It wasn`t the kind of shot Scottie Scheffler would ever practice intentionally.
During the Genesis Invitational`s second round at Torrey Pines in February, on the challenging fourth hole by the cliffside, Scheffler`s drive landed in an awkward spot on the edge of a steep fairway bunker.
The situation was unusual, but not insurmountable for the world`s top-ranked golfer. Scheffler wasn`t just aiming to escape the bunker; choosing a fairway wood, he intended to get as close to the green as possible. He adjusted his tall frame, placing his right foot on the grassy edge of the bunker, while most of his left foot hovered above the sand.
Scheffler swung, making contact while maintaining his signature sliding motion. His left foot instantly slipped into the bunker, and his right leg buckled beneath him. Yet, his balance held, and he completed his swing. The ball soared through the air, landing near the green, and Scheffler achieved par.
`That was one of those shots where you`re in a strange position, and I have to adopt a weird stance and swing oddly just to get the ball forward,` Scheffler explained. `Sometimes, I`m quite skilled at that.`
This moment offered a glimpse into a less recognized aspect of Scheffler`s game. Beyond his exceptional ball-striking and fluid swing with its distinctive footwork, there`s a foundation built not only on remarkable talent, relentless practice, and technical commitment, but also significantly on fitness. This focus on physical conditioning has been key to unlocking Scheffler`s peak golf performance over the last three years.
`He wasn`t initially a gym enthusiast,` revealed Dr. Troy Van Biezen, Scheffler`s performance coach and trainer. `It took a couple of instances in college for him to realize he needed to invest time off the course to prevent pain and compete at an elite level.`
Last year was unparalleled for Scheffler, marked by a Masters victory and seven other tournament wins. This year, despite hand surgery after a cooking mishap and missing the season`s initial events, Scheffler, despite not yet winning, has demonstrated that he too experiences the sport`s ups and downs. As he aims for his third Masters title in four years, it`s a reminder that his process, particularly his pre-game preparation, is what he relies on.
`In golf, you can`t dictate the wind, bad bounces, or even your swing all the time,` Van Biezen noted. `However, we can manage your fitness level; we have control over everything else.`
Van Biezen, a performance coach based in Dallas, recalls when he began working with Scheffler, who was then just a `small kid` of 14. Like many young golfers experiencing back pain in their early teens, Scheffler`s growth spurt from high school to college was a crucial point in his early career.
`When nature takes over, it can lead to imbalances and asymmetries,` Van Biezen explained. `Because the golf swing involves repeated motions engaging specific muscle groups, these imbalances can cause pain and injuries. … Scottie grew very rapidly and lost flexibility.`
Van Biezen, currently the director of performance for the Dallas Stars, sees his role as addressing these physical weaknesses through mobility, stability, and strength training. His prior work with Jordan Spieth and Tiger Woods helped solidify his approach and objectives.
`Coming from a hockey background, I`ve always advocated for strong glutes and legs,` Van Biezen mentioned. `Tiger once told me that he wants to be physically, emotionally, and mentally as strong on Thursday morning as he is on Sunday afternoon during the final nine holes.`
Due to his growth spurt, Scheffler`s freshman year at Texas went from promising to challenging as he struggled to consistently score under par. Van Biezen collaborated with Scheffler`s swing coach, Randy Smith, and Texas coach, John Fields, to address the factors affecting Scheffler as he physically grew—13 inches in 14 months—and mentally developed back into a top amateur.
Despite two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour and securing his PGA Tour card for the 2020 season, Scheffler faced difficulties closing tournaments, maintaining leads, and converting good performances into wins. Van Biezen continuously sought areas for improvement, and a closer look at Scheffler revealed a critical area.
`From a cardiovascular standpoint, he wasn`t at the level we wanted him to be to secure a win on Sunday afternoon,` Van Biezen stated.
The solution was an offseason boot camp before 2021 to enhance Scheffler`s strength, flexibility, and power, with a particular focus on endurance.
