As someone who has had my fair share of protein golf snacks, I was excited to try the new Protein Balls from the St. Andrews Bakery. Each bag contains 6 protein balls which feature a smorgasbord of good, natural ingredients and as a result you get a boost in high-quality proteins as well as vitamins like D3 and B12 - all of which are ideal for helping you maintain that energy throughout your round. (As someone who often starts to flag from the 14th hole, this was music to my ears). 

As the packaging shows the flavor is salted caramel but I didn't think it was overly sweet, and I was pleased to see no artificial sweeteners have been added, nor added sugars. It is worth saying that these do contain almonds and cashews, and may contain traces of other nuts so best to avoid if you have a nut allergy, but they are gluten free as well. To be totally honest the only negative I could think of is that only 6 balls come in every pack, but from looking around online, you can often get larger boxes of them - for example I found one retailer that sells boxes of 10 bags!

But don't just take my word for how delicious these snacks are, because on a recent testing day I got some samples for the entire Golf Monthly team to try and below is the feedback they gave. 

 Hyperice Venom 2 Shoulder Review

In the modern game, having distance off the tee is somewhat of a necessity and doing so requires putting your body under high amounts of pressure, both on the course and training outside of golf. As someone who continues to try and play golf at a high level, I regularly put my body through its paces in the gym and consequently picked up a shoulder injury last year. Through what seems like endless amounts of physio and rehabilitation sessions, I was keen to see how the Hyperice Venom 2 Shoulder may aid or even speed up my recovery process back to full fitness.

Creating speed in the golf swing requires a lot of repetitions, both swinging golf clubs and lifting weights at absolute maximum effort and therefore injuries are likely to occur if you fail to look after your body correctly. There are programs such as the Pliability Fitness app that will help with mobility and prevent lactic acid buildup after walking 18 holes, but the Venom 2 Shoulder provides a more direct approach to helping heal that specific area of the body. The Venom 2 Shoulder is just one of the products available in an impressive lineup of recovery tools from the Hyperice brand and is certainly one of the best pieces of golf fitness equipment available.

The product itself looks and feels extremely premium thanks to a lightweight neoprene wrap which makes it really comfortable to put on and use. There are large velcro straps that hold the newly designed Hyperheat technology securely in place and the neon lights on the control panel show you your device is switched on. This new technology has allowed the Venom 2 Shoulder to be designed with over double the heated area compared to the original model and the three vibration patterns allow you to fully customize your recovery. 

The device is easily turned on via a button on the sleeve where the battery sits and there are two separate buttons to ignite the use of both heat and vibration. The Venom 2 Shoulder heats up almost instantaneously and reaches hot enough temperatures that on the higher levels you should not wear the device in direct contact with skin, but over a top was the perfect amount of heat to help relieve any pain. I found the different variations of vibration beneficial, as depending on how sore my shoulder was that day, I could opt for smoother pulses which eased my pain over time.

Perhaps one of the most impressive features of the Hyperice Venom 2 Shoulder was the Bluetooth connectivity to the Hyperice app, which allows you to control both the heat and vibration levels, as well as the time of your recovery session. The device has an extended three-hour battery life, meaning you can get plenty of recovery sessions in without having to recharge - something I found particularly beneficial when I recently traveled with the device. If you are also someone who likes to train or play golf abroad, the Venom 2 Shoulder comes equipped with 3 additional adapter plugs which cover the U.S., the U.K., and most of Europe. 

Overall this is a superb heat and percussion recovery tool that has really helped me get my shoulder back to strength both on and off the course and should be classed as one of the best golf accessories. I’m excited to continue using this tool into the winter months and feel it will be particularly beneficial on those cold mornings before heading to the golf course. 

In 1992 Tiger Woods made his professional debut, synonymous with his famous ‘hello world’ quote. Not only was this to be the start of arguably the best professional golf career ever, but also the evolution of golf fitness. Over time, Tiger’s regimented ‘day in the life’ routine, which includes multiple heavy weight sessions and five mile runs, has been made public knowledge, but in order to improve your golf and fitness, it really doesn’t have to be that severe, does it? I downloaded the JG Golf Fitness app run by one of the highest qualified golf specific fitness trainers in the U.K, Jamie Greaves, to see how much an app would have an effect on my golf fitness.

Jamie combined two of his passions in fitness and golf, in order to offer high levels of golf specific fitness in the U.K, without aspiring young golfers having to travel to the U.S to achieve the same calibre of training expertise. Jamie is one of ten Level 3 TPI-qualified instructors in the U.K and holds other qualifications in various training types and nutrition. Jamie created the JG Fitness app so golfers could access his coaching no matter where they are, whether they are in the U.S. or train with Jamie in person, but want to be able to train when travelling. This is exactly what LPGA Tour star, Charley Hull, does when she needs to train while playing on the road.

The app itself is easy to navigate and is laid out with ease of use in mind. You can access a calendar where you can add workouts, activities and meals all helping you remain constant with your nutrition and training. The symbol of weight along the bottom panel takes you straight to numerous workout routines which range from gym based sessions to at home sessions, the latter of which I took advantage of. While I have already used the likes of SuperSpeed sticks to try and increase my club speed, I was eager to see what some golf specific exercises would result in.

Jamie has done a great job in making his ‘at home’ sessions as easy as possible to follow through video explanation of each exercise, as well as using basic equipment such as gym bands and even rucksacks. While this is great and will mean everyone can do these workouts, there is also no excuse to skip a session!

There are various sheets that can be accessed to help you stay on track with your training through the JG golf app including a ‘weights used’ log and for those chasing distance, a ‘driver speed tracking’ log. I found this a particularly useful addition to the app and really held me accountable, as well as showed me my strength was increasing.

