When Scott McCarron walked through the double-doors and into the new PGA TOUR mobile fitness center, the smile gave away his instant approval. Like a poker player holding a full house, the veteran could not contain his pleasure.
“I was kind of shocked how big it was and how much space and room it had,” McCarron said. “You can get four or five guys in here working out and not be on top of each other.”
Health club on wheels
The PGA TOUR christened two new mobile fitness centers this spring, one to accompany each PGA TOUR event, the other dedicated to PGA TOUR Champions. The new roomier centers—bigger by 200 square feet—are staffed by full-time trainers and physical therapists.
“If you saw this as a standalone facility, it would be pretty nice,” said Kent Biggerstaff, PGA TOUR Champions staff trainer. “The fact that it’s completely portable is amazing.”
The mobile fitness center is a health club on wheels. It features a rowing machine, stationary bicycle, a rack filled with a variety of medicine balls, dumbbells and kettle weights, and a weight machine. The centerpiece is a pair of state-of-the-art treadmills designed by international fitness leader Technogym, an official supplier of the PGA TOUR Player Performance Centers. In addition to providing a workout, these treadmills collect analytical information that trainers can use to create golfer-specific workouts.
“They’re not just exercising, they’re training,” said Marty Miller, Technogym’s director of education and training. “This allows them to have the data and gives them things to work on before it becomes a potential problem.”
The complete training facility
The mobile centers come with all the bells and whistles—a refrigerator loaded with cold water, multiple televisions with satellite service, Bluetooth surround sound and high-speed wi-fi. There’s even an area where the trainers keep shorts, T-shirts and shoes—which Biggerstaff said eliminates excuses.
The facilities will help perpetuate the fact that golfers are athletes, too. Major champions like Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka are known for their commitment to training. Older players like Bernhard Langer and McCarron have extended their careers by paying attention to strength and flexibility.
McCarron expects the new mobile fitness center to encourage others on PGA TOUR Champions to get involved.
“It’s going to help a lot,” McCarron said. “I think you’ll start seeing more traffic, guys who weren’t coming in the old trailer will be coming in here now.”
A landmark moment
At the unveiling in February at The Honda Classic in Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., PGA TOUR Commissioner Jay Monahan commented: “Since the original fitness centers were introduced on TOUR more than 30 years ago, we have seen how fitness has advanced our players’ performance and extended their careers. Today’s unveiling of a new fitness center is another landmark moment in the growth of the PGA TOUR and our ongoing efforts to best serve our members. As our sport grows, so do the expectations and the preparation needed to compete at the world-class level we see every week.”
This article first appeared in the PGA TOUR June-November 2019 issue, which can be read here.
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