Al Van Vliet is the Director of Wellness at the Country Club of North Carolina in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Al Van Vliet on the importance of implementing health and wellness training at your facility:
After 40 years at the Country Club of North Carolina, I have seen the golf and fitness industries change vastly over time. What was initiated in the mid-90s, when the length and strength that Tiger Woods displayed on the golf course started bringing the two together, has flourished into a vast industry of health, wellness, performance and improvement. I joined the team at CCNC in 1986 as the tennis professional and have run the tennis operation ever since. We joined the pickleball craze five years ago when we installed four pickleball courts and recently brought in a new Director of Racquets, Eric Taino, a former professional tennis player who was an All-America at UCLA. With fitness becoming a greater factor than ever in the performance and longevity of our golfers, I have become a NASM-certified personal trainer and attained my TPI certification, as well. I really enjoy working with our CCNC golfers. Fitness has been a great addition to our club, keeping me active with our members, working on mobility, stability, flexibility, balance and all other aspects of functional training. I also implement a lot of core strength training when working with my tennis players and golfers. The sports correlate very well in the essential physical requirements that elevate one’s game and keep members playing longer into their lives. We also have two independent trainers who come in to work with members.
Al Van Vliet on the business impact of implementing health and wellness training at your facility:
Our fitness facility is a little more than 2,200 square feet and has much of today’s modern equipment and tools to make every member’s workout as beneficial and productive as possible. I work with golfers in our downstairs studio because it allows us to carefully swing a golf club without risk of harm or damage. Having recently turned 70 years old, I always strive to stay in good shape. But I do, however, understand that falls are one of the biggest concerns among our senior population. Golf is a great balance sport, requiring you to perform on different lies and various situations — uphill, downhill, on the sides of hills and in bunkers, making the game a great balance training activity.
Balance is based on three factors:
- your visual system
- your vestibular (inner ear) system
- your proprioceptive system
When you compromise one of these systems, as in closing one eye, the other systems have to work harder. Eighty percent of the work I do with seniors incorporates balance to some extent. Swinging with one eye closed at a time or even with both eyes closed means they have to work harder to hold their balance at the end of the swing, training the body rather quickly that balance is vital for golf and daily function later in life. Other balance drills include holding their follow-through until their ball hits the ground or swinging on one leg for those individuals who are capable. An important message to convey to golfers who are on the fence about implementing fitness into their daily regimen is that this training will not only help them be better golfers, but also live healthier, more active lives.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email avanvliet@ccofnc.com.