While I am yet to reach the driver speeds of Rory McIlroy through my training, I enjoyed using the JG golf app and will continue to use it, especially when on the road and with limited access to a gym. I have no doubts that using this app alongside some of the best golf fitness equipment on the market will have you swinging it better, while also preventing yourself from picking up an injury.

There is a one-week full trial of the JG Golf Fitness app available for anyone interested in taking their golf to the next level, as well as a rolling £10 per month subscription or up-front six-month subscription which works out £10 cheaper. Through the app, you will be able to contact Jamie through a message function, as well as receive an invite to the Private Facebook page where you will find yourself among other like-minded individuals all looking to improve their golf fitness.

Hyperice Hypervolt Go 2 Review

I had been wanting to try out a Massage or Muscle Gun for a while now as I wanted to see if they actually worked and to see why all these athletes I watched on television were using or endorsing them. Well I got sent the Hypervolt Go 2 and after testing it out I am really not surprised. Everything about the device feels premium whether it be the gun itself, the design, the smaller accessories it comes with, the instructions, and the box it comes in. (The same can be said of the Hyperice Venom Go which I also loved - it got five stars in my review)

The device has been designed to offer relief on-the-go – massaging away stress and tension, loosening muscle knots, and targeting fatigue. It really does achieve this because of the power of the gun. There are three settings to choose from with different speeds, each of which are extremely powerful and fast. In fact one of my small complaints about the device is it could do with a couple more settings at the bottom end because the lowest setting is still very fast and powerful. The device really pulsates into the muscles well and I realized it is good to vary the pressure with your own hand too. 

Importantly it has a three-hour battery life and it is very easy to charge quickly as well, with the green light on the handle illuminating when it is completely charged. Speaking of the handle, the length of it makes it easy to maneuver and get to those places on the body that smaller devices won’t reach. And yet the device is not massive either which makes it very portable, lightweight, and easy to pack away if need be. (It is similar to the Therabody Theragun Mini in this regard, a product we reviewed in 2021.) 

The final few points I wanted to mention fit around the idea that nearly everything has been thought about here. Not only in terms of the powerful performance we mentioned above, but the look of the device. The greyish/white aesthetic looks very cool and it is also TSA approved so you won’t have to worry about taking it on planes. Two more smaller details I enjoyed were that it turns itself off if unused for some time and the box also includes several adaptors for different parts of the world.

Admittedly you only get two attachments for the gun so maybe there is scope for adding more here, but this is only a minor point as the two provided work well. Overall I was very happy with the Hypervolt Go 2 and I see myself using it regularly in my life, not just in a golfing context. 

For more golf tech, why not take a look at our guides on the best headphones for golf, best golf gadgets, or even the best golf watches.

Hyperice Venom Go Review

As a golfer who is perilously close to his 30’s, I have realized taking care of my fitness and wellbeing can play a huge part in how well I play. Not only that but I realized that if I am in shape, I can practice more often, and for longer, I just need to make sure I take the best steps to recover. 

Enter the Hyperice Venom Go. It is a heat and vibration wearable that has an excellently small and minimalist design. This of course makes it extremely portable so it can quite literally be used, not just anywhere in terms of location, but anywhere on the body. The Venom Go comes with 3 pads that you stick onto the area you want relief, and then the little device then clips onto the pads with the magnetic feature. I really thought this was an excellent design as it was very easy to use, simple to take off and adjust if need be, and remove when done. Not to mention the pads are reusable up to 20 times. 

This device then pulsates heat and vibration into the area in nine different settings - my personal favorite was the highest heat setting and constant vibration. What is the point of all this? Well the device is designed to relieve sore, stiff muscles and I really felt this was the case. As someone with a bad back the heat in particular really soothed my discomfort after playing golf. The device runs for 10 minutes before you have to reset it and start again, which was occasionally inconvenient, but this is only a minor quibble. 

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed testing this device and a big plus point is its versatility. I’ve used it a lot not only for golf recovery but after walks, when I’ve slept awkwardly or if I have felt any slight niggle or tightness in my muscles. As you can tell, I am a big fan because I think the design is clever, and the performance is excellent. It should be mentioned that the Go is the smallest offering but Hyperice offers a load of other Venom devices for heat relief, from back, to shoulder, to leg devices.

For more golf tech, why not take a look at our guides on the best headphones for golf, best golf gadgets, or even the best golf watches.

Anyone who’s tried to lose weight will know it’s not an easy process. Two steps forward one (sometimes two) steps back. Everyone needs a bit of help with the process and finding the 'thing' that cracks the code for them. 

It’s different for different people but for me it was gaining a proper understanding of my metabolism and what foods to eat (and when) to keep my insulin levels from spiking, feeling full for longer, avoiding snacking to know that when I was exercising my body was burning the right fuel for performance and weight loss. In short it was to eat fewer carbohydrates (and when I did to eat slow release ones) and balancing the lean protein with good fats - essentially monitoring my macros. 

Gaining that understanding took me a long time, a lot of research (reading articles, books and watching YouTube videos) and a fair bit of trial and error. If Lumen had been around when I started my journey, it would have definitely fast tracked my progress!

Small Breathalyser, Big Insights 

Lumen, which looks a bit like an inhaler or vaping device, is a small breathalyser equipped with Bluetooth to sync with an app. To use it, you simply place your lips over the device, inhale, hold your breath for 10 seconds, exhale, and then await the results. In short, by monitoring the CO2 levels in your breath, it tells you what your body is currently burning for energy – carbohydrates or fat – so you can understand what’s happening with your metabolism. 

Unquestionably, one of its biggest benefits is that it’s so personalised. It measures your breath. In other words, it’s not giving generic advice and insight. Armed with this information, and with a super intuitive app, you get your own personalised nutrition plans for the day, one that can be adapted for your goals (be they weight loss or fitness focused) and your own eating habits. 

