One of golf’s top specialists in the area of human movement has urged rank and file golfers to pay attention to warm-ups.

Dr Tina Maio, a Melbourne osteopath who has worked closely with the likes of Adam Scott and various top-line players, says all levels of golfer can benefit from exercise to have their body ready.

Sadly many amateur golfers race to the first tee. “You’ve been in the car and nothing’s activated in your body,” Maio told Golf Australia’s Inside The Ropes podcast recently. “You (have to) give yourself even 10 minutes before you teed off and went through some warm-up exercises and activation work, where you put the body in the positions that are required for your golf swing.

“Because you’ve done that, the brain’s already prepared and aware of what you’re asking of it. Your body and your nervous system are prepared for what you want it to do. That’s what a warm-up’s for. And that’s why more than half the people playing golf have back pain.”