Two local high school golfers, Austin Dunlap and Bryan Stewart, have found a new tool to enhance their games.

The Pinecrest athletes participate in a Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) Golf Fitness Program at Fix and Flex, Inc. in Southern Pines, which focuses on improving a golfer’s strength, flexibility and power as it relates to their golf swing.

Both athletes have been participating in the program since the beginning of 2010, and both have seen significant improvement in their swings.

“I’m hitting the ball so much farther,” said Dunlap. “Most of the guys that I am playing against are pulling out their drivers, and I am out-driving them with my fairway woods and hybrids.”

The program focuses on the proper balance of mobility and stability throughout the body to create the most efficient and powerful golf swing possible for each individual player. The TPI physical screen, which is performed by certified golf fitness instructors, is a head-to-toe evaluation of the body focused on these two fundamental factors to assess a golfer’s flexibility, strength, balance and power.

From this screen, the instructors develop a fitness program to address a golfer’s weaknesses and enhance their strengths.

Through Dunlap’s evaluation, it was discovered that he had tightness in both shoulders and thoracic, or upper, spine, which limited his power and ability to maximize his shoulder turn while swinging.

During Stewart’s evaluation, tightness was found in his hip rotation and hamstrings, which limited his backswing and follow-through, creating a loss in distance.

Both athletes note significant benefit from the TPI program.

“I feel much more balanced in my golf swing, which allows me to create a much more compact and powerful swing,” said Stewart.

Golf fitness has become an integral part of professional golfers’ regimens. Just as golfers have swing coaches to improve their game on the course, professional and amateur golfers now utilize golf fitness instructors to provide them with the physical tools to perform their best swings.

To learn more about golf fitness, visit mytpi.com or fixandflexinc.com and research certified golf fitness instructors in your area.