If you have already booked your next golf vacation, you have probably spent over a thousand dollars on flights, accommodation and green fees. The best investment you can make on top of this is to get in shape so that you are at the peak of your game and you have the stamina to play the four or five rounds of golf that you've planned.

Golf is a very expensive game; you spend lots of money on green fees, apparel, clubs and lessons, but overlook one of the fundamentals, golf training exercises.

To get in better shape to play golf doesn't necessarily mean hours and hours on the running machine, nor does it mean lifting heavy weights like a body builder. You just need to improve your nutrition and work out the best way to condition your body. You will reap the benefits of the changes you make, especially on the golf course, where you will be able to drive the ball further, and concentrate better because you will be less fatigued.

Most of us are occasional golfers who have very sedentary lifestyles, so the changes we make will pay off. The best way to improve your conditioning is by consulting a personal trainer or a fitness trainer at your local gym. They are ideally placed to assess your current situation and recommend exercises you can do to improve on what you already have.

Tell your trainer that you want to concentrate on your golf fitness, and they will develop a program that will focus on your back, abs, arms and shoulders. You might have to work this in with a few aerobic exercises, especially if you need to drop a few pounds, but the most important thing is to work in some variation to your training so that you don't get bored and also because this is the fastest way to see results.

Before starting out, it's a good idea to get checked out by a doctor, particularly if you have any long standing injuries or medical problems that might reoccur. The last thing you want to do is incapacitate yourself before your golf vacation, the idea is to get you in better shape, not end your vacation before it has even started.

There are a number of different types of exercise that might help, such as stretching, squats, step ups, sit ups, back extensions and dumbbell curls. This is not meant to be a comprehensive list, just a few ideas to get you started. Your fitness trainer will help you decide what exercises are best for you to hit your goals, and between you you will be able to work out the best program so that you do more than just survive your vacation.

If you start your new regime only six weeks before your next golf vacation, you will notice a huge difference over where you are at now, and while your playing partners are fading half way round the course, you will still be driving the ball further than ever.