`We incorporated significant metabolic training, `burners` after workouts, really pushing him and stressing his nervous system,` Van Biezen detailed. `So that when Sunday afternoon arrived, especially at a major during these extended weeks, he would be ready to finish strong.`
Van Biezen is cautious about overemphasizing fitness alone, but as Scheffler`s game sharpened and his Tour experience grew, this intense focus on fitness became a key factor in propelling Scheffler to the top, repeatedly. In fact, in the last six PGA Tour events where Scheffler held a 54-hole lead (excluding the 2024 Tour Championship), he won every time.
`We`ve reached a point where I`ve eliminated many of the aches and pains I experienced in college,` Scheffler shared in an interview about GolfForever, the fitness program he uses with Van Biezen. `And I`ve reached a state where my body feels genuinely healthy, but it was a long process to achieve balance long enough to start building muscle.`
As Scheffler has mentioned, his goal isn`t to simply maximize power or speed for longer drives. Understanding how to consistently and efficiently move his body to minimize pain and optimize the precise movements of a golf swing is as vital as mastering a 7-iron.
`When I properly rotate into my right hip, I can load and push off to fully transfer to my left side, avoiding a reverse pivot,` Scheffler explained. `Without the workouts and gym routines that I do for golf, I couldn`t sustain my body`s performance as I have over the past decade.`
`How quickly can you row in 30 seconds?`
Inside the Dallas gym where Scheffler trains with fellow professionals Tom Kim and Ryan Palmer, this question often sparks Scheffler`s competitive spirit when he`s not on the course.
`Scottie enjoys gym banter,` Van Biezen said. `Once, during a strength session, Scottie, wearing a weighted vest, was doing skater squats and challenged Tom, saying, `You can`t do that.` They pushed Tom to try, creating a playful rivalry that motivates them.`
Van Biezen quickly learned that incorporating competition into workouts was essential to maximize Scheffler`s offseason training.
Now, Van Biezen doesn’t need to be physically present with Scheffler to understand his needs. He and his team are attuned to the signs indicating when Scheffler can`t properly load into his right side, leading to a reverse spine tilt and potential back discomfort. Smith`s awareness of this specific issue is now second nature; he can identify it and often sends Van Biezen videos or texts from the practice range for remote guidance.
`I started from scratch with him,` Van Biezen said. `Having known Scotty for so long, I can observe his body movements, reverse engineer them, and then design gym exercises to correct poor movement patterns or activate specific muscle groups.`
The team has developed a set of mobility exercises for Scheffler targeting internal hip rotation, promoting turn over tilt. This subtle adjustment is crucial, often making the difference between a good ball-striking week and an exceptional one, between second place and first.
Scheffler, according to Van Biezen, is inquisitive and unafraid to question the purpose of gym exercises. But with proven results, he fully embraces Van Biezen’s performance philosophy. The link between improved fitness and golf performance has inspired Scheffler to further enhance his recovery, incorporating cold plunges, red light therapy, and Normatec compression boots at home.
`Everyone admires the exciting aspects—power, speed, strength, plyometrics, box jumps, which we do,` Van Biezen states. `But it`s the consistency that matters. He`s realized the importance of sticking to corrective exercises, mobility, stability, and foundational work. He practices these daily.`
Although Van Biezen isn`t always on tour with Scheffler, Scheffler maintains a consistent routine during tournament weeks. Monday is usually the primary heavy lifting day. Tuesday focuses on functional mobility. Wednesday, often involving a pro-am and more practice, is work-free. Once tournaments begin, his pre-round mobility routine is adjusted around his tee time, allowing for flexibility as needed.
`Your body is constantly changing due to various factors like poor beds or plane travel,` Van Biezen explains. `So, we adapt and adjust our approach weekly.`
For the final piece of optimization, Van Biezen, also a nutritionist, has guided Scheffler in his dietary habits, aided by another key member of Scheffler`s inner circle: his wife, Meredith.
`She’s very health-conscious,` Van Biezen remarks. `She keeps him on track, ensuring he eats healthily. He receives this guidance from both of us, making it hard to avoid.`
Healthy eating wasn`t a major issue for Scheffler, but Van Biezen has taken on an educational role, explaining the `what` and `why` to Scheffler, while allowing for some flexibility. While the primary goal is always to prepare Scheffler to be at his best before competition, even the top player has his indulgences.
`He loves his pizza,` Van Biezen laughs. `So, we compromise, and I decide when he can enjoy it.`
