Best Golf Exercises to Improve Your Game

Too often, casual golfers see golf as a hobby and not a sport. Even for casuals golf is an athletic pursuit that requires strength, endurance, and mobility.

To get the most out of your golf game you need to be doing the right golf exercises.

Why Do Golf Exercises?

Golf requires repetitive and sudden movements all on the same side of the body. If you can play off scratch, you are going to be taking 72 strokes per round, many more for those of us with handicaps. 

Doing this repeatedly takes it's toll and to avoid injury and improve our game, we need to prepare our bodies for the game. Golfers are quick to approach a swing coach, seeking improvements in their game. But more often than not, your strength and mobility will be why you are struggling. 

Here are the 10 best golf exercises you can start doing today that will loosen you up and build power into your swing. Remember that if you are injured or feel pain during these exercises, immediately stop and consult a doctor. 

1. Standing Ys

Standing Ys will improve shoulder mobility and counteract the impact of sitting down all day.

Stand bending over at your waist. Keep your back flat and chest up. Hold your club with your palms facing up.

Pull your shoulder blades down and back and raise your arms over your head and form a Y shape. Return to the starting position. The key to this exercise is to start the movement with your shoulder blades and have your arms follow. 

2. Seated Rotations

Seated rotations will improve your rotation which is the foundation of your swing.

Sit with a towel between your legs. Hold a club behind your back so it sits across your back and in the crook of your elbows, with your hands resting on your stomach.

Without moving your hips, rotate your body left and right, holding each side for two to three seconds. Try doing ten per side.  

3. 90/90 Stretch

This golf stretching exercise will open your shoulders up and build shoulder flexibility and mobility.

Lie on your side. Keep your bottom leg straight and bend your top leg, allowing the inside of your top knee to rest on the ground.

Rotate your trunk back, putting the top shoulder blade on the ground. Hold for two to three seconds, repeat ten times, then switch sides. 

4. Handwalks

Handwalks help prevent golfer's elbow and limits the risk of a shoulder injury.

Start standing and bend forward at the waist until you can set your hands on the ground. Slowly walk your hands out until you are in the pushup position.

Here, slowly walk your feet in until you feel a stretch. Now walk your hands back out. Repeat ten times. 

5. Glute Bridge

A highly underrated exercise, the glute bridge will activate the muscles that suffer the most from sitting all day.

Start lying face-up on the floor with your knees bent, bringing your feet towards your buttocks. Your feet should be flat on the floor.

Raise your hips to the ceiling, squeezing your glutes as you do. Keep raising your hips until only your shoulders are are on the ground.

At the top of the movement, your torso and thighs should form a straight line. Slowly lower your hips to the floor.

Repeat ten times. To get the right form, you can also put a towel or pillow between your knees.

6. Pushup (With Physioball)

The pushup is one of the best exercises for improving upper body strength and stability.

Get into a pushup position by lying on the floor. Tuck your toes under your feet and place your hands beside your shoulders.

When ready, push up through your hands. Lead with your shoulders and keep your spine neutral. 

Adding a physioball can help increase your shoulder and back stability. To add the ball, simply start in plank position and place your hands on the ball.

When you lower yourself, lower to the ball so your chest touches it and then push back up. Keep the ball stationary during these movements. Repeat ten times. 

7. Lateral Pillar Bridge

This golf flexibility exercise will open your hips, improving mobility, and preventing back pain.

Lie on the side of your body. Place your elbow under your shoulder and raise your torso. Now raise your hips off the ground, keeping your body in a straight line from shoulder to ankle. 

Hold this position for three seconds and return your hips to the floor. Do ten reps on each side. Be conscious to keep your body and spine in a straight line. 

8. Medicine Ball Parallel Throw

Medicine ball throws will improve your capacity to store and release energy, improving your swing speed. This golf core exercise is essential.

Stand facing a solid wall about three feet away. Pick up and hold the medicine ball at waist level.

Now rotate your torso away from the wall to the right. In one motion, thrust your hips towards the wall followed by your torso, arms, and the ball, throwing the ball into the wall. 

Try and catch the ball as it bounces off the wall. Repeat this ten times on each side. 

9. Medicine Ball Perpendicular Throw

Similar to the parallel throw, this exercise will help your rotation, core strength, and swing speed.

Set up as you would for the parallel throw and turn 90 degrees so your shoulders and hips are perpendicular to the wall. Rotate your torso 90 degrees away from the wall and rotate 180 degrees to throw the ball at the wall. 

If you can, catch the ball on the rebound. Repeat ten times on each side.  

10. Dumbbell Bench Press – One Arm

This movement will build shoulder mobility and stability along with strength.

Lie on a bench with your left shoulder blade and left glute on the bench, and your right shoulder blade and right glute off the bench. Hold a dumbbell in your right hand with your arm extended towards the ceiling and with your left hand, grab the bench above your head.

Slowly lower the dumbbell until your elbow is horizontal with your shoulder, push up, returning to the starting position. Repeat ten times on each side. 

Improve Your Game

If you build these ten golf exercises into your weekly routine, you will notice a dramatic improvement in your golf game. You can do this however best meets your needs. You can do them all in one go, two or three times a week, or you can break them up and do three or four exercises each day of the week.

We are looking forward to seeing your handicap disappear on the River Hall course.