How can lacrosse techniques benefit a golf swing. What are the similarities between lacrosse and golf that make cross-training effective. Why is practicing lacrosse skills valuable for golfers looking to improve their performance.
The Power of Cross-Sport Training for Athletes
Cross-training between different sports can be an incredibly effective way for athletes to develop new skills and enhance their overall performance. While sports like golf and lacrosse may seem quite different on the surface, there are actually many transferable skills and techniques that can benefit athletes in both disciplines. Let’s explore how incorporating lacrosse training into a golf regimen can help golfers take their game to the next level.
Key Lacrosse Skills That Translate to Golf
Several fundamental lacrosse skills and movements can directly translate to improving a golfer’s swing mechanics and overall athleticism:
- Hand-eye coordination
- Rotational core strength
- Balance and footwork
- Explosive power generation
- Mental focus and concentration
By practicing lacrosse techniques like wall ball and shooting drills, golfers can enhance these athletic attributes in new and challenging ways that complement their standard golf training.
Wall Ball: The Perfect Drill for Hand-Eye Coordination
One of the most effective lacrosse drills for improving hand-eye coordination is wall ball. This simple yet challenging exercise involves repeatedly throwing and catching a lacrosse ball against a wall. For golfers, this drill can significantly enhance their ability to track the golf ball and make solid contact.
How to Practice Wall Ball as a Golfer
- Stand about 5-10 feet from a solid wall
- Throw the lacrosse ball against the wall
- Catch the ball as it rebounds
- Repeat, gradually increasing speed and intensity
- Practice with both your dominant and non-dominant hands
IMG Lacrosse Coach Spencer Wright emphasizes the importance of making training enjoyable: “I tell my students to bring headphones, listen to music, and make it an enjoyable process. It’s a meditation.” This mindset can help golfers stay engaged and motivated during cross-training sessions.
Shooting Drills: Developing Rotational Power and Accuracy
Lacrosse shooting drills offer an excellent opportunity for golfers to work on generating rotational power and improving accuracy. The mechanics of a lacrosse shot share similarities with a golf swing, making it a valuable cross-training exercise.
Benefits of Lacrosse Shooting Drills for Golfers
- Enhances core rotation and hip mobility
- Improves follow-through mechanics
- Develops consistency and accuracy
- Builds upper body strength and flexibility
To practice, set up targets at various distances and focus on maintaining proper form while gradually increasing power and accuracy. This approach mirrors the progression golfers use when practicing at a driving range.
Overcoming the Challenges of Cross-Sport Training
While cross-training can be highly beneficial, it’s important to recognize that adapting to a new sport can present challenges. IMG student-athlete Rodrigo Barahona noted the initial difficulty in coordinating hand movements during lacrosse drills: “I thought it was pretty simple, just tossing balls. It’s kind of hard to coordinate the hands.”
Golfers may find certain lacrosse skills particularly challenging due to the differences in hand usage between the sports. Barahona observed: “Since I play golf, we don’t switch hands that much. Switching to the left is almost impossible for me. I can’t catch the ball. It’s really hard.”
These challenges, however, are precisely what make cross-training so valuable. By pushing athletes out of their comfort zones and forcing them to develop new motor skills, cross-training can lead to significant improvements in overall athleticism and performance.
Implementing a Cross-Training Program for Golfers
To effectively incorporate lacrosse training into a golf regimen, consider the following tips:
- Start slowly and focus on proper technique
- Gradually increase the intensity and complexity of drills
- Alternate between golf-specific training and lacrosse cross-training
- Pay attention to how your body responds and adjust accordingly
- Set specific goals for improvement in both sports
Remember that the goal of cross-training is to complement and enhance your primary sport, not to detract from it. Be sure to maintain a balance that allows you to continue progressing in golf while reaping the benefits of lacrosse training.
The Mental Game: Transferable Skills Between Golf and Lacrosse
Beyond the physical aspects, there are several mental skills that translate well between golf and lacrosse:
- Focus and concentration
- Visualization techniques
- Stress management
- Decision-making under pressure
- Goal-setting and progress tracking
By engaging in lacrosse training, golfers can develop these mental skills in a new context, potentially leading to breakthroughs in their approach to the mental game of golf.
Exploring Other Cross-Training Options for Golfers
While lacrosse offers numerous benefits for golfers, it’s not the only cross-training option available. Other sports and activities that can complement golf training include:
- Yoga for flexibility and balance
- Pilates for core strength
- Tennis for hand-eye coordination and lateral movement
- Swimming for overall fitness and shoulder strength
- Martial arts for discipline and body awareness
The key is to find activities that challenge you in new ways while still supporting your golf-specific skills and fitness needs.