One of the most appealing aspects of Lumen, is that rather than sending you down a road where you’re restricting your calorie intake, this device helps you to focus on eating the right balance of carbohydrates, fats and protein. Advice is focused on not overeating carbohydrates but, as I’ve said from my personal experience, eating the right type of carbs at the right time was transformative for me.

To get the most use out of Lumen, you do need to assign a fair bit of time - and then stick with it. It takes two weeks to establish a solid baseline and you’re required to take readings multiple times a day: ideally when you get up in the morning before you’ve eaten, pre and post exercise, before and after consuming meals and pre bedtime, and while these don’t take long to do - around 2-3 minutes max from opening up the app, turning on the Lumen and measuring the breaths - when added together it is a not insignificant amount of time. 

If you use a wearable or use an app that requires input such as Whoop or My Fitness Pal, it can all start to feel quite onerous to measure and log variables. However, to get the most from Lumen you do need to be disciplined about using it. 

That said, the feedback that Lumen gives you is really interesting. What I would say is that if I’d had this product five years ago, when I first started my health and fitness journey, this would definitely have helped me accelerate my learning about how the body burns different fuels, and how to optimise weight loss.

If you’re not familiar with Whoop, here’s a brief background: it’s the brainchild of Will Ahmed, a former captain of the Harvard men’s varsity squash team, who describes this wearable technology as a “24/7 life coach”. It collects physiological data around the clock, and provides an accurate insight to help the user better understand their body.

How can this help your golf game? Well, many of the world’s best players wear Whoop, the reason being it measures strain, recovery and sleep. In short, balancing strain (essentially effort) and recovery is vitally important for optimal performance and Whoop can help golfers peak for important rounds. 

However, it’s not just designed for elite athletes, far from it – Whoop is for anyone who wants to better understand the effects (positive and negative) of their lifestyle habits and exercise patterns. 

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What is Whoop?

Before talking about the 4.0 upgrade, it’s important to give a little extra background and recap on my first 10 months on Whoop - you can read my in depth Whoop 3.0 review. 

Although wearing Whoop may not have improved my handicap index, I feel its impact has been nothing short of transformational when it comes to my wider life. It’s no exaggeration to say that I feel better now at 51 than when I did at 21 and I put a lot of how I feel down to actioning the insights Whoop gives me every day.

What’s been really noticeable is my improved energy and fitness levels. My energy has been off the charts compared to where it was in the past and I’ve seen my fitness increase - from 5K run times to the weights I can lift.

That’s because I now don’t fall into the trap of overtraining and putting in maximum effort every time I exercise but instead dial back on days when my recovery is lower, or I have a genuine easy day when I’m in the red. Conversely, when I’m in the green, I know I have the capacity to really work hard and drive fitness gains.

Of course, Whoop isn’t solely responsible for this, but what I am keen to stress is that it’s given me the insight to make better choices that promote my wellbeing. The more I’ve used it, the better the results I've seen the more I trust Whoop. It feels like a virtuous circle.

Have I become a little over reliant on Whoop? Do you need cutting edge tech to tell you getting drunk and going to bed late is bad for you? Have I let Whoop rule my life a bit too much? 

My wife and daughter often laugh at me when I head upstairs at 9pm; “Dad, has Whoop just told you to go to bed?” Maybe the answer is yes to both, but frankly I’d rather be making good decisions around my wellbeing than undermining it with bad choices.

Whoop 4.0: New Features

Needless to say, I was pretty excited to upgrade from 3.0 to 4.0, and having spent the last month wearing 4.0 and trying the new features, I have to say that it’s been worth the wait. 

The delays to product shipping are well documented, which has been frustrating for existing users wanting to upgrade and those wanting to get on Whoop for the first time, but to its credit Whoop has made a lot of effort to communicate with disgruntled customers via social media. 

There are a number of new features and design changes – so the first thing to state is that this is a genuine upgrade not just a cosmetic makeover. The device itself is 33% smaller than the previous one, so it takes up less space on the wrist. 

It’s still prominent and whilst not everybody will like the look – I actually think it looks stylish – Whoop has managed to get around the fact that if you don’t like the strap on display there’s now Whoop Body with Any-Wear Technology (more on that below).

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With Whoop 4.0, the sensors have been developed so it can measure more metrics, and measurements are also meant to be more accurate. One of the drawbacks of 3.0 was that I did get the odd rogue heart rate, which tended to be abnormally high during what I’d classify as mild-strain activities. 

Over the last four weeks, there have been few, if any, of these. If I compare the readings from my Apple Watch (which is widely acknowledged as giving one of, if not the most accurate wrist readings from a device on the wrist) this would back it up – they’re very similar, whereas with 3.0 the heart rate would show it higher than my watch from time to time. 

Meanwhile, you’re able to get some really advanced metrics with blood oxygen and skin temperature. This data is normally the preserve of medical observations. When combined with respiratory rate, heart rate, and HRV, it gives a daily medical, and it shows you in the report, at a glance, whether your five metrics are within your healthy range. What’s really clever is the share function. Whether it’s with your doctor, or your coach – handy if you’re an elite athlete – this is a superb function. 

As with Whoop 3.0, the weekly and monthly performance reports are extremely useful. I don’t look at them all the time, but no doubt about it, they will show you trends of how behaviours affect recovery. So, if you want to see what changes in your behaviour does, either introducing or stopping something, then these reports will identify what is and what is not helpful when it comes to promoting recovery.

There have been some really big improvements made with the battery, too. Despite the smaller size, it still has the same five-day battery life as the 3.0. The battery pack is also a lot smarter – it’s wireless and waterproof. I never made the costly mistake of showering with the battery on with 3.0, but Whoop says plenty of users reported doing so. 

What’s also neat is that you can double tap it and it’ll alert you as to how much power it has remaining, which means you can better manage when to give it some juice.

