It’s easy to look at Gary Player’s career and see the trophies. The nine majors. The wins on the Champions Tour. The global travel. But the real story — the one that matters if you’re trying to play golf into your later years without falling apart — is what he did when nobody was watching. Before sunrise. In hotel gyms. On treadmills. With a plate of vegetables instead of a steak.
Because Gary Player didn’t just play well into his 60s — he redefined what it means to stay competitive past your prime. And it all came down to one thing: fitness.
Gary Player Didn’t Just Compete. He Dominated.
When Player hit the Champions Tour in 1985, he didn’t coast in with name recognition and nostalgia. He showed up to win — and win he did. Nine senior majors. One every year for seven straight years. And maybe most impressive of all? He was still hoisting a trophy at the Senior British Open in 1997 — well into his 60s, beating guys a decade younger.
That kind of longevity isn’t normal. It’s not even common. And it definitely wasn’t supposed to happen in golf back then.
So how did he do it?
The Workout Routine That Raised Eyebrows (Then Raised Trophies)
Decades before golf had personal trainers and mobile gyms, Gary Player was in the weight room — doing leg presses, crunches, and one-legged squats like he was training for a decathlon. While other pros were ordering their second cocktail, he was stretching and taking ice baths.
Yes, really.
Here’s what his fitness routine looks like — even in his late 80s:
- Strength: 90-minute gym sessions, 4–5 days a week. Heavy leg presses. One-legged squats. Grip-strength work.
- Core: 200 to 1,000 crunches and sit-ups a day (sometimes with weights). All focused on rotational power.
- Cardio: Daily treadmill runs, often at full pace. Walking. Anything to get his heart rate up.
- Recovery: Ice baths followed by hot baths. Targeted stretching for back, legs, neck. All designed to keep him balanced, limber, and injury-free.
And here’s the kicker: He started this routine back in 1944. At a time when the only exercise most golfers were doing involved lifting a martini.
The 60/40 Rule: Why Gary Player Says What You Eat Matters More Than What You Lift
As committed as he is to the gym, Gary Player’s even more obsessed with diet. In his words, “Healthy living is 60 percent what you eat, 40 percent how you exercise.” That’s not a catchy phrase — it’s how he’s lived for nearly 80 years.
His dietary “non-negotiables”:
- Two meals a day only — usually skipping dinner.
- Undereating on purpose — he’s said it’s the best health decision he’s ever made.
- Avoids: Sugar, bacon, white bread. He calls them “poison” and “killers.”
- Favors: Nutrient-dense foods, simple meals, lots of fiber and vegetables.
Player doesn’t just follow a diet — he’s made it his weapon. “The gym is important,” he says, “but only a quarter as important as undereating.”
That’s a pretty wild thing to hear from a guy who still leg presses 400 pounds.
Why It Worked: Fitness That Translates to the Golf Swing
You don’t win majors in your 60s unless your swing still works. And thanks to his obsessive training, Player’s did.
- Core strength gave him the hip rotation needed to generate real club speed.
- Leg power and balance made weight transfer smooth and explosive.
- Flexibility allowed a full backswing even in his 70s and 80s.
- Grip strength meant no club twisting at impact — even late in a round.
At 80, he was still breaking his age every time he played. At 84, still playing five rounds a week. That doesn’t happen unless your body cooperates.
He Was Ridiculed for It. Then He Changed the Game.
Let’s be clear — Gary Player wasn’t always celebrated for his fitness mindset. In his prime, a lot of golf traditionalists thought he was overdoing it. Some even warned that weight training would wreck his swing.
Spoiler: it didn’t.
Today, Player’s approach feels normal. Tiger Woods brought it mainstream. Rory McIlroy lives in the gym. Most PGA Tour players now travel with physios and portable squat racks.
But back when Gary started? It was unheard of. That’s what makes him not just a champion, but a pioneer.
Aging Like a Legend
Gary Player’s legacy isn’t just about the scorecard. It’s about proving that golf doesn’t have to be a young man’s game. Not if you treat your body with respect. Not if you eat like performance matters. Not if you put in the work.
Sure, we might not all be doing 1,000 crunches before breakfast — but there’s something incredibly human (and inspiring) about watching a guy push boundaries with discipline instead of talent.
He didn’t outdrive Father Time.
He outworked him.