Swinging a golf club can be a difficult physical activity to complete. The physicality of golf has been underestimated for years but in recent times that isn’t the case anymore. With injuries to major golfers like Tiger Woods, Dustin Johnson, and Rickie Fowler, golf fitness (like this program we created) is getting taken more serious to help players prevent issues arising.
In order to swing a golf club effectively and to remain injury free while doing it, it is very important to have strong but also flexible muscles.
Doing a few stretches on the first tee box won’t suffice, if you are looking to play golf injury free for the rest of your days it is very important to take care of your ‘engine’ that swings the club.
Incorporating flexibility/mobility exercises into your golf workout routine will not only keep your body healthy but it will also definitely allow you to play better golf on a regular basis.
Warm-Up:
Before starting your stretching routine, spend 5-10 minutes engaging in light cardio exercises such as brisk walking, cycling, or arm circles. This helps increase blood flow and prepares your muscles for stretching.
A warm-up should be lighter exercises that don’t get you too out of breath before you start your actual stretching routine.
Lower Body Golf Flexibility Exercises
The lower body powers the golf swing, it is thus very important to have an ‘engine” that can work efficiently but that can also remain stable while firing during the golf swing.
1. Quadriceps Stretch:
The quadriceps muscle is the big muscle on the top portion of your leg. It is used to drive power in the golf swing as these muscles work to provide stability in your golf stance.
Here’s how to perform a quad stretch:
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- Stand on one leg and hold onto a stable surface for balance.
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- Grab your ankle and gently pull your heel towards your glutes.
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- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
2. Hamstring Stretch:
The hamstring is the muscle on the backside (underside) of your leg. It serves as a power generator in the golf swing.
To do a hamstring stretch, do the follow:
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- Sit on the ground with one leg extended and the other leg bent.
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- Reach towards your extended foot while keeping your back straight.
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- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
3. Hip Flexor Stretch:
Hip flexors are important to stretch and get loose so you can increase flexibility in the golf swing by increasing range of motion during the turn back, down swing, and follow through.
Rotating the hips during the golf swing is one of the key moves that generates power.
Protect your hip flexor muscles by doing this stretch:
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- Kneel on one knee and lunge forward, keeping your back straight.
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- You should feel a stretch in the front of your hip.
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- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
4. Calf Stretch:
Calf muscles are very active during golf as they’re used for walking around the golf course as well as in the golf swing.
Here’s how to stretch out your calves before playing a round of golf:
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- Place one foot in front of the other with your hands on a wall.
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- Gently lean forward, keeping your back leg straight.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
5. Hip Hurdles
Get down on all fours and create a table top with your back. From this position kick your 1 leg straight back until the leg is straight and in line with your back.
For the second part of the exercise bring that leg back to the starting position but imagine that the leg has to go over a hurdle while you bring it back.
This exercise is very good for both hip and glute mobility. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise with each leg and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
6. Lunge with Rotation
Start by standing upright with your feet next to each other. With your one leg lunge forward, it is important to keep your knee and hip in line in order to avoid injury.
Keep your arms together and straight out in front of you. Once you have reached the bottom of the lunge keep your lower body stable and rotate your arms over your forward leg as far as you can.
This exercise is good for both lower body movement and balance throughout the lower body. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
7. Leg Swings
To help with balance hold onto the wall or a similar stable object. Stand upright and swing your leg across your body from side to side as far as you can while maintaining stability throughout the rest of your body.
This is a great exercise to loosen up the hips and the pelvis area. Do 10 repetitions/swings with each leg and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Upper Body Golf Flexibility Exercises
The upper body and shoulders are the contact point between the golf club and the body. In order to have a rhythmic free flowing swing a mobile/flexible upper body is very important.
1. Trunk Rotation Stretch:
Getting warmed up for a round of golf or even a driving range session should always include stretching your core section. The twisting and turning from the golf swing will strain on these muscles if they’re tight.
Get loose and use your core to drive a powerful golf swing by doing this stretch:
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- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended in front of you.
