet credits. After signing up for your BetMGM bonus code offer, place your qualifying bet within seven days. You'll have a seven-day window from when bonus bets are deposited to use them or they will expire.

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIREDYW: Get 10 100% Profit Boosts for Cubs-ChiSox, More
Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIREDYW: Get 10 100% Profit Boosts for Cubs-ChiSox, More

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIREDYW: Get 10 100% Profit Boosts for Cubs-ChiSox, More

One Chicago baseball team could be headed to the World Series. The other could be headed to the No. 1 pick in the Major League Baseball draft. Nonetheless, it's always an event when the Cubs and the White Sox meet. If you're interested in this or any other MLB game tonight, then jump on the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIREDYW that gives you 10 100% profit-boost tokens just for making a $1 first bet. Here's the scoop: Create an account. Place a $1 first bet on any event you like on the Caesars Sportsbook app, which is one of the nation's most comprehensive sports betting apps. As soon as that first bet gets settled — win, lose or push — you'll collect the 10 100% profit-boost tokens. You'll have 14 days to attach those tokens to bets that you make. A token enables you to double your profit on any bet you win. The Cubs have put together their best team since the 2016 World Series champs. The White Sox aren't as bad as last year, but they're a young squad a long way from being good. When deciding how to play this rivalry, keep in mind the Cubs swept their three-game series in May at Wrigley Field — and none of the games were close. There are several other intriguing MLB series this weekend. The Philadelphia Phillies and New York Yankees — two more legit World Series contenders — meet in the Bronx. The Los Angeles Dodgers are visiting the Boston Red Sox, which means another love-in for Mookie Betts. If you have two minutes to spare, use them to get started with one of the most lucrative sportsbook promos available. Tap any BET NOW button you see to create your account with the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIREDYW. This earns you the Bet $1, Get 10 100% profit-boost tokens offer. Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code SBWIREDYW: 10 100% Profit Boosts Guaranteed for PGA & More With the Open Championship (and all four majors) in the rearview mirror, it's tempting to say pro golf is over for a while. But the PGA Tour never stops. The world's finest golfers are in Minnesota this week for the 3M Open that pays out $8.4 million. To check the latest odds on this tournament and all others happening this weekend, click the Golf tab at BetMGM. MLS doesn't ordinarily play matches on Friday night, but tonight is an exception as there are six matches on the grid. Nashville SC's visit to San Diego FC brings together two of the league's top five clubs but keep an eye on Orlando City's visit to the Columbus Crew. Ready to play? Click the closest BET NOW button, answer a few simple questions and type in the Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIREDYW. Boom … you've just guaranteed yourself 10 100% profit-boost tokens once you play a $1 first bet. How to Claim The Caesars Sportsbook Promo Code Bonus Offer It takes just a few moments to secure your Caesars Sportsbook promo code offer: The Caesars Sportsbook promo code SBWIREDYW code entitles you to 10 100% profit-boost tokens just for placing that $1 first bet. You'll have 14 days to use your tokens. Attach a token to any bet that you'd like to double your profit on. Just keep in mind you can't use a token on a bet bigger than $25 or odds more conservative than -10000. The maximum added profit per boost is $2,500. Bonus bets are non-withdrawable. But the Caesars Sportsbook promo code features a 1X playthrough policy, so any bonus bet needs to win just once for you to collect the profit in cash.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store