How often should golfers incorporate cross-training?
The frequency of cross-training sessions will depend on an individual golfer’s schedule, goals, and current fitness level. As a general guideline, aim to include 1-2 cross-training sessions per week, ensuring that they don’t interfere with your regular golf practice and play. Always listen to your body and adjust your training plan as needed to prevent overtraining or burnout.
The Future of Cross-Sport Training in Golf
As the sports world continues to evolve, we’re likely to see more innovative approaches to cross-training for golfers. Some potential developments include:
- Virtual reality simulations combining multiple sports
- Specialized cross-training programs designed by sports scientists
- Increased collaboration between coaches from different sports
- Wearable technology to track performance across various activities
By staying open to new training methods and embracing the benefits of cross-sport training, golfers can continue to push the boundaries of their performance and achieve new levels of success on the course.
Conclusion: Embracing the Benefits of Lacrosse Training for Golf
Cross-training with lacrosse offers golfers a unique and effective way to enhance their overall athleticism, hand-eye coordination, and mental game. By incorporating lacrosse drills and techniques into their training regimen, golfers can develop new skills, overcome plateaus, and potentially unlock hidden potential in their golf performance.
Remember the words of IMG’s Lacrosse Coach Spencer Wright: “To play hard, you need to work harder. Practice is key to any successful athletic career.” By embracing the challenges and benefits of cross-sport training, golfers can take their game to new heights and enjoy a more well-rounded approach to their athletic development.
Whether you’re a seasoned golfer looking to gain an edge or a beginner seeking to build a strong athletic foundation, consider giving lacrosse cross-training a try. You may be surprised by the positive impact it can have on your golf game and overall fitness.
When Golfers Play Lacrosse | IMG Academy Cross-Sport Training
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To play hard, you need to work harder. Practice is key to any successful athletic career, as IMG’s Lacrosse Coach Spencer Wright explains. “I tell players all the time: Lebron James and these great basketball players, they’re constantly working on their technique rather than just playing.”
Cross-training can be a powerful tool in strengthening motor skills and form. In this session, Coach Wright instructs a group of IMG golfers on how to toss a lacrosse ball against a wall. While the two sports seem disparate, the techniques in lacrosse can benefit a golf swing.
“How we approach our training is important,” Coach Wright says, “I tell my students to bring headphones, listen to music, and make it an enjoyable process. It’s a meditation.” As they get started, some players discover it’s not as easy as it looks.
“Well it’s very different,” explains IMG student-athlete Rodrigo Barahona, “I thought it was pretty simple, just tossing balls. It’s kind of hard to coordinate the hands.” Just as soon as Rodrigo gets comfortable, he makes a harsh realization. “Since I play golf, we don’t switch hands that much. Switching to the left is almost impossible for me. I can’t catch the ball. It’s really hard.”
After wall tosses, Coach Wright brought them onto the field for a shooting drill. In the same way a driving range allows golfers to work on their swing, this drill focuses on shooting from increasingly longer distances. If they miss, they have to retrieve their ball and try again.
Watch the video to see how well these student-athletes adapt to a new sport. To sign up for a golf camp or a lacrosse camp, explore our boarding school programs, or to see all of our available youth programs, check out the links below.
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Boys’ Game Overview | USA Lacrosse
Building on a proud heritage
Lacrosse showcases the best of sports — speed, athleticism, skill, heart, determination — and it’s a recipe for a lifelong love affair. Originated by Native Americans, lacrosse is North America’s first sport and has picked up tremendous momentum in recent years. No other sport is growing faster at the high school or college level, resulting in countless opportunities for young men to make their mark.
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The Sky’s the Limit
Greg Gurenlian and Kyle Hartzell didn’t start playing lacrosse until high school, but both earned their way onto the U.S. national team in 2014 and 2018 for the world championship. No matter when you start, you can chart your own course.
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Opening Doors
USA Lacrosse works directly with community partners to create sustainable programs in underserved communities across the nation.
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Common Men’s Lacrosse Terms
Body Check
Body Check
Contact with an opponent from the front or side (but not a blind side check) — between the shoulders and waist — when the opponent has the ball or is within 5 yards (high school) or 3 yards (youth) of a loose ball. Not permitted at U9 and U11 levels.
Box
Box
An area drawn in both ends of the field surrounding the crease area. Also called the goal area or defensive area.
Clear
Clear
Transitioning the ball from the defensive half to the offensive half.
