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GolfGolf ProPro PointersPointers Greg ‘The Shark’ Norman stresses exercise Greg ‘The Shark’ Norman | CBI Interview | Greg Norman The legendary PGA player known as ‘The Shark’ embraces, and endorses, function-specific fitness programs for golf and other sports activities

By Jon Feld Highlights » The golf-fitness link CBI: In , you played rugby and cricket and surfed as a kid. » The business ‘course’ How did you wind up becoming a golfer? » Teeing up new talent Greg Norman: I’ve always had a passion for sports. My family had just moved to » Tips from the master . I was a bit lonely, having left all of my friends behind, so my mother suggested that I play a quick nine holes of golf. I’d never tried before, but Mum told me I had the start of a reasonable swing. A couple of weeks later, she was playing in a tournament, and I caddied for her. She made the game look easy, so I figured, “If Mum can do it, so can I.” I wandered onto the course and started whacking the ball around— a few went straight, but most were poorly hit, with one even getting stuck in a pandanus Greg Norman, 55, a.k.a. tree. That was my introduction to golf. “The Shark” or “The ,” is among the CBI: You’ve said you’ve had to change your life to accommodate your new greatest all-time PGA golfers. “position” as you’ve grown older. What does that mean in terms of fitness? In fact, at one point during the 1980s and 1990s, the GN: While competing in the 1991 PGA Championship, I remember coming off the golf , Australia-born course following my round with an incredible headache. It was quite unusual for me to duffer was the world’s No. 1 have such a headache. It was a major championship, and it was hot and humid, and I ranked golfer for 331 straight realized that I was dehydrated. That August, I decided to commit myself to a more weeks—not days, but weeks. intense workout, and to cleanse my system of sodas or any other chemicals; I started His PGA career began in drinking a lot of water, and I started working out. 1976, and, while he’s not on tour as frequently today, he’s CBI: How do you stay fit during the tour? still an active player, with nearly 100 tournament wins GN: I work out daily and maintain a pretty rigid workout routine. When I was playing under his belt. Norman has golf more regularly, I’d do my most intense workouts on Monday and then scale back parlayed his success into a a bit each day leading into a tournament, which would begin on Thursday. thriving business, Greg Norman Enterprises, which CBI: How does fitness differentiate you as a pro? encompasses a variety of different companies across GN: The psychological edge that being physically fit creates within a person is a several industries, and the tremendous asset. As a professional athlete, being able to look down the driving nonprofit Greg Norman Golf range before a round and say to yourself, “I’ve got these guys,” boosts your confidence Foundation, which serves and eliminates one element of the competition in your mind. as an outreach organization for younger golfers. Most CBI: How do you respond to the “myth” that golfers shouldn’t work out? recently, Norman, whose home base is Hobe Sound, GN: This has changed drastically over the last 10 years. People turn on the TV and Florida, entered into a see , and they see these other young, chiseled players from all over relationship with CYBEX to the world. So people automatically start thinking, “That must be good for my endorse and be its “official game.” That message radiates out to 25 million other golfers, whether they’re fitness ambassador” for recreational or membership players. > its CYBEX Golf Fitness platform. —|

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CBI: What physical benefits does Champions Tour, as well. It’s become yes, but the ultimate goal is building a golf offer? a part of life as a touring professional. company to a level at which, after you hit that time period—15 or 20 years, GN: Golf quietly provides an excellent or whatever it is—you can really take workout. The governing bodies of the CBI: How are golf and fitness advantage of what you’ve achieved. interconnected? How has that sport, such as the PGA of America and So I created Great White Shark connection changed over the the USGA, have begun doing more Enterprises—a multinational corpora- past few generations of golfers? thorough studies of the positive impact tion with a diverse portfolio that includes of golf on health and physical fitness, GN: The technology behind the golf apparel, wine, beef, restaurants, event and some impressive stats are begin- club continues to advance, and so, too, management, design, and ning to emerge. In fact, it was recently must the players’ physique. When you real estate development. reported that an average individual have a physically fit body, you’re able to who plays 18 holes of golf (walking, achieve greater distance and control CBI: How about the Greg Norman not riding a cart) can burn 1,500 calo- of your ball flight. Golf Foundation? What purpose does it serve? GN: The Foundation’s aim is to cultivate the best players by promoting the very “The technology behind the golf club highest standards for junior golf; continues to advance, and so, too, prepare young golfers for the future; and bring professional golf tuition within must the player’s physique. When you the reach of interested individuals in Queensland, Australia. Many outstand- have a physically fit body, you’re able ing junior golfers have benefited from to achieve greater distance and control the Foundation, the most notable being Karrie Webb, , and Jason of your ball flight.” Day. As a point of pride, two weeks ago, Adam and Jason both won in back-to- back weeks on the PGA TOUR, winning the Valero Texas Open and the HP Championship, respectively. ries during their round. You can run CBI: Tell us a little about your own as fast as you can on a treadmill for enterprises (Great White Shark 30 minutes, exerting all kinds of Enterprises; Medalist and Southern Cybex & The Biggest Loser energy, and not even come close to Cross Development; Australian » Cybex recently entered into an burning 1,500 calories. Grille; Greg Norman Australian exclusive multiyear agreement to Prime; Greg Norman Estates serve as the official equipment pro- (wine); Greg Norman Collection; vider for The Biggest Loser, NBC’s CBI: Tell us about the Fitness Greg Norman Production Com- top-rated reality TV show. Cybex Trailer program for the PGA TOUR. will provide more than 60 pieces of pany; and Greg Norman Golf strength and cardio equipment for GN: I started the Fitness Trailer program Course Design). The Biggest Loser Ranch, the setting on the PGA TOUR in 1990. My trainer, GN: I wanted to get involved with for the show; will outfit several Big- Pete Draovitch, and I designed the first gest Loser Resorts; and will also businesses, not just do endorsement Fitness Trailer and encouraged the introduce a consumer version of its deals. The plan was twofold: I wanted to TOUR to get CYBEX involved because unique Arc Trainer, branded as structure my business interests in such The Biggest Loser Arc Trainer. I was a firm believer in the company’s a way that, after I stopped playing golf, “This is a truly groundbreaking technology. In speaking with the TOUR, I’d have something to move toward that partnership that will directly con- we discussed its responsibility to provide I’d enjoy. Second, I wanted to structure tribute to helping contestants on its members with a fitness program that them in such a way that the fruits of my The Biggest Loser achieve their weight-loss and fitness goals,” notes would give them the option of working energies weren’t tied to a three-year or out. When we first created the Fitness John Aglialoro, the chairman and five-year endorsement. CEO of Cybex. “Tens of millions of Trailer, I was one of the only players I wanted my business interests people in dozens of countries, world- using it, but now, you can barely find directed toward putting money back wide, are going to be inspired by space; there are three or four trailers into a company, and seeing it continue seeing their favorite contestants shed on the PGA TOUR, and trailers on the to grow. You want a dividend return, pounds on our… equipment.” —|