Whoop Body With Any-Wear Technology

One of the standout new pieces of technology is the new series of garments that allow you to wear your Whoop 4.0 in a variety of places on your body. As someone who’s fairly active and trains a lot, I have found this to be an excellent feature. 

Now, you can easily remove the tracker from your device and place it in a little pod in your Whoop garment. I’ve been using this feature extensively and I’ll often place the tracker in the athletic boxer shorts (part of Whoop’s Training Collection) when I’m taking part in CrossFit sessions and want to wear wrist supports. 

Previously I’d have had to have bought a Bicep band or take my Whoop off altogether and in doing so not record data around a workout. 

Whoop has also made the new bands softer, more comfortable and more easily interchangeable. I never experienced any discomfort with the 3.0 ones but it could be a bit of a faff swapping the bands. The fast slider has eradicated this problem. My only gripe is that all the bands I bought for Whoop 3.0 (over 10!) are now redundant. I like to have a few options to mix up the look, so I’ll be starting again on that front! 

It’s a minor quibble and of course the 4.0 comes with a strap, albeit a plain black one. The cynic in me says it's deliberately the most boring  option so you’re encouraged to buy other bands… or maybe that's just me building up justification to buy other colours like the light blue ‘Ice’ one I'm wearing in the pictures.

Finally, with the launch of 4.0, Whoop is also offering a new membership option - Whoop Pro. For an additional cost of $12/£12 per month, it will give you a range of benefits including free gear, early access to new products, and discounts in the Whoop store, which adds another layer for the big Whoop fans.

A final word on Whoop and golf. Golf is hard. Improving at the game and shooting lower scores involves a lot of effort and wearing Whoop will NOT provide a shortcut to lower handicap index.

However, I do feel by wearing Whoop and actioning the feedback and insights it offers, it gives me the best chance of standing on the 1st tee in an important round physically and mentally ready to give it my best shot.

It is the reason why so many of the world’s best players - male and female - wear Whoop. None of them are paid to wear it (Whoop does not pay anyone to do so) and in the world of mega endorsements in professional sport, this speaks volumes.

For more information, browse our health and fitness reviews. 

In this Whoop 3.0 review, we discuss what the health and fitness tracker can do for your golf game, as well as your general wellbeing

Whoop 3.0 Review

Whoop is the brainchild of Will Ahmed, a former captain of the Harvard men’s varsity squash team, who describes this wearable technology as a “24/7 life coach”. By collecting physiological data around the clock, it provides an accurate insight to help the user better understand their body.

The Whoop Strap 3.0, which can be worn on the wrist or around the bicep, syncs with a free app, and gives wearers daily reports on three key areas: sleep, strain and recovery. In short, it will give you specific insights into what are the personal factors that keep your body in balance; the more you do that, the better your recovery; the better your recovery, the better your potential to perform.

One of the most impressive features is the recovery score, which tells you what kind of shape your body is in to take on ‘strain’, be that a round of golf, a heavy workout, or a busy day in the office. Life is tiring and technology that encourages you to prioritise rest so you can perform to your maximum potential is highly undervalued.

It’s easy to understand why so many of the world’s best golfers wear Whoop, as well as business leaders and the military. For golfers, they know that if they are well rested, they’ve got a better chance of playing well.

“I’m almost a year in and I never take it off,” says Justin Thomas. “I’m always learning about myself and things my body does and doesn’t respond well to, which is huge for me to perform my best on the course.”

Some of the feedback will come as no surprise, but it’s not your typical fitness tracker and it hasn’t been designed to tell you off. It can’t make you not have an alcoholic drink or go to bed early, but the insight it offers is incredible and, ultimately, it gives you more accountability.

The insights around sleep are especially eye-opening. In a nutshell sleep drives recovery so the better your sleep (duration and quality) the more able you are to perform the next day.

With Whoop’s Sleep Coach you learn how much you need to reach your desired performance level the next day and gain genuine insight into what promotes or impacts good sleep. It’s up to you to action those insights but Whoop gives it to you straight in black and white. For me, eating my last meal at least two hours before bedtime, taking a CBD supplement, avoiding or at least limiting alcohol and reading a book - not looking at my phone - are the key things I can do to improve my sleep.

Related: What Is Whoop And Why Are The Best Golfers Wearing It?

To gain this insight you track behaviours in the Whoop Journal - it's a simple two to three minute process to undertake thanks to the simple yes/no sliding scale functionality.

To determine how much strain you are putting your body under you can log all your activities in the app too – anything from golf (including caddying) and commuting, to CrossFit training and household chores.

Two words of advice: Firstly, don’t expect immediate insight. Whoop will give you information from day four of wearing it but I’d say you need a good month under your belt in order to establish a genuine personal baseline and from there you’ll begin to get the insights from which to make changes.

Secondly don’t get demoralised by your recovery scores. There will be times when you wake up feeling great, but your recovery score is low. Whoop is measuring what you can’t feel, so trust the science and you can really reap the rewards.

From the moment you get started, Whoop’s customer service is second to none, and you’ll receive plenty of updates and information to help you make sense of the data and improve your understanding of how to increase your potential to perform. Meanwhile the free podcast and the online resource centre, The Locker, are amazing sources of information and inspiration.

A word on the subscription model, too… it’s excellent! It’s a bit like when you enter a phone contract, where there’s no upfront cost and you get rewarded if you sign up for longer, which is good, because it encourages you to keep on using it.

That said, some might see it as expensive, especially for those who already have gym membership or another fitness tracker. However you’re paying for the insights, and the insight really is next level. 

As a tech company Whoop is always looking to the future and Whoop 4.0 has just been released.

