Golf TPI Assessment in Winnipeg

Your swing is limited by what your body can physically do. If your hips don't rotate, your spine will. If your thoracic spine is stiff, your low back takes the load. Most swing faults that survive years of lessons aren't technique problems at all — they're physical restrictions the body is working around.

The Titleist Performance Institute screen exists to find those restrictions. At Boreal Spine and Sport, it's performed by Dr. Josh Martineau, a TPI Certified Level 1 practitioner, as an 80-minute assessment on Corydon Avenue in Winnipeg.

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What TPI actually is

The Titleist Performance Institute studies the relationship between the body and the golf swing — what TPI calls the body-swing connection. Its central premise is that there is no single correct way to swing a club, but there is one efficient way for each golfer, determined by what that golfer's body can actually do.

The foundation of the TPI system is a sixteen-part physical screen. It's a structured assessment of mobility, stability and motor control through the specific movements a golf swing demands: hip rotation, thoracic rotation, shoulder mobility, pelvic control, and the ability to separate the upper body from the lower.

TPI certification is held by practitioners, not by clinics. At Boreal, Dr. Martineau holds the certification and performs these assessments.

Who the screen is for

TPI's own position is that the screen applies to every golfer, regardless of handicap — because every golfer has a body, and every body imposes limits on the swing it can produce. There is no minimum ability requirement.

In practice, golfers come to this assessment for three reasons:

Something hurts. Low back pain after a round, a lead-side hip that aches, medial elbow pain, a shoulder that won't finish the follow-through. The screen finds where the load is actually coming from, which is often not where the pain is.

A swing fault won't go away. Early extension, loss of posture, casting, sliding, a reverse spine angle. If a fault persists through lesson after lesson, it's worth asking whether the body can physically make the movement being coached.

Nothing hurts yet. Pre-season screening, or a golfer who wants to know their physical baseline before adding volume. This is the least common reason people book and often the most useful.

What happens in an 80-minute assessment

The appointment is a full clinical assessment, not a screen in isolation.

1. History. Your golf background, round frequency, practice volume, injury history, what your coach has been working on, and what you actually want from your game.
2. The full 16-point TPI physical screen. Every test, scored and recorded — not a subset.
3. Musculoskeletal assessment. Orthopaedic and movement testing of any region flagged by the screen or by your symptoms. This is where the screen findings get connected to a clinical picture.
4. Explanation. You'll be shown which restrictions you have, and how each one links to a specific demand of the swing.
5. Treatment, where indicated. Manual therapy, soft tissue work and mobilization as appropriate on the day.
6. Programming. Your home program is built and taught before you leave.

What you walk out with

• A written report of your screen results, in plain language — yours to keep and to share with your coach.
• A home program targeted at your specific limitations, with the exercises taught and practised in the room so you know what they should feel like.
• A clear next step, whether that's follow-up care, a return to your coach, or nothing at all.

Follow-up TPI appointments are 40 minutes and used to re-screen, progress the program, and treat what needs treating.

Working alongside your coach

This assessment works best when it isn't happening in isolation. TPI is built on the idea that the medical professional, the fitness professional and the golf coach are working from the same information about the same golfer.

If you have a coach, bring their name — Dr. Martineau will write the report so it's useful to them. If you don't, TPI maintains a public directory of certified golf professionals, and we're happy to point you toward one.

Your practitioner: Dr. Josh Martineau

Dr. Joshua Martineau, D.C., B.Sc. — TPI Certified Level 1, SFMA certified, Graston trained.

Dr. Martineau completed a Bachelor of Science at the University of Winnipeg before earning his Doctor of Chiropractic with a Sports and Rehabilitation emphasis at Northwestern Health Sciences University in Bloomington, Minnesota, graduating summa cum laude and receiving the valedictorian medal. During training he worked in a high school training room, at the USTA's Swing City tournament, and with several University of Minnesota athletic teams.

His practice is movement-focused: general and golf-specific movement screens, joint manipulation and mobilization, manual and instrument-assisted soft tissue therapy, therapeutic exercise, taping and flexion-distraction.

Boreal Spine and Sport is the Official Chiropractor of the Winnipeg Sea Bears.

Common questions

Do I need to be a good golfer for this? No. TPI's position is that the screen applies to any golfer, because it assesses your body rather than your scoring ability. First-season golfers and low handicappers get the same screen.

Is this a swing lesson? No. This is a physical assessment performed by a chiropractor. It identifies what your body can and cannot do, and hands that information to you and your coach. Dr. Martineau does not coach swing mechanics.

Do I need to be in pain to book? No. Pre-season and off-season screening are among the better uses of the assessment.

Do I need to bring my clubs? No. The screen is performed without a club.

How long before I notice a difference? That depends entirely on what the screen finds and how consistently the home program is done. Restrictions that took years to develop don't resolve in a session, and you'll be given a realistic timeline for your specific findings rather than a generic one.

Is Dr. Martineau the only TPI practitioner at Boreal? Currently yes. Dr. Minenna is pursuing TPI certification in 2026.

Can I use my insurance? The appointment is chiropractic care and is generally claimable under plans covering chiropractic. Coverage varies — confirm with your provider.

Learn more

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