It’s no secret, golf is a game of ups and downs, great rounds and frustrating moments. Just when you think you’ve mastered the perfect swing, something small will change and your ball will go sailing right off the course. Taking a step back, you’ll look at your golf swing, stance and grip to decide what went wrong. However, often overlooked is how good golf posture and your overall golf fitness could be affecting your golf game. What many don’t realise is a few simple exercises at home can drastically improve your game. The best part? Most of these exercises can be done right from the comfort of your home!
Why is achieving your best golf posture important?
When we talk about golf posture, we’re talking about everything from your stance and grip to your swing. From the moment you walk up to the tee, your posture will determine if you’ll be hitting consistent and accurate shots or if your ball will seemingly have a mind of its own. Good golf posture will enable your body to turn smoothly and swing powerfully without losing consistency. However, good posture doesn’t happen overnight. Instead, a mix of mindfulness and exercises will help make good posture a habit. Keep reading to learn our favourite exercises to improve your golf posture.
Best exercises for your golf posture
Imperative to good golf posture is a strong core. Your core strength will determine your overall posture as well as how you’ll stand when stepping up to the tee and throughout your swing. These simple exercises below will promote strong cores and glutes, which are two key essentials of good golf fitness. Seated Twist – This great exercise focuses on improving your mobility and core strength. Start sitting on the ground with your knees bent and your heels on the floor. Then, lift your heels off the ground so you’re balancing in a v-shape. From here, twist your core to the left as far as you can go comfortable before rotating as far right as you can go comfortably. Continuing rotating back and forth for 15 to 20 repetitions. Be sure to twist with your core and not your shoulders. Once you get the hang of the exercise down, add a light dumbbell to increase your strength further. Bird Dogs – This all-around exercise not only strengthens your core but also tones your lower back, thighs and glute muscles. Together, these muscles will protect your back and aid in good posture. To start, place your hands and knees on the ground. Then, extend your right arm and left leg until they’re both straight and the same height as your back and glutes. After holding for a few seconds, pull the same elbow and knee towards one another in a crunch like motion. Without putting your hand or knee down, do between 10 and 20 repetitions before switching to the other side.
Best exercises for consistency in your golf swing sequence
The way your hips and spine rotate significantly impacts your swing. If you don’t have good flexibility, you’ll not only lose power and distance, you’ll also be causing yourself long term harm. Hip Rotation Exercise – For this exercise, start by sitting on the ground with your knees bent and heels on the ground. From here, you’ll rotate your hips so your knees split apart and then pull your knees back together. Be sure you’re feeling the movement coming from your hips and not your knees. While it may not feel like anything much, even doing three or four sets of 10 repetitions can both loosen and strengthen your hips muscles. Pushups – Yes, the classic and very underrated pushup. It may not be your favourite exercise, but it can be done anywhere and has considerable benefits to your golf game and your overall fitness. The main draw of a pushup for golfers is that they’ll strengthen your chest and shoulder muscles, which in turn will allow you to control the position of your club as you swing. To perform a pushup, start with your chest, abdomen and thighs laying flat on the ground. Tuck your toes so your feet are pushing away from the ground, and with your hands by your chest, push yourself up. You can also drop your knees if a standard pushup is too much.
Best exercise for golf fitness and maintaining posture in golf swing
Having strong legs is essential for a powerful swing. After all, the stronger you are through the legs, the more power you’ll get on your downswing. To increase your leg strength, add these exercises to your routine: Goblet Squat – Start by holding a dumbbell or kettlebell close to your chest, with your arms bent towards your chin. (Also, feel free to start with your body weight to get comfortable with the movement.) From here, spread your feet apart slightly further than shoulder-width and point your toes outwards. When you’re stable, squat down as far as your range of motion allows before driving back up to a standing position. Do 10 repetitions before taking a rest, then continue with two or three more sets. Squat Jump – The squat jump is the perfect exercise to increase your strength, power, and agility simultaneously. Start standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down until your thighs are parallel to the ground, then explode up and off the ground. As you come back down, focus on keeping your landing light, return smoothly into your squat position, and repeat. For this exercise, you only want to do as many as you can while maintaining good form. When you notice your landing becoming heavy and your shoulders falling forward, it’s time to take a break. Over time, you’ll notice you can do more and more before your legs begin to scream.
Enlist the help of a professional for a perfect swing
Adding these simple exercises to your routine will immediately get you on the road to better golf posture. However, if you’d like to take your training a step further and see even more improvements in your game, sign up for a self-assessment at bestgolfposture.com. With personalised programs, you’ll be golfing the best rounds of your life in no time.