The tracker is 33% smaller than 3.0, has an easier-to-change strap, can be charged even when you are getting wet (ie in the shower, pool or ocean) and can be worn in different locations other than the wrist or bicep when used with the new range of Whoop Body clothing.

More importantly it will give another two new metrics - skin temperature and blood oxygen levels that combined with the existing ones of HRV, resting heart rate and respiratory rates delivers you with what is effectively a daily medical. I’ll provide a review of that once I have had the chance to experience the new features.

In this Moju Turmeric Shots review, we discuss how these handy bottles can help you perform your best on the golf course.

Moju Turmeric Shots Review 

Turmeric has properties that can help you recover more quickly and endure less aches and pains following golf.

Turmeric is often talked about these days within discussions on effective sports nutrition. This is largely because of curcumin, the main phenolic compound in turmeric. It has been investigated recently due to its numerous medicinal properties and health benefits.

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In recent studies, athletes supplemented with curcumin displayed reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, decreased pain and muscle damage, superior recovery and muscle performance, better psychological and physiological responses (thermal and cardiovascular) during training and improved gastrointestinal function.

Turmeric may also help with arthritis and improve blood sugar levels.

The Moju Turmeric shot delivers a concentrated natural shot of this super spice, and it can be taken either on its own or mixed into a shake.

The Moju Turmeric Shot is a 60ml bottle of 100% cold-pressed functional drink made from all-natural whole ingredients.

Moju Turmeric is formulated with 16.3g of fresh turmeric root. The shot also contains black pepper to help with absorption.

There’s no added sugar or sweeteners and Moju donates 1% of sales to plant healthy air in UK cities and their bottles are made from 50% recycled materials and are 100% recyclable. It comes in a pack of 12.

You can either take the Moju Turmeric Shot once a day or as part of your exercise and fitness routine.

• Buy Now from MOJU for £27.80

Handy for the golfer on the course, small 60ml shot size turmeric drinks can be taken on the course in the golf bag or kept in the locker to be taken after the round. One of these turmeric shots per day can help with soreness and inflammation, helping you practice and play harder.

In this Decathlon Push Up Wheel Grips review, we put them to the test to see how easy they are to workout with and what benefits it can give your game.

Decathlon Push Up Wheel Grips Review

The Decathlon Push Up Wheel Grips are designed to help you get the most from strength exercises to develop muscles in your arms, legs, pectorals and core. Greater strength in these areas means better power and stability and, thereby, longer hitting and more consistent ball-striking when it comes to golf.

This multi-purpose product has been designed to allow you to do a variety of different exercises and to vary their difficulty.

Really, it’s a four in one fitness tool that can be adapted to your current fitness level.

Using just the handles, you can do press ups using your wrists to gain a wider range of motion.

If you use the rounded base under the handles, you can do unstable press ups to increase difficulty.

Related: Decathlon Nyamba Reversible Balance Station Review

The set can work as an Ab wheel, to work your abs and you can put your feet on them to use and work your legs.

This is another great piece of low-cost kit from Decathlon. There are various detachable elements that clip and unclip giving four uses.

The basic handles let you do deeper press-ups while using the clip-in rounded base produces unstable press-ups which are more difficult as this engages the core muscles more because you have to work to retain balance. You can use this device to help take the pressure off certain parts of your body while recovering from injury, yet still get a good workout.

With the wheels on it turns into an Ab Wheel-style device where, from a kneeling position, you push forwards and then back to work your abs. The wheeled base also lets you place your feet on them to work your legs. 

This is a great and affordable product that is easily stored away but gives you the chance to work the full body, from arms and pecs to legs and core.

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In this Decathlon Nyamba Reversible Balance Station review, we discuss how it can help strengthen your core and improve you golf swing in the process.

Decathlon Nyamba Reversible Balance Station Review

Core strength is hugely important in the golf swing – a stronger core means you have greater stability and a better starting point from which to make a confident and powerful swing. It also helps keep you stable on short shots and putts.

This is a fitness tool that gives multiple exercise options for increasing core strength.

This reversible balance station offers a range of options for exercises to strengthen muscles and improve core strength.

The Balance Station lets you train on an unstable base so that you are constantly using your core muscles and improving your balance. You can also do numerous strength training and physio exercises.

The dome is inflated with a provided pump and is soft to stand on when inflated.

Related: Atemi Resistance Bands Review

The balance station comes with detachable handles on stretch cords that can be used whether the station is dome or flat side down. The balance station can hold a weight up to 130kg.

It’s a low-cost version of a BOSU ball (which stands for Both Sides Up). As the name suggests you can use it either side up with the common factor being that its ‘wobbly’ nature tests your balance on every exercise and means you have to engage your core muscles – which are so important in golf swing.

This Decathlon version is about half the price of the ‘official’ BOSU ball but its functionality is pretty much the same. It comes with some detachable resistance bands with handles which give you some more options to tone your upper body. The number of exercises you can do with this piece of equipment is phenomenal.

It’s a versatile tool that can be easily stored and used in the house or garage, either as part of a workout routine or as a standalone activity.

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In this Atemi Resistance Bands review, we test the quality and durability of this affordable way to increase your overall strength and flexibility in your golf swing.

Atemi Resistance Bands Review

Targeted strength training can deliver obvious performance benefits to golfers – not only in terms of speed and power but also in terms of stability and consistency. If your body is stronger, it’s easier to stay centred and balanced and produce a repeatable swing.

Resistance bands are a super affordable fitness training tool and allow you to stretch for better flexibility and increase strength.

These particular bands from Atemi are of great quality and you’ll find they last well and remain consistent in their tension as they age.

These rubber resistance bands used for both physio and strength training come in two lengths – either 1.2 or 2m with a width of 10cm and are available with four different resistance levels: Black with an extra-heavy tension level of 16lb, blue are heavy at 11.1lb, red are medium at 8.9lb and yellow are light at 6.8lb.