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CBI: Who’s the best golfer currently on the TOUR? The best golfer of all time? GN: There are several really good players on TOUR right now. You have and playing very well on the Champions Tour, and Rory McIllroy and Adam Scott have recently won a few tourna- ments, as well, on the PGA TOUR. It’s hard to pinpoint one player as the best on TOUR, since each week there are different variables—such as course and weather—that will affect a given player’s ability to play on that specific course. The best golfer of all time, in my opinion, is . I learned the Pumping up fundamentals of the game by reading Norman’s swing his books.

CBI: Recently, sport-specific The Greg Norman-CYBEX Connection training has come into vogue at Last December, CYBEX International, Inc. (NASDAQ: CYBI), announced that some health clubs. How important Greg Norman would endorse its CYBEX Golf Fitness platform. Since then, do you think that sort of training is to achieving real excellence in under the terms of the partnership, Norman has been serving as the a given activity? company’s spokesperson; participating in strategic marketing initiatives; designing golf-specific exercises; spearheading the formation of the CYBEX GN: I think it’s very valuable. I’ve been Golf Fitness Council; and facilitating partnerships with golf and country clubs, doing “golf-specific” exercises for resorts, and communities worldwide. years. As a professional athlete, you “Actually,” says Norman, “my relationship with CYBEX began over 15 years have to identify the muscle groups ago. In the early ’90s, I rededicated myself to physical fitness, and began that you use on a regular basis in working with trainer Pete Draovitch. I was considering a variety of fitness your sport and, then, train those areas. equipment brands for my home gym, and I remember Pete telling me to take The biomechanics of the exercises are a look at CYBEX. He was impressed by its quality and the consistency it pro- also extremely important. If possible, vides. So, I tried it, loved it, and have been working out with it ever since. in training, you want to reproduce the motions that you employ naturally in “Now I have the fortune of working hand-in-hand with the firm on the your sport. development of its Golf Fitness platform,” he continues. “I believe this program will revolutionize the way golf and country clubs view fitness. Fitness is no longer just an amenity: it’s an important element that drives incremental CBI: If you were going to offer revenue, member retention, and, ultimately, a healthier lifestyle for people our readers your most valuable of all ages.” golf tips, what would they be? For CYBEX, the partnership is all about authenticity and credibility. GN: First, when learning to play the “In engaging someone as our ambassador, Greg was the perfect fit,” says game, hit the ball as hard as you can. Larry Gulko, the company’s chief marketing officer. “He’s someone who Don’t worry about where the ball goes. genuinely lives our brand and is committed to staying fit on and off the course. You can always learn mechanics once He has 24 pieces of our cardio and strength training equipment in his home, you’ve developed an ability to strike the and also uses it in his Medalist club and at the Great White Shark Enterprises ball with power. Second, use a soft grip. corporate headquarters. And he’s into the biomechanics, physiology, and There’s no need to strangle your club, science of fitness, as we are. It’s a great privilege to have Greg on our team— be it a putter or driver. The softer your a person who embodies trust, integrity, and authenticity, and who shares our grip, the looser and less restricted your vision and business philosophy.” —| swing will be. —|

– Jon Feld, [email protected]

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