Crease
Crease
A circle around the goal with a radius of 9 feet into which only defensive players may enter.
EMO
EMO
A man advantage resulting from an opponent’s time-serving penalty. Also known as “man-up.”
Faceoff
Faceoff
This technique is used to put the ball in play at the start of the game, each quarter, half, or after a goal is scored.
GLE
GLE
Goal line extended
Hole
Hole
Another name for the area outside/in front of the crease area, the imaginary box, 10 yards by 10 yards in front of the goal
Ride
Ride
The defending team will try to prevent their opponent from advancing the ball, thereby creating a turnover.
Slash
Slash
A poke into the ribs, chest, neck or back. A vicious uncontrolled swinging of the stick whether contact is made or not. The gloved hand on the stick may be legally checked.
Field Diagram
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90,000 Kent Johnson scored a lacrosse goal against the Islanders. Columbus Forward Played for Michigan – So Did the Inventor of the Method Hockey
Columbus forward Kent Johnson scored a lacrosse goal against the Islanders.
The 20-year-old Canadian scored in the NHL regular season game against the club from Long Island (5:4 OT) and was named the second star.
The 5th pick in the 2021 draft has 36 (15+21) points in 68 games of the season.
Previously played in the NCAA for the University of Michigan. In North America, the first author of the lacrosse goal (Michigan move) is considered Mike Legg. He scored it at 1996 (and also on March 24), speaking for Michigan.
In the NHL, such a goal was scored for the first time by Carolina forward Andrey Svechnikov in October 2019.
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“I wasn’t going to give up success because of lack of experience” 9 0001
The Buffalo Bandits took a chance by signing Max Adler, a guy who had never played box lacrosse in his life. And this decision almost brought them the championship cup in 2022.
Going into last season, the Bandits were favorites to win the tournament.
Their roster was staffed by the most experienced goaltender in the League’s history, as well as a mix of seasoned, elite veterans and mature offensive and defensive stars. It looked like it might stop them.
But the 2021-2022 season revealed one weakness. In their first seven games of the season, the Bandits went undefeated at the faceoff point. On February 12, things got so bad that Toronto Rock player Yerlan single-handedly won 26:25 against the combined efforts of 4 different bandits.
After that, the Bandits’ general manager Steve Dietrich contacted the player they kept in reserve in case of just such circumstances within 24 hours. Dietrich had spoken to Adler several times before, but there was no concrete plan to bring Adler into the game.
“We had several talks and settled on ‘we’ll see what happens’,” Adler said. “It wasn’t my plan to play this year, but next year I really wanted to try and earn a spot on the roster during training camp. I’m not naive; I know guys get up with a system, especially since I’ve never played box lacrosse before.
I knew there was no way I was going to make it into the squad without putting in a lot of effort and going through training camp.”
Adler grew up in Florida and often wielded a bat or glove rather than a lacrosse stick. He was not interested in the game until high school, where he played at the collegiate level for a year. In college, Adler continued to play lacrosse, and earned a spot as a freshman.
After graduating from Bentley College D-II, Adler began his professional career in 2017 with the Denver Outlaws MLL team. During his time in MLL, he played alongside NLL players Zack Currier, Kyle Killen, Ryan Lee, Wes Berg and NLL legend John Grant Jr.
A few years after hearing all about box lacrosse from his field teammates, Adler, who had by then moved to the East Coast in Connecticut, finally went to see his first NLL game. He watched his Outlaws teammate Matt Gillray play with the Buffalo Bandits against the New England Black Wolves in January 2019.
As soon as Steve Dietrich called him, Adler was ready to put on his bandit uniform, and he was going to prove that his unconventional path to the League would not prevent him from succeeding.
“I wasn’t about to give up on success because of lack of experience,” Adler said. “I hoped that my efforts would compensate for the lack of skills in box lacrosse. So, I focused on doing my best to help my team win.”
The first few matches were not easy for Adler – most of the time the opponent defeated him on the point – but the team won. By April, he was in his groove. In the first game of that month against the Colorado Mammoth, Adler won 21-34 on faceoffs (61.8%). Unfortunately for him, during practice for the Bandits’ next game, Adler partially tore his triceps, out of action for the rest of the month.
“The injury really had a big impact on the way I played against the opponent,” said Adler. “I could no longer use the motorcycle grip and had to switch to neutral, which I had never done before.”
At the end of the regular season, Adler struggled to find his way again as he was still recovering from his injury. Luckily for him, the Bandits kept winning, so Adler had more and more chances to prove his worth and earn the respect of his teammates.