They’re made of proper, natural latex and feel of solid, dependable quality.

Related: Therabody Theragun Mini Review

The bands are made from 100% natural Malaysian latex and are suitable for a range of exercises and stretches, either in recovery from injury or in strength training.

The four tension levels mean there’s a band to suit players of different strengths and you might work to move up through the levels to a higher tension as your muscles develop.

The resistance bands can be used as part of an exercise programme – doing repetitions to strengthen arms, legs and core. They can also be used as an effective method of warming up before exercise, or before golf.

Keep one in your golf bag to help with a pre-round warm-up before teeing off. The fact they’re so portable makes them a great fitness tool.

If you’ve suffered an injury, resistance bands can be a used as a fantastic way to steadily, and gently, rebuild muscle strength.

In this Therabody Theragun Mini review, we test out how this excellent fitness device can help you recover quicker and play better golf more often.

Therabody Theragun Mini Review 

Taking care of your fitness and wellbeing can make a huge difference to your golfing performance.

If you’re physically in shape, you can practice harder and play at your best level for longer.

But, if you do practice hard or work on your fitness, you’re likely to suffer niggles and aches as you push your muscles hard to improve.

Massage or Muscle Guns are increasingly popular and Theragun is acknowledged to be one of the best on the market. It uses Percussive Therapy to help ease tight muscles, aches and pains.

Operating via a brushless motor with QuietForce technology, this compact massage or muscle gun has been designed to be ultra-portable without sacrificing on power and results.

Benefits of percussive therapy include: Improving your range of motion – certainly key to a powerful and effective golf swing; hydrating tissue, faster warming up, enhancing the quality of your sleep and improving posture.

It has an ergonomic grip, an internal lithium-ion battery with up to 150 minutes of life and three speeds.

The ergonomic design of the Theragun Mini allows you to effectively target problem muscles and areas for immediate benefit while the QuietForce technology means it’s not much louder than an electric toothbrush.

As it’s so compact, it’s highly portable and you can take it anywhere with you – even onto the course.

It also comes with a power adaptor and a two-year warranty.

Before a round, you might use it to loosen tight muscles and it could just be a saviour if you start to tighten up midway through a game. A portable massage… Who wouldn’t like that? This could be a golfer’s game-changer.

Purity Hemp offers a brilliant range of CBD products so we were eager to try one of them out. Here's our verdict...

Purity Hemp CBD Golf Starter Kit Review

Another in the health and wellness category, Purity Hemp extracts cannabidiol (CBD) from the cannabis plant to create usable products that deliver plenty of lifestyle benefits. 

There are too many to list but among its uses is that it can treat pain, anxiety and improve quality of sleep. For golfers, this can result in better concentration and faster recovery from injury, among other things.

Although CBD is found in the cannabis plant, it is not psychoactive, unlike Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which is the more well-known compound from the plant. 

That means these products from Purity Hemp are totally legal and that’s why both the PGA’s Anti-Doping Program and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) have removed it from their prohibited lists.

RELATED: Best Golf Accessories 

What’s great about the Purity Hemp brand is that it offers CBD products in a number of forms - including a Golf Start Kit. For those who want to ingest it, there are oils of varying strengths and volumes, edible sweets in the form of gummy bears and jelly domes, as well as teas and coffees.

And for everyone else, there are handy roll-on applications and patches. 

We tested the edible gummy bears and jelly domes, which were great as they covered two bases at once. Not only did they help us stay relaxed on the course, but they also ensured we were taking on board some food - we often forget or simply choose not to.

RELATED: Darren Clarke CBD Oils Review 

And over time, we did feel a benefit, in particular when it came to the mental side of the game. Regular intake of CBD had us more relaxed both on the course and off, which helped us enjoy playing under less self-induced pressure. 

What we would say, though, is that the effect wasn't as profound as we maybe expected or hoped, but perhaps that is as much a consequence of the short testing window as anything else. 

If you are more interested in the oils, they are particularly good for improving sleep – take an hour before bed and you’ll enjoy more REM and deep sleep - while the CBD roll on is excellent for targeting injury and muscle fatigue.

While more prolonged use would help us determine the long-term benefits, if you’re a golfer who struggles with anxiety or chronic injury, we think these CBD products from Purity Hemp have the potential to be a game-changer.

In this review, we give our verdict on the FutureYou Turmeric+ Tablets. Do they reduce inflammation and aid recovery? Find out below...

FutureYou Turmeric+ Tablets Review

If you, like many golfers out there, struggle with injury and general soreness then you may have come across this review just in time. 

Turmeric is one of the most underrated supplements on the market and works brilliantly to reduce inflammation in the body, particularly around joints. 

As we know, the golf swing is not a movement the human body was designed to make. Twisting parts that want to move linearly would not be advised by any healthcare professionals, so it’s no wonder so many of us - both professional and amateur - end up with issues of some sort. 

RELATED: Best Golf Accessories 

We have been testing FutureYou’s Turmeric+ tablets for some time now and can testify to some outstanding results. This is largely because of curcumin – the main phenolic compound in turmeric.

However, it isn’t naturally absorbed, so if you aren’t taking it in the right form, it’s advantages are sadly lost. Thankfully, this product is 30 times more absorbable than standard turmeric due to a terrific blend of ingredients. 

We feel aches and pains where we never used to growing up but thanks to ingesting daily turmeric, their effects have been minimised. Don’t get us wrong, there are still days when we feel worse for wear after a round - plenty of them - but the semi-regular back spasms are a thing of the past.

RELATED: 10 Best Supplement And Sports Nutrition Products For Golfers

But don't just take our word for it. There is plenty in the way of scientific research to back all this up.

