I’m at a point in life now where some golf fitness issues have crept up on me, and they are clearly having a negative impact on my golf swing.
First, I should point out that, I am 52 now, and I have played very little golf in the last six years due to other priorities.
I set up this website in the last year as a means of forcing myself to get back in touch with the game that I truly love, and one that I used to actively teach.
Now that all that is out of the way, here are the golf fitness issues I am personally dealing with…
What I’ve noticed most in my recent visits to the driving range is that my overall movement is far more restricted than it was in 2012, the last year I played actively.
While I’ve always worked out, when you aren’t swinging a golf club regularly, the muscles that are used in the swing may tighten up. Plus, my everyday routine involves a lot of sitting at work.
I am noticing significantly less rotation in both my upper body and my hips. I should note that I have dealt with a lower back issue for years, but the hip issue is more recent. I also have a neck issue resulting from an accident a few years ago.
However, what I have really noticed is decreased mobility in my shoulders and in my shoulder turn. In other words, I am unable to make a full back swing, something I had no problem with when I was playing regularly.
So those are my personal golf fitness issues, and some of them are common among golfers.
6 golf fitness issues common to golfers who struggle
Golf fitness has become an ever important business within the golf world. The tour pros are becoming far more serious about their conditioning.
Probably the most famous golf fitness trainer out there is Joey Diovisalvi (Joey D), who works with Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka, among others.
Joey D put together a book a few years back titled Fix Your Body, Fix Your Swing. The discussion that follows is from that book, which I highly recommend.
Shoulder rotation
The ability to make a full swing, which is helpful to generating more power, is highly dependent upon shoulder rotation. The ability to stop the club in the follow through is also dependent upon shoulder rotation.
To assess your shoulder rotation, stand with your back up against a wall and your feet shoulder width. Raise your upper arms so that they are parallel to the floor, with your elbows and back of arms pressing against wall. The palms of your hands should be facing the floor and fingers should be pointing forward.
Slowly, without moving anything else, rotate your right forearm up and try to touch the back of your right hand against the wall, while keeping your upper arm parallel to floor.
If you are able to do this without any pain, or without your elbow dropping or coming away from the wall, then you have sufficient range of motion and external rotation at the shoulder.
Return to the starting position and attempt the same movement with the left arm.
Lastly, return to the starting position and then try to perform the move with both arms simultaneously.
Upper Body Rotation
Limited upper body rotation will result in a back swing performed mainly with the arms.
To assess your upper body rotation, do the following…
Place a stability ball against a wall and sit on it facing away from the wall. Your feet should be flat on the floor and wider than shoulder width apart.
While holding a medicine ball, basketball or kickball, assume a golf posture (while remaining seated on the ball).
Now, while maintaining this posture, try to touch the ball to the wall by rotating your upper body to the right.
While performing this motion, try to keep the head from turning or tilting. Also, avoid pivoting your left foot, or lifting the left heel. Also, it is critical that you maintain your original spine angle.
If you can’t touch the ball to the wall without compensating, then you have limited upper body mobility.
Now, rotate back to the left and try to touch the ball to the wall without your right foot coming off the floor, your upper body losing its spine angle, or your head being pulled to the left.
If you struggle with these, then you have limited upper body rotation.
Lower Body Rotation
It’s time to evaluate how much separation you have between the lower and upper body. Separation is good because you want your hips to be able to turn without turning your shoulders.
Lie on the floor with your arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Bend your hips and knees to 90 degree angles so that your thighs are perpendicular to the floor and your lower legs are parallel to the floor.
Without letting your hips slide to the left, drop your legs to the right by rotating your lower body. Ideally, you should be able to drop both legs to the side so that the outer part of your right thigh is flat on the floor, with your knees together, and your left shoulder maintains contact with the floor. If your shoulder comes off the floor, that is how you compensate for lack of lower body rotation.
Go back to the starting position and repeat on the other side.
Pelvic tilt and posture
Maintaining your spine angle is critical for consistent ball striking. To be able to maintain that spine angle, you’ve got to have strength and stability in the pelvis.
Start out by assuming a good set up position, but with your arms crossed. From here, try to tilt your pelvis forward without moving your knees or shoulders.
If you are unable to tilt the pelvis forward and back comfortably, then you will struggle with maintaining your spine angle in the golf swing.
Balance
Another key to consistent ball striking is the ability to maintain your balance.
To check your balance, first be sure you have plenty of room around you. Now, stand with feet slightly apart and your arms hanging out away from your sides a bit. Lift your right foot off the floor so that you are standing on your left foot only. Now close your eyes and try to hold this position for 15 seconds or more.
Open your eyes and then try the other foot.
Full body strength and coordination
The final issue we’ll discuss here is overall strength and coordination. Coordination and athleticism are key to developing a good golf swing. Let’s face it…many people may lack enough athleticism to develop a good golf swing (but, this CAN be improved!). This assessment may be somewhat challenging
Stand with a stability ball behind your lower back while holding a golf club with both hands. Your arms should be hanging down in front of you with the club parallel to the floor at hip height.
Slowly bend your knees and lower your hips to the floor until your knees are flexed at 90 degrees and thighs are parallel to the floor.
Keeping your upper body perpendicular to the floor, and arms straight, raise the golf club over your head. Ideally, you can raise your arms to the point where your biceps are next to, or even behind your ears.
If you are unable to get into the squat position to begin with where your thighs are parallel to the floor, you may have strength and flexibility issues in the lower body.
If you are unable to raise the club (I have 10 pound dumbbells in my hands here) without your upper body tilting forward or elbows bending, then you may be too tight in the upper body.
Final thoughts on these common golf fitness issues
Unless you are very athletic and in pretty good shape, chances are you have trouble with one or more of these golf fitness issues.
Not to worry. There are exercises you can perform that will improve your abilities in all these areas. Joey D’s book is a great place to start, so I highly recommend picking up a copy.
You can also pick up some of the training aids that Joe D talks about in his book here at Golf Gym.
Whatever course you take, if you want to become a better golfer, chances are, a focus on improved golf fitness is part of the solution.
Get to work!
