10 Best Golf Exercises to Warm Up

Every sport I’ve ever played has always had some version of a warm up routine to get the body loose and ready to compete.

For golfers it is important to warm up both their lower and upper bodies before a round of golf.

Getting your body loose and moving by warming up physically for 15 minutes before your round won’t only assist with injury prevention, but it might also save you a couple of shots per round.

Stretching in order to loosen up muscles are important, but it is equally important to incorporate some mobility exercises into your warm up routine as well. Here is a stretching PDF guide as part of our Indoor Golf Training Program

Below we will look at some easy to do warm up golf stretches and mobility golf exercises to get your body ready for battle.

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Disclaimer: The following golf warm up exercises and stretches should be done with caution and you should consult with a doctor first if physical activity is likely to cause you injury. Please be safe and don’t over stretch your body or move too fast / jerk to pull muscle strains.

Lower Body Stretches

The lower body can be seen as the engine that powers the golf swing. In order for this engine to function properly it has to be loose and able to move efficiently, this will ensure speed and power within the golf swing. Try out the following golf warm up stretches.

Hip Flexor Stretch

Get into a half kneeling position, reach up towards the sky with the same arm as the knee that is on the ground. Reach up as high as you can while tucking your glutes in underneath your tailbone. A good stretch should be felt in the hip flexor of the leg that has the knee on the ground. Hold the stretch on both sides for 20 seconds.

Quad Stretch

Stand up straight, lift your heel up towards your glute and grab a hold of your ankle. Ensure that both knee caps are touching in order to maximize the stretch in the quad muscles. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds on both sides.

Hamstring Stretch

Lie down on your back with your feet straight out and your legs next to each other. Grab the back of one of your knees and lift your leg up to 90 degrees.

Keep your knee in that position while you straighten your leg by kicking the bottom of your foot up into the sky.

Hold the position where the leg is straightened for 2 seconds and repeat the motion 10 times per side.

Upper Body Stretches

In order for the golf swing to function efficiently both the upper and lower bodies need to work in a synchronized manner. The following golf warm up stretches will get your upper body lose and ready for a day out on the course.

Neck Stretch

Grab onto the side of your head and pull your head towards the opposite shoulder, keep your eyes facing straights ahead. Repeat the same stretch on the opposite side, hold the stretch for 20 seconds.

Upper Back Stretch

Rotation is a key component of any golf swing, a loose upper back will ensure maximum rotation. Sit down on the ground with your feet in front of you and with your knees bent slightly.

Reach underneath your knees and grab a hold of the outsides of your feet. Round your back and pull your chest away from the ground, you should feel a good stretch in the upper back region. Hold the stretch for 20 seconds.

Lower Back Stretch

Lower back pain is a common injury associated with golf, always make sure to stretch your lower back before a round of golf in order to avoid injury.

Lie flat on your stomach, place your hands on the ground next to your shoulders, from that position lift your chest up and off the ground as far as you can. A good stretch will be felt in your lower back, hold the stretch for 20 seconds.

Mobility Golf Exercises

Lower Body Mobility Exercises

Stretching your muscles is important, but it is just as important to activate/wake up your muscles with the help of mobility exercises.These golf warm up exercises will get the blood flowing and are great to do daily for improved blood circulation in your body.

Donkey Kicks

Stand on all fours, imagine turning your body into a table top. Once you are in the correct position kick the bottom of your heel up towards the sky while keeping the rest of your body stable. This will activate the glute muscles, repeat the exercise 12 times per side.

Fire Hydrants

Stand on all fours again, the same position as when doing the donkey kicks. Lift your knee up and towards the side as far as you can.

The easiest way to think about this movement is to imagine a male dog lifting his leg against a fire hydrant. This exercise will get your hips activated, repeat it 12 times on both sides.

Upper Body Mobility Exercises

Upper body mobility is pivotal in any golf swing, the following exercises will get your upper body active and moving before your next round of golf.

Reach Through

Go down on all fours into the tabletop position. Rotate your 1 arm out as far as you can, once you get to the end of your range of motion reach back down underneath your body as far as you can. This exercise will activate your upper back, repeat the movement 12 times on each side

Band Pull Apart

Use a piece of Thera band, hold onto each end of it, and hold it out in front of your body, try to pull the ends away from each other as far as possible. This exercise will activate the arms and shoulders, repeat the pull apart motion 12 times.