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- Rotate your upper body to one side while keeping your hips facing forward.
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- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
2. Shoulder and Arm Stretch:
A good shoulder turn in golf on the backswing can help increase the length of the golf swing, adding power and distance to your game. As you get older, golfers find it common that their flexibility decreases and it gets harder to make a full turn on the backswing.
Work on daily shoulder and arms stretches to help maintain a flexible upper body that can rotate into a full backswing for maximum power.
Here’s how to do some shoulder stretching:
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- Extend one arm across your body and gently press it with the opposite arm.
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- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
3. Wrist Flexor Stretch:
Lastly, make sure to take care of your wrists as they can get injured from the golf club making contact with the ground repeatedly, causing stress to the wrist ligaments.
Stretch your wrist flexor muscles:
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- Extend one arm in front of you with your palm facing up.
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- Use the opposite hand to gently pull your fingers back.
- Hold for 20-30 seconds and switch sides.
4. Reachbacks
Start out on all fours in the tabletop position, put your one hand behind your head and proceed to rotate your elbow up towards the sky as far as possible. Once the end of motion is reached rotate the elbow back to the ground as far as possible.
Make sure to keep the rest of your body stable throughout. This exercise is very good to loosen up the t-spine area. Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
5. Open Books
Lie on the ground and pull your legs up towards your chest at a 90 degree angle. Spread your arms straight out in front of you, from this position rotate your top arm and shoulder towards the ground behind your back.
Make sure that the rest of the body stays stable, except for your head, let your eyes move with your arms. This exercise is very good for upper back mobility and flexibility.
Do 10 repetitions of the exercise on each side and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
6. Child’s Pose to Cobra
Lie on the ground on your stomach, put your hands next to your chest and push your upper body off the ground while keeping your legs stable. This is the first half of the exercise, the cobra, and it is a very good lower body mobility exercise.
From the cobra position sit back with your glutes onto your heels while keeping your arms stretched out in front of you. This position is called child’s pose and it will give you a very good stretch through your lats.
Hold each position for 5 seconds, do 10 repetitions of both positions and repeat 2 or 3 times during a workout.
Lastly, don’t forget about working on your core muscles. Check out our 4 best ab exercises to build a strong core and generate more power in the golf swing!
Stretching Exercises for Golf Flexibility
Straight leg hang with Flat Back
This is a simple stretch that you can do while standing straight. To perform this is exercise; you need to stand with your two feet apart at a shoulder width length or closer. Ensure your back is flat and bend towards the ground.
Go as far as possible and hold for 30-60 seconds. Release and repeat the process twice.
This stretch is important as it strengthens the muscles along the front of your thigh. This golf specific exercise also increases motion through hamstrings.
This will allow your hips to tilt forward giving you a proper stance required for a proper swing. It also helps strengthen your legs for a good stance and a more powerful swing.
Torso Twist
To carry out this golf specific exercise, you need to stand straight facing away from the wall and turn to the left. Place your right hand on the wall and push your torso around.
Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds. Turn to the right and repeat the same stretch.
This is the best exercise if you want to improve your golf turn. It will increase the motion around your torso allowing more rotation for a better golf swing.
With this exercise, you only need to twist your torso while the rest of the body remains unmoved. A flexible body is very important for every golfer who wants balance and stable stance.
Shoulder Stretch against Wall
Another great golf exercise is the shoulder stretch using a wall for assistance.
Raise your hands to the eye level and place on the wall, bend over at the hips. Push your head and chest down towards the base of the wall.
Hold each stretch for 30 seconds with your feet each time and repeat the process twice.
The upper part of your body, especially the shoulder, does most of the work when you play golf. Shoulder stretch is very important for golfers to stretch out their shoulders and control the shoulder joint motion.
Your shoulder is a very important part when controlling your swing movement. If they are not flexible enough, you might not be able to pull out the best swing.
With the increased range of shoulder motion; there will be fewer restrictions through the swinging motion; hence you’ll get the best swing.
Next let’s show you a golf specific exercise for the chest!
