Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36JG: How long have you had your Yoga for Golfers business? Katharine: I started it about 16 years ago, and people thought I was out of my mind because yoga wasn’t nearly as popular then. But now we certify teachers in 24 countries around the world. JG: How did you make the connection between yoga and golf? Katharine: I was playing golf to about a 28 handicap at the time, and I ended up playing with another single on the course one day…a woman who had a 5 handicap. I decided that I needed to be doing what she was doing, and it turned out that she was a yoga instructor. I took up the activity and immediately became smitten with it. I left my corporate job to teach yoga full-time and I saw my handicap drop to 16. That’s when I thought, “Wow, there’s really something here!” JG: So that’s when you decided to incorporate it as a golf training tool? Katharine: Well, many of my clients were golfers too. And they would come to me after class and tell me how they were getting better distance, feeling a better connection with the ground and getting into their turn more naturally. So I began to recognize the value of combining the two. JG:You’ve said that golf and yoga are the same. Could you please explain? Katharine: Both are tri-plane movements that are linked together. They are purposeful, intentional and powerful, and they are similar both physically and mentally. So, in Yoga for Golfers, we incorporate many of the same poses as traditional yoga, though they are delivered in significantly different ways for different reasons. Everything we teach is based on the biomechan- ics of the golf swing, but we also focus on breathing, on mindset conditioning and in being present in the moment. Katherine Roberts has loved sports her entire life. Growing up in a golfing family, she took quickly to the activity as a young child competing on the putting green with her father for quarter bets. Though she continued to enjoy golf into adulthood, it wasn’t until about 20 years ago that Katherine recognized a whole new avenue for golfers that blended yoga, fitness and the game she so loved. Today, Katherine runs Yoga for Golfers as its founder and president. A Certified Yoga Instructor for 20-plus years with a Fellow degree in Chain Reaction Biomechanics, TPI, NG360 and FMS certifications, she is also a Nike Swoosh Elite Athlete and Advisory Staff Member. Her company shows golfers how to harness and integrate the power of their bodies and minds to play better, stronger and longer. We had the opportunity to sit down with Katherine recently. She was kind enough to discuss her yoga-golf philosophies and to explain the impact that this unique combination of disciplines can have on golfers of all ages. Yoga and Golf Find Common Ground with Katherine Roberts BY JUNIOR GOLF STAFF Yoga for Golfers’ Katherine Roberts Yoga poses incorporate similar golfing movements FITNESS ZONE 4 | January 2017 #juniorgolfmag Visit us at juniorgolfmag.net