Studies have shown that athletes supplemented with curcumin displayed reduced inflammation and oxidative stress, decreased pain and muscle damage, superior recovery and muscle performance, better psychological and physiological responses (thermal and cardiovascular) during training, and improved gastrointestinal function.

Even for those who detest the unique flavour and smell of turmeric, that's a fair trade-off.

We have been taking a tablet each day and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. It might be a little on the expensive side, but can you really put a price on improved levels of health and bodily function?

We don’t think so.

We give our verdict on Darren Clarke CBD Oils for golfers having tested it over the last few months

Darren Clarke CBD Oils Review 

To say there is a growing trend towards sports men and women using cannabidiol (CBD) to aid recovery and alleviate all manner of ailments would be a gigantic understatement. And golfers are no exception. 

With more and more options widely available on the market, is it any wonder products designed to treat pain, anxiety, sleep disorders, as well as a number of other medical conditions are becoming increasingly popular?

It’s for that reason we jumped at the chance to try Darren Clarke’s new range of CBD oils for golfers. 

RELATED: Best Golf Accessories

Available in two flavours, we chose forest fruits over precision orange, and also decided it would be best to start with the 1,000mg bottle - the weaker of the two strengths available - as it was a first-time experience. 

For those who have used CBD products in the past, the 2,000mg option might be your best bet. 

We were excited and somewhat sceptical to give this a go as there is a fair amount of taboo surrounding products such as these. However, it is worth stressing that what we tested is completely legal and has been approved by the Anti-Doping Program and World Anti-Doping Agency. 

As we weren’t recovering from injury, we followed the recommended advice of taking one full pipette (1ml) an hour before playing golf in the hope it would keep us loose and relaxed from start to finish. 

And on days away from the course, we took the full dosage before bed to see if it improved our quality of sleep.

We are always looking for products that help give us an edge which can make it hard to remain objective, but here is what we found.

First of all, there was a definite cognitive improvement while on the course, not that that would be overly difficult to achieve. It's the part of the game we struggle with the most, so we were pleasantly surprised to find our mood and concentration levels improved while taking a pre-round 'hit'.

Another interesting benefit was revealed via Whoop. When taking CBD before bed, the number of disturbances through the night reduced and the amount of deep and REM sleep we got increased on average.

Our testing window was quite short so perhaps more time is required with the product to improve the reliability of these findings, but they were interesting none the less.

One thing we should point out is that the usual soreness felt after golf persisted. We struggle with a bad lower back - shock, horror - and didn't find there to be any noticeable changes in that department.

Again, more continued use would enable us to produce more in-depth findings, but overall there was enough there for us to deduce that it would be a worthwhile investment for those looking to play the game for as long as possible and improve their general quality of life.

Darren Clarke CBD Oils Review 

We try the Nutrition-X Hydra-10 hydration tablets and powder to see how they help our performance out on course.

Nutrition-X Hydra-10 Tablets and Powder Review

Dehydration can seriously, adversely affect both physical and mental on-course performance.

Of course, drinking plenty of water can stop this from happening, but often golf courses don't have sufficient hydration stations around the course, leaving your water bottle empty before you've even made it to the back nine.

Effective use of a hydration formula like Nutrition-X Hydra-10 can significantly reduce the risk of dehydration, helping you to keep playing, and concentrating to the best of your ability.

There are many hydration formulas on the market, but there are a few reasons why Hydra-10 from Nutrition-X are among the best.

RELATED: 10 Best Supplement And Sports Nutrition Products For Golfers

It’s very light, does not cause gut issues and it comes in either in a large tub, which will allow you to make up at home, or handy tablets that can be dropped into a bottle of water from the clubhouse.

Having one of these during the front nine and one for the back nine will keep you well hydrated and on the ball.

It doesn’t only replace the key electrolytes your body needs – those lost through sweat – it also contains vitamin B6 which can also boost your energy levels and help get you over the line.

The Hydra 10 capsules from Nutrition-X will keep you hydrated and focused when playing or practicing, allowing you to push right to the end of your round or practice session.

There are 20 tablets in a pack, 500g in a tub and you dissolve one in 200ml of water or three scoops in 500ml.

Leave the tablets in your golf bag, pop one into a bottle of water to dissolve, and you'll be sorted for the entirety of your round.

Tablets and powder are fast-acting and dissolve quickly, will boost hydration before, during and after golf and contains less than 1.5g of carbs per serving.

The product contains sodium, magnesium and calcium plus a selection of vitamins: B3, B5, E and B6.

Available in blackcurrant and lemon flavours, the Hydra 10 capsules are nut free and suitable for vegetarians and vegans.

We try the Healthspan Elite Caffeine Gum to see how it helps us perform during a round of golf.

Healthspan Elite Caffeine Gum Review

We all know that maintaining concentration over four full hours on the golf course is a significant challenge, particularly towards the end of a game. As fatigue sets in, we can start to lose the edge.

This caffeine gum from Healthspan can help you keep that edge right to the final putt.

These pieces of mint flavoured gum contain 100mg of caffeine each and they can help you retain mental alertness during a long and testing round of golf.

The right amount of caffeine can help energise you and these gums deliver just that right amount at times when you need it most.

RELATED: 10 Best Supplement And Sports Nutrition Products For Golfers

As such, these caffeine gums from Healthspan Elite are a big favourite of golfers. Each one contains 100mg of caffeine, just a little bit more than a can of Red Bull (250ml can = 80mg of caffeine) and they give a pretty instant kick.

That’s because the gum is being chewed and so the caffeine is in the salivary fluid, allowing the taste buds to send a message to the brain that caffeine is on its way.

You'll see 85% absorption in just 10-15 minutes while the gum also includes vitamins B3, B6 and B12.

The product has undergone rigorous testing for a wide range of substances banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to provide the highest levels of assurance possible for athletes.

