Let’s Start Thinking About Golf

How much do you think about golf before you go play?

If your answer is just long enough to get a tee time, then we have some exercises for you.

Repetition and poor form potentially make a golfer prone to multiple injuries. For one, the action of swinging the club has the potential to place stress on the golfer’s back if not done correctly. As well, long hours practicing puts a player at a greater risk for pain in the spine, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and/or knee.

However, even before an injury becomes apparent, improper positioning and a lack of warm-up begin to affect a golfer’s game. Shot outcomes become less than desired as your body starts to compensate for the change in biomechanics that can occur even before the pain.

Warming up, on the other hand, prepares the golfer’s body for the game’s strenuous aspects. It’s recommended that a player stretch 20 to 30 minutes before going out to play a round, regardless of skill level.

Keep in mind that not all exercises are equal, and a golfer only fully benefits when the stretches are sport-specific. Not using a joint functionally the way he or she would in golf can decrease performance.

If you are one of the few that do warm up before you play, let’s make sure your exercises are specific for golf, so that you can have a great fun-filled round with family and friends. For the following active golf warm-up exercises, perform 10 repetitions of each movement prior to playing. Discontinue if you experience pain or discomfort.

Backswing

(Keep head still)

1. Step forward with right leg and turn to the right
2. Step out to the right and turn to the right

Backswing

(This time, stand in step stance position with the left foot forward)

1. With left arm: reach at shoulder height to the right
2. With both arms: reach back over right shoulder
3. With right arm: reach back over right shoulder

Follow Through

1. With left leg: step back and turn trunk to the left
2. With left leg: step to the left and reach back over your left shoulder with left arm

Follow Through

1. Balance on left leg (can toe touch with right leg): with right arm, reach over left shoulder
2. Balance on left leg: with left arm reach back over left shoulder

Address Posture

(Stand at address)

1. Move knees in, putting the weight on the inside of each foot
2. Move knees out, putting the weight on the outside of each foot

Address Posture

(Stand at address)

1. Alternate swinging arms at knee height left and right
2. Swing arms together in swing plane

Lower Extremity Strengthening

Front/Side Reaches

(Hold club for balance, if needed)

1. While standing on the left leg, slowly bend at the knee and reach out to the front with the heel of your right foot. Reach to a comfortable distance, tap the heel, then straighten leg and come back to starting position Repeat with the left leg.
2. While standing on the left leg, slowly bend at the knee and reach out to the side with the heel of your right foot. Reach to a comfortable distance, tap the heel, then straighten leg and come back to starting position. Repeat with the left leg.

Diagonal Reaches

(Hold club for balance, if needed)

1. While standing on the left leg, slowly bend at the knee and reach across to the front with the heel of your right foot. Reach to a comfortable distance, then straighten leg and come back to starting position.
2. Repeat while standing on the right leg.

Hip Twists

(Hold club for balance, if needed)

1. While standing on the right leg, with your knee slightly bent, slowly twist (backswing) and reach to a comfortable distance and return to starting position.
2. Repeat standing on the left and reaching/twisting to the right
3. Repeat standing on the left and release the head

Upper Extremity Strengthening

Row/Retraction

1. With feet shoulder width apart and stomach tight, slowly pull the band back while squeezing the shoulder blades together, then release and repeat
   To advance the movement and increase difficulty, perform with the arms raised to shoulder height

Bow and Arrows

1. With feet shoulder width apart and stomach tight, slowly pull one arm in to the body while allowing the other arm to remain straight. Release one arm, and then pull in with the other arm. Alternate between the arms pulling.

To advance the movement and increase the difficulty, perform as above while rotating the trunk and maintaining the hip position

Abdominals

(Keep stomach muscles tight during exercises)

1. With arms overhead, slowly alternate pulling the arms forward and back. Do NOT allow the lower back to hyperextend
2. With arms overhead, slowly lower the arms to the side, and then back to starting position.

To increase the difficulty, toe touch with one foot, then balance on one foot.

If you never thought about the benefits of warming up before you play, let us get you started doing the right stretches and movements to optimize your round. If you have any further questions regarding golf-specific exercises, contact us today.