The Best Golf Exercises to Improve Your Game

Are you guys ready to get better golf shape? Do you struggle with finishing off a good round when you killed it on the front nine? This happened to me yesterday! I was two under making the turn and then my body started to get a little stiff after having to wait on the group in front of us a few times. 

Golf is a game of patience and ever you ever dream of playing at a higher level, being able to stay loose and focused in between shots is crucial.

Golf is a fast twitch, sudden movements of high energy game. Most players will swing 75 to 110 times from only one side of the body, which can definitely lead to muscle imbalances and nagging injuries from time to time.

Before you go out and hire a swing coach, I’d recommend taking a closer look at your physical fitness. In most cases, a player will never find the swing he or she wants because the players physical ability is limiting them. Working on creating the correct flexibility and mobility will definitely help you get a lot further on the course.

Here are 5 golf exercises that will help with hip mobility, stabilization in your shoulders and help you build more power in your golf swing.

1. Seated Twists (Russian twists)

How this will help: This will help your ability to turn around the golf ball during your swing, a major key to consistency in the golf swing.

What to do: Sitting on the ground or a workout bench. With or without a weighted ball hold your arms out in front of your torso and rotate from left to right without moving your legs. Hold the position for a few seconds when you get to left and same for the right side. Alternate sides and do 10 reps each side.

2. Standing Y Shoulder Rotators

How this will help: Improves shoulder mobility and also counteracts the negative side effects of sitting too much.

What to do: Slightly bent over at the waist with a flat back in a similar position to a dead lift. Hold a club over your head and pull your shoulders back as far as you can go comfortably with your palm facing the sky. Forming a Y position. Thats one rep. Make sure to initiate this movement with your shoulder blades and not your arms.

3. Handwalk to Plank

How this will help: This exercise will help prevent “golfers elbow” and reduce the possibility of shoulder injury.

What to do: Start with standing up straight. Bend forward until your hands meet the ground. From there walk your hands out until you’re in a plank position. Then make sure your knees are straight and begin walking your toes toward your hands. Once you feel a good stretch, walk your hands back out and repeat 10 times. 

4. Ground Side to Side Stretches

How this will help: This stretch will open up your shoulders and improve trunk mobility.

How to do it: Lay flat on your back on a mat or carpet. Pull your right knee as far into your chest as possible and then drop it to left with your shoulders still in tact with the ground. Hold the position for 10 seconds and then switch sides.

5. Medicine Ball Throws

How this will help: Medicine ball throws will strengthen your core and help you store the proper energy to improve your swing speed.

What to do: Stand facing a solid wall (not glass or sheet rock) about 3-5 feet away. Hold your medicine ball around waist height. Rotate your trunk away from the wall and then in the same motion, fire your hips towards the wall followed your trunk, arms and lastly the ball. As the ball bounces off the wall, catch it with your legs slightly bent. Repeat 10 reps a side.

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