In the world of golf, every detail matters. From your stance to your backswing, each drive requires body and mind alignment. Lifelong golfer Zach Cutler, DC (’21) understands this better than most.
Growing up in St. Louis, Dr. Cutler golfed on Timberland High School’s state championship-winning team before playing Division I collegiate golf at Valparaiso University (Valpo) in Indiana.
“My freshman year I won a college golf tournament and even got to play in the 2016 United States Amateur Championship,” Dr. Cutler said. “Our Valpo team was also the Division I academic champions in 2016; we had the highest GPAs out of all the country’s Division I golf teams.”
Approaching his graduation from Valpo’s exercise science program, Dr. Cutler considered what he wanted to do next.
“I always knew I wanted to work with athletes and be involved in body mechanics, but I wasn’t sure how,” Dr. Cutler said. “One thing that drew me to chiropractic care was how you can typically see immediate results following treatment.”
Dr. Cutler searched for chiropractic programs and found Logan University. He enrolled in Logan’s Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program and began classes right after graduating from Valpo. He completed the DC program in 2021.
“My experience at Logan was great,” Dr. Cutler said. “In addition to the program, I liked that Logan is in my hometown.”
In 2021, Dr. Cutler earned a certification from Titleist Performance Institute (TPI). It provides recipients with a better understanding of the specific and unique biomechanical and physical aspects of golfing.
“The TPI certifications give doctors and trainers like me the knowledge and tools to assess and rehabilitate golfers,” Dr. Cutler said. “I perform a TPI assessment, which is essentially a full-body movement assessment, on all my patients when I first start seeing them.”
Dr. Cutler is the owner of Golf and Training Institute, located at Family Golf and Learning Center in Kirkwood, Missouri, and works with Performance Chiropractic, the Official Team Chiropractor for the St. Louis Blues, Washington University in St. Louis, and Lindenwood University. He sees patients of all ages and caters each session to their specific needs.
“While it depends on the patient, a typical session with me has two parts,” Dr. Cutler said. “The first part involves chiropractic care, soft tissue massages, cupping, or a combination of all three. The second part involves the specific rehabilitation or strengthening techniques for the patient. It’s usually an hour-long session.”
Dr. Cutler finds that the most common issues he sees in golfers include limited thoracic spinal rotation and hip mobility.
“There are a lot of treatment options chiropractic care and TPI exercises can provide for these issues,” Dr. Cutler said.
His expertise in his practice and deep-rooted passion for golf set Dr. Cutler apart.
“I still golf often,” Dr. Cutler said. “I am a scratch golfer and continue to play in tournaments when I can.”
More information and appointments with Dr. Cutler can be scheduled here.