It’s a nondescript little building at Kapolei Golf Course. But for many of the players at the Pacific Links Hawaii Championship this weekend, time spent there will be as important as that at the practice areas.

You won’t see the names of its occupants, Paul Schueren and Randy Collins, on the leaderboard. But the physical therapist and local chiropractor can help the veteran golfers get there and stay there.

The fitness room or trailer has been a staple of all the major tours going back to the 1980s. Previous generations of Champions Tour pros generally avoided it, though.

"A lot of guys used to poke their head in, kind of look around and not see anything they wanted to be involved with," Schueren said.

But recently, the new players joining the 50-and-over circuit know the importance of staying in shape if they want to keep cashing checks for playing golf.

Jay Haas, 60, said players on the PGA Tour in their 40s are motivated more to take advantage of the facilities available there because they want to be in good enough shape to be competitive when they become eligible for the Champions.

"The younger guys were brought up with the philosophy of physical fitness as part of golf," Collins said. "Most of the elder statesmen didn’t do a lot because they thought it might mess up their swing. That has changed a lot. The younger 50-somethings have already made that transition."

The "physios" usually work in one of four trailers that follow the top pro tours from stop to stop. But with this being a stand-alone event there is no trailer. They don’t have the usual treadmills, elliptical, bikes and cable weights system.

"We’re out of the normal routine, but we can still provide a lot of services the players want," said Schueren, who has worked with the PGA and Champions tours since 1988.

"The guys know it’s valuable because they feel better and play better," he added. "Travel takes its toll. Golf takes its toll. We can help reduce the harm of injuries."

Schueren said one of the physios’ major functions is to help players prepare for a round with warm-up programs, including stretching. The free services also include access to on-call physicians and dermatology screenings four times a year.

They assist with preventive training and there’s plenty of rehab. Both are especially valuable to the aging pros who have been swinging clubs all of their adult lives.

"Consider he’s been playing probably since 20 or younger," Schueren said. "They’ve been highly competitive for 30 years. And their swing is beyond the range of normal motion. We’re talking 200 to 300 swings a week, five to six days a week, 40 weeks for 30 years. That’s a lot of wear and tear."

All that rotary repetition makes spines, shoulders and hips especially vulnerable, he said.

"You add aging into it and whether you like it or not you lose muscle strength. Normally between 10 to 12 percent between the ages of 50 and 60," said Schueren, adding that resistance training can slow down the process.

It’s all designed to keep the legends of the game healthy and competing as long as possible.

Reach Dave Reardon at dreardon@staradvertiser.com or 529-4783. His blog is at staradvertiser.com/quickreads.