They come in handy packets of 10 so can be easily kept in the golf bag and reached for when necessary and you can take up to four pieces a day.

They definitely come in very handy for the final few holes when you’re looking to finish strong. If you need that extra boost to get over the line, Healthspan Elite Kick-Start Caffeine Gum could give you the edge.

In this Golfer's CBD review, we offer our opinion on the brand's extensive range of CBD products

Golfer's CBD Review

CBD stands for cannabidiol. It is derived directly from the hemp plant, and whilst it’s a component of marijuana, it’s the legal part of the cannabis plant and by itself does not cause a “high”.

CBD is widely used to treat pain, anxiety and sleep disorder, as well as a number of medical conditions and illnesses, but there are wider benefits, too, especially for golfers.

Golfer’s CBD have created a range of products, including edibles (gummy bears), capsules and oils, which work by focusing on the receptors that affect the golfer’s emotions, mindset and reaction to events.

Related: Best Golfer's CBD Products

Arguably the biggest appeal is the impact CBD can have in combating anxiety symptoms. A number of professional players use CBD and have reported feeling calmer.

From helping you to feel more relaxed on the first tee and over those nervy three-footers, to improving your overall enjoyment of the game, there are numerous benefits on offer.

I've tried each of Golfer’s CBD products, bar the vape and atomiser spray, and it’s the capsules that I've stuck with, as well as the muscle rub.

Taking two capsules before bed has helped me to get off to sleep so much faster - and this is crucial, because it's sleep that drives recovery.

For me, it was evident just how much less sleep was accumulated during a five-day spell of not taking the capsules.

Was this a case of the placebo effect? Possibly, but my results were backed up by my WHOOP data, a fitness tracker the team and I have also been trialling.

The oil is another option, although the taste won't appeal to everyone - unlike the gummy bears, which are quite palatable.

I've used the body salve extensively, and I'm at the point now where I never forget to take it, because it's proving so effective in relieving muscle soreness.

What about the downsides?

Well, if you commit to taking CBD on a regular basis - and you'll need to find the dosage that works best for you - it can be expensive.

Should you take two capsules a day, for example, you could be looking at £60 a month.

However, the question you need to ask yourself is: how much do you value your sleep? Or, what price do you put on those potential marginal gains on the golf course?

Whilst CBD is not addictive, some people may get into the habit of feeling like they must take it, otherwise they won't play as well - so you're almost getting that reverse placebo effect.

What we'd say on this point, however, is you need to be rational. You obviously need to drink water, so you do it; it's a case of reframing your mind.

If you're expecting your golf game to be transformed by taking a few tablets here and there, you'll be disappointed - it's not a magic pill.

However, there’s plenty of evidence to suggest it can improve your sleep, and the calming effect can make a huge difference both on and off the golf course.

Our advice would be to give it time; it’s about finding the most palatable way of taking it and choosing a product that’s easiest to incorporate into your lifestyle, or for when you need it.

In this Turbine nasal dilator review, we discuss the potential benefits of the stent for your golf game, including how it might help your general health and fitness

Turbine Nasal Dilator Review

Whilst golf might not be as physically demanding compared to many other sports, learning to breathe properly can make a huge difference both on and off the course - and this is where Turbine can help.

Turbine is a nasal stent designed to allow more airflow during sport, physical exertion, focused breathing - such as yoga and meditation - and for recovery.

The breathing aid, or nose plug as it’s sometimes called, is made from ultra soft medical grade polymers and fits comfortably, in the nose, and it works simply by opening each nostril.

There are three sizes available (large, medium and small) and with the right fit, it’s designed in such a way that it should feel relatively unnoticeable.

They say good things come in small packages, and this tiny clip can certainly make a big difference, both in terms of sports performance and as you go about your day to day business.

Ninety-nine per cent of the time humans should breathe in and out through their nose.

The nose is our breathing organ and conditions the incoming air for our lungs and airways, and because it’s a smaller entry and exit point than the mouth, it manages the right volume and balance of gasses (especially carbon dioxide) within the body. Your mouth is for eating, yet lots of people breathe in and out via their mouth.

Should you be doing this, you are breathing at a much higher rate than you need to; you are hyperventilating, even acutely, and breathing more than your body requires. You’re also taking shallower breaths, causing vertical movement of your chest.

The Turbine nasal dilator acts as bio-feedback tool so you remember to breathe efficiently.

This can be life-changing, not to mention good for your golf game, because breathing correctly controls the physiological element of your psychological state - one example being your heart rate - and it also manages your core stability.

If you’re breathing through the nose low into your belly, you are correctly using your inner core, which in turn is correctly activating the muscles of your outer core - for example, your lower back and abs - and putting your trunk in a strong position to consistently repeat movement, such as the golf swing.

Conversely, breathing through your mouth can weaken your core, causing lower back issues, and overly activate your chest and shoulder muscles.

If you want to understand more about the power of breathing, I can certainly recommend reading 'Breath' by James Nestor.

Having read it myself, and learnt how much more efficient it is to breathe in and out of your nose, Turbine is now something I wear all the time during cardio sessions.

True, it might not be something you'd choose to wear when playing golf, but wearing one in any fitness or wellness setting can have transferable benefits.

The fact that a number of professional cyclists wear it tells you how effective it is, and whilst it's not going to stop you hitting bad golf shots, anything that helps you to focus on nose breathing is a good thing.

The manufacturer says they last for ten uses, so the cost of wearing Turbine can add up. However, the difference between mouth and nasal breathing is incredible - and we're certain plenty of sportsmen and women, including golfers, will discover it's well worth the investment.

If you're one of them, make sure you get the right size. The trial pack is a good starting point, as you'll get one of each size.

The Mute nasal dilator is also available, which is proven to help snorers with difficulties breathing properly through their nose because of nasal obstruction, congestion or narrow airways.