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Chest Stretch against Wall
Just like the last stretching exercise, this golf specific exercise also uses a wall to help you stretch and loosen those muscles used in the golf swing.
To do this golf exercise, you need to stand perpendicular to the wall, place your hands close to the wall at your shoulder height.
Turn your chest away from the wall using small steps until you feel the stretch in your arms and chest. Maintain the stretch for about 30 to 60 seconds and repeat the process twice.
This golf specific exercise is essential for golfers who want to increase the range of motion necessary for a good golf swing.
Chest movement and control is very important for golfers.
If your chest is not flexible, it might get on the way of pulling out a perfect swing. So, like any other part of the body, you need a chest stretch exercise for flexibility.
Calf stretch against the wall
Place the toe of one foot on the wall, with the other foot, push the heel into the ground slightly behind. Push yourself against the wall until you feel a calf stretch.
Hold for 30 seconds and switch to the other leg. Repeat the process twice switching your legs every time.
This exercise is important for golfers as it gives more range of motion through the ankle. This will increase your balance as well as the stance of your golf swing.
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Kneeling Hip Stretch
In this golf exercise, you need to kneel down on a mat, push your hips forward and drop down towards the mat. Do this until you feel a stretch on the front of your leg with your knees still on the mat.
Hold the stretch for about 30 to 60 seconds and repeat twice on each leg. Kneeling hip stretch is important in giving you more flexibility in front of the hip.
With this, you are going to get a more complete follow with every swing you pull out.
Three-way seated toe touch
Three-way seated back toe touch with your back stretched is another great golf specific exercise. This golf exercise is done in three different positions.
First position: Sit on a mat with your hips facing forward. Extend your left leg to the outside of the hip on the left side. With your left hand, reach down towards your foot. Ensure you keep your chest at a perpendicular level to the ground.
Second position: With your hips facing forward, extend your left leg in front of your hip joint. With both hands, reach towards the left foot while you round back and stuck your head into the chest.
Third position: In the same position as the first, extend your left leg on your right hips outside line. Bend your right knees to an angle of 90 degrees and cross it over to the extended leg. Use your right hand to reach to the floor with both feet. As you do this, pull your chin towards your chest rounding your back to create a stretch on your hamstrings and lower back.
Do all the three positions twice and hold the stretch at a minimum of 30 seconds each.
This golf stretch improves the flexibility of your torso, hamstrings and lower back.
Stretching these parts increases their flexibility which enhances your performance as well as prevents injury. The flexibility also increases your swing range.
Stretch After a Golf Round
After completing a round of golf, take a few minutes to perform static stretches for the major muscle groups. Hold each stretch for 20-30 seconds.
Do post golf round stretches will help relieve lactic acid buildup in the muscles and start the the recovery process. You’ll find your body to be less sore the next few days after golfing.
Golf uses a lot of muscles and if you haven’t played in awhile you’ll definitely feel some soreness in different areas of your body the next day after playing.
Consider following a fitness exercise program to get some regular fitness in to keep the muscles healthy.
Tips for Effective Stretching:
1. Breathe: Inhale deeply before each stretch and exhale as you ease into the stretch. This helps relax your muscles and increase your range of motion.
2. Gentle and Gradual: Avoid bouncing or jerking movements during stretches. Instead, ease into each stretch gradually to prevent injury.
3. Regular Practice: Incorporate this stretching routine into your golf training regimen at least three times a week for best results.
4. Post-Round Stretching: After a round of golf, perform some of these stretches to relieve tension and maintain flexibility.
5. Listen to Your Body: If you experience pain or discomfort during a stretch, stop immediately. Stretching should never cause pain.
By consistently following this golf flexibility and stretching plan, you’ll not only improve your swing mechanics but also promote overall muscle health and reduce the risk of injury.
Remember that flexibility is a gradual process, so be patient and stay consistent with your routine. Thanks for reading my guide on golf stretches today. I hope to see you back soon reading more articles and golf tips. Here’s a resource I made for you below.