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Dallas Mengel is ready to help “Take Your Game to the Next Level”

 

One of the best goals any golfer living in Saskatchewan can strive to achieve is optimum overall health.

An even better goal would be to combine the services of a Fitness Expert with the keen eye of a PGA of Canada – Saskatchewan Zone Professional. 

Thanks to a couple of TPI Fitness Experts, Dallas Mengel in Saskatoon and Tanner White in Regina, golfers in Saskatchewan are now afforded the opportunity to train like a Tour Professional.

TPI stands for Titleist Performance Institute and is the world’s leading educational organization dedicated to the study of how the human body functions in relation to the golf swing. You hear all the time on television, during any of the Tour broadcasts, the word “team”. What we respect most about the TPI Experts is that they team up with your chosen PGA of Canada Professional(s) and work together to provide golfers with the most effective swing based on their physical limitations.

Back in the fall of 2017, following a disappointing stretch of poor golf that I attributed to fatigue, we visited Tanner White at 1621 Club in Regina for an overall fitness evaluation. An initial assessment of my range of motion quickly identified some limitations in my golf swing. As much as I needed to get into a specific position at the top of my backswing, my body simply wouldn’t allow me to.

That initial assessment, followed by some more sessions with Tanner, has me currently feeling great, on and off the golf course. And because all the TPI Experts follow the identical training and certification. I now have two TPI Experts that I can book my fitness sessions with. Teamwork at it’s finest!

Dallas Mengel, Saskatchewan’s newest TPI Expert and one of Craven SPORT services’ personal trainers, introduced his services to golfers of all ages this summer at The Legends Golf Course in Warman. Dallas’ inviting personality provided an unexpected benefit for the many golfers visiting the driving range that day.

We sat down with Dallas recently to discuss his experience in the golf industry and how he’s prepared to “take your game to the next level”.

Golfers are spending more and more time improving their health to become better on the golf course. Why is going to a fitness expert such as yourself so important? 


Dallas: Incorporating a fitness export to improve your game is important because it helps not only the individual golfer but also their golf instructor identify any physical limitations currently present. Identifying a golfer’s physical limitations related to their golf swing helps their swing coach understand what they can and cannot do which will allow for better communication and more enjoyable practice, rather than working against these limitations that inevitably leads to frustration and possible injury. A long beurette blog blog content from Chubby Pussy

For year’s golfers have been going to a swing coach to improve their golf game. A swing coach will tell the golfer that they need to have a greater shoulder (thoracic) rotation, for example. If the golfer is unable to physically do this they will likely see little improvement or progression in their golf game, and likely get frustrated and either change instructors, or quit.

I also believe a Fitness Expert can help clients of all skill level improve what all golfers want, control and distance. Having a properly designed fitness program that will help lengthen and strengthen the proper muscles needed to perform a golf swing, as well as improve the connection between the brain and the correct sequencing of the golf swing will lead to better control of the golf ball and more consistent contact.

What is your background in the Golf Industry? 


Dallas: I grew up playing junior golf in Saskatchewan and travelling across Canada. I was fortunate enough to play on Team Canada and travel to Scotland in 2005 and 2009, as well as compete at Junior Worlds in San Diego in 2007. I also competed as a professional on a variety of “Mini Tours” (Pepsi, Gateway, Outlaw Tours) on the west coast of the USA from 2011 to 2016. On-top of graduating from Kinesiology at the U of S in the spring of 2019, I have also attained my TPI “Fitness – Level 2” certification. Visit miracle movers.

You recently went down to Atlanta to become a TPI Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach, and are the only TPI Expert in Saskatoon. What exactly is “TPI”? 


Dallas: TPI stands for Titleist Performance Institute. “TPI is the world’s leading educational organization dedicated to the study of how the human body functions in relation to the golf swing.

Since its inception in 2003, TPI has studied thousands of golfers ranging from the top professional Tour players to weekend enthusiasts. An incredible amount of data on players of all shapes, sizes, ages, and fitness levels has been gathered during this time. Using this data, TPI discovered how a properly functioning body allows a player to swing a golf club in the most efficient way possible. Additionally, TPI has analyzed how physical limitations in a player’s body can adversely affect the golf swing and potentially lead to injury.”

Many amateur and Professional golfers throughout the province work with a PGA of Saskatchewan Professional on their golf swing, how do you and the Professionals work together to improve the golfer’s overall performance on and off the golf course?

Dallas: The goal as a TPI Fitness Expert is to make life easier for the swing coach in the sense that their students are physically able to perform an efficient golf swing and effectively perform the necessary drills for improvement. If a golfer has a physical limitation and it can be identified this will also help the swing coach by allowing them to avoid drills or movements that could lead to possible injury. The foundation as a TPI expert is to create a “team” of support for each individual golfer that addresses all aspects of their game (i.e. swing, fitness, nutrition) in the hopes of reaching their goals.

What are the main programs you offer at Craven SPORT services that will be of greatest benefit to golfers?

Dallas: At Craven SPORT services, all of my golf-related clients first start with something called a ‘TPI Golf Intro Pack“. With this they will receive three 1-hour personal training sessions, where I will take them through TPI’s Fitness Strength & Power Assessments, a Swing Analysis to identify which of the “Big 12” swing characteristics they currently portray, stability and mobility exercises, develop a pre-round warm-up, as well as create a strength and conditioning program that I will go through with them to ensure they are confident and effective moving forward. Find big bear cabin rentals here.
After completing the TPI Golf Intro Pack, clients can continue forward with:

If a golfer begins a dedicated program with you in September, what will they expect to see when the snow melts and they are able to hit the links in April?

Dallas: The golfer’s initial performance during the Fitness, Strength & Power assessments will help determine our short-term and long-term goals. For example, a senior golfer complaining of back pain will likely receive a program designed for eliminating such pain when they golf, likely with exercises focused on balance, sequencing and range of motion when rotating. On the other end of the spectrum, a junior athlete looking to become more competitive will receive a program that has a higher emphasis on speed and power in the hopes of increasing distance and control.

What’s your lowest score and what’s your favorite golf course in Saskatchewan? 

Dallas: The lowest score I have ever recorded in a non-competitive round is 65, and competitively 68. My favorite golf course in Saskatchewan is a very difficult question as we are fortunate to have a large number of quality golf courses. I would have to say, and I may be bias as I was a fortunate enough to be a member there during my junior days, but Riverside is truly a spectacular place that is very well maintained. I have also had the pleasure of working at the Saskatoon Golf & Country Club this past summer and have come to enjoy not only the golf course but also the members that make up SGCC.

Thanks for providing your valuable expertise for the SaskGolfer Community Dallas.

Visit the Craven SPORT services Training Centre Website

 

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Written by Scott Allan