Eric Parsons / Star staff Physical therapist and certified golf fitness instructor Matt Smalling, left, works with client Paul Cervantes during an exercise session at Athletic Physical Therapy in Westlake Village. Smalling believes a player can improve with better strength, balance and flexibility.

When Tiger Woods showed up on the PGA Tour 10 years ago he ushered in a revolution in golf, one which included a higher commitment to physical fitness by most players.

Seeing the world's best player spend so much time in the gym has forced most PGA players to try to improve their own physical conditioning.

Westlake resident Matt Smalling believes weekend golfers should also follow Woods' example and try to improve their performance by increasing their fitness level.

Smalling, 45, is a licensed physical therapist and a certified strength and conditioning specialist. Smalling spent 12 years working at the Kerlan-Jobe Orthopedic Clinic in Los Angeles, where he had the opportunity to work with many amateur and professional athletes. Some of them include Nomar Garciaparra, Jim Edmonds, Jim Everret, Mark Langston, Tim Wallach and Marty McSorley.

Smalling's professional experiences and his passion for golf (he carries a 5 handicap) inspired him to create fitness programs for golfers of all ages and abilities. While programs are designed for each player specifically, they all have the same goal of helping a player get more physically prepared to play golf.

Smalling said few golfers spend time improving their fitness level, despite the fact it can help a player hit the ball longer, straighter and more consistently.

"Improving a person's balance, strength and flexibility can make a big difference in how they play," Smalling said. "In every sport, there are certain areas which can create problems for athletes.

"In golf, the two biggest problem areas are the hips being tight and weak and the lower back, including the abdominals, being weak."

To determine a player's "weak" areas, Smalling puts them through an evaluation process that includes using the computer to generate a 3-D image of the player's golf swing.

"The 3-D analysis of golf swings does show the flaws in a player's swing," Smalling said. "And a player can take that video back to his or her instructor so they can work on improving those flows.

"But from my end, I get information that shows me what physical problem areas are present and need to be addressed.

"It tells me where we need to increase a person's strength, speed and flexibility."

After the initial evaluation, Smalling develops a comprehensive exercise routine designed to improve a player's weaknesses.

Unlike most fitness programs, Smalling uses very little weight training to help his clients get stronger and faster. Instead, he uses things like large exercise balls, medicine balls, and has clients perform a series of targeted exercises.

For example, many players need to increase their core strength. Core strength is the ability to keep your spine or trunk in a stable position as you perform a physical movement, such as swinging a golf club.

"In golf, if you can increase a player's core strength, it allows that person to stay more balanced during the golf swing," Smalling said.

"Better balance helps the clubhead stay on path, which in turn leads to more solid contact."

Smalling spent seven years in Houston perfecting his golf fitness system.

While there, Jeff New, the 2006 Texas Golf Association PGA Amateur of the Year, was referred to Smalling by his instructor with the hope he could help him with some physical shortcomings.

"Matt had me do various physical tests and determined I needed more flexibility and/or strength in certain parts of my body," New said. "He also identified some limitations in range of motion.

"... I had to increase my range of motion — specifically in my right shoulder — to fix a key swing issue that I have been working on with my golf instructor. Matt then took me through some specific stretches and other movements for general golf fitness, but also to address my problem areas."

A little more than a year ago, Smalling moved to Westlake Village, where he hooked up with Athletic Physical Therapy, using its facilities in Westlake and Simi Valley as his bases of operation.

Over the last year Smalling has started to reach out to local golf professionals with the hope of developing a partnership with them.

"It's a matter of talking with the golf professionals and explaining what I can do for their students," Smalling said. "I'm not trying to teach golf; my job is to help that player get more physically fit so they can move properly, which allows them to perform the way their golf professional wants to them to."

For information on Smalling's program go to www.athleticdevelopmenthome.com.