Ben Kendrick is a Performance Physical Therapist and the Founder of Elevate Golf Physical Therapy and Performance in Lexington, Kentucky.
Ben Kendrick on the importance of positioning yourself for success at a golf-centric facility:
I opened Elevate Golf Physical Therapy and Performance in November of 2024, after graduating with my PT degree from the University of Kentucky the year before. My primary client is the junior golfer, working predominantly with that demographic and some collegiate players. My broader client roster runs the gamut, however, and I’m even working with individuals in their 80s. Working with such a diverse clientele is one of my favorite aspects of the job in these early stages of my business. Although they all have different backgrounds in the game, the majority of my clients are golfers, and their needs are as diverse as their experience. Even though many of my rehab clients are working out injuries not necessarily sustained while playing golf, my experience playing the game is an asset in treating these individuals to not only heal in a general sense, but also to get back on the course healthy and strong. Each new client gets an initial assessment, and my golf training clients get a TPI evaluation. These results are utilized to determine the length of training or rehab time they’ll need and at what frequency they’ll come to our facility. This programming is often different for each client and is also based on their goals and availability. Some clients come once per week, others monthly. Some are very accountable for their progress and work out at their own gym or in their homes and come to me for check-ups to gauge how they’re progressing based on what they want to achieve. With my primary location being at the Bluegrass Golf Academy in Lexington, Kentucky, I conduct group fitness classes that focus on strength, power, mobility, stamina and more. Most group training clients sign up month-to-month, but I do have a drop-in policy that allows clients who can’t commit to the month to train on a per-session basis, with advanced notice, of course.
Ben Kendrick on the business impact of positioning yourself for success at a golf-centric facility:
Whether they are my middle school and high school juniors or adult clients, my golfers are all working on different things, based on the strengths and deficiencies they bring to the table. However, everyone will be doing the same workout in each specific class, with the level to which each person is performing these actions – jumping, strength, rotation, etc. – varying greatly. We scale the exercise to each person’s abilities so they all get the greatest benefit from our engagement together. With this in mind, it’s important to understand the playing schedule of each participant, as we strive not to overload our competitive golfers in the middle of their tournament season. This doesn’t mean all activity and training ceases, but the level at which we go at it is dictated by how active each client is on the golf course at that time. I must know this to prescribe the most effective program for each golfer. At Bluegrass, I have a half-turf/half-floor full-service gym with cable column, free weights, dumbbells, kettlebells, bands, plyo boxes, medicine balls and a sled that I use to train my clients. I also have a private treatment room adjacent to the gym area. With my location at Bluegrass Golf Academy, there is much collaboration between me and the PGA of America Golf Professionals on staff. They’ll have students that I’m already working with and others who haven’t visited Elevate yet, but will now, so I can help them achieve the goals that they’ve established with their coach or swing instructor. This collaboration bridges the gap between golf and fitness and educates the golfer on the benefits of fitness in their golf game.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email elevategolfpt@gmail.com.
