11 Golf Stretches To Improve Your Game and Flexibility

Although you’re not running wind sprints, jumping through the air, or doing heavy lifting, golfing uses groups of muscles you engage with few other activities. Flexibility isn’t just a bonus, it’s a requirement. If you aren’t doing warmups and golf stretches regularly, you’re putting your body and golf swing at risk.

11 Golf Stretches To Improve Your Swing and Flexibility

Like any other sport, stretching is essential. Before you sideline yourself with a pulled hamstring or glute, use these golf stretches to bend yourself into shape — and improve your golf swing to boot.

1. Standing Forward Bend

If you want to stretch your shoulders and hamstrings, nothing beats the standing forward bend. To complete this stretch, stand up straight with your feet together. Interlace the fingers from your right hand and left hand, and then lift your hands away from your back. As your arms go up, keep them straight and slowly bend at the waist. Keep going until you feel your shoulders and hamstrings tighten. Hold for about 20 seconds, release, and repeat three or four times.

2. Hip Raise

Whether you’re swinging a driver or a new wedge, you need a strong butt to stabilize your swing. Strong glutes can help you stay in the proper hitting position and keep you strong on the follow-through.

On top of weight training and running, the hip raise is one of the most popular golf stretches to avoid pulling an ass cheek. To execute this stretch, lie on the ground with your palms flat. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart and bend your knees. Maintaining this position, squeeze your cheeks and abs and slowly lift your hips to the sky. Hold the position for three to five seconds, then return to your original position.

3. Oblique Dips

Obliques are the muscles along the side of the abdomen that help you rotate as you swing a golf club. However, they’re also one of the easiest to pull or injure, often taking weeks to a month to heal. Due to the lengthy healing period and potential for injury, you should always include an oblique dip as part of your golf stretches.

Lie down on your side with your elbow in line with your shoulder. Position one leg in front of the other a few inches. Raise your other arm toward the sky. When you're in position, dip your hips and core toward the ground. Hold the pose for a second or two, then switch sides to stretch both obliques equally.

4. Hip Stretch

Rotating your hips when you swing can greatly enhance your hitting power on the golf course. However, failing to stretch the hips can result in injury, pain, and lack of rotation that can harm your game.

To do a hip stretch, sit on the ground and put your right leg in front of your body so your lower leg and right knee are resting on the ground. Position your left leg out to your side with your left foot behind you. Your left knee should be in line with your hip. Keep your upper body straight and ease your right hip toward the ground. Repeat for the left side of your body.

5. Standing Quad Stretch

Strong quads are essential for squatting into your swing and powering through the ball, so don’t ignore this simple golf stretch.

To initiate a standing quad stretch, stand with your feet hip-width apart. Next, grab your left or right foot, stabilizing yourself if necessary. Slowly pull your foot toward your butt, ensuring that you’re standing completely straight. You should feel tension in your thigh. Once you feel this, continue to hold the stretch for about 30 seconds. Do the same for both legs.

6. Hamstring Stretch

Hamstrings are equally important for helping you have the right pose on your backswing and when you follow through, no matter what golf club you’re using. The good news is that you have several options for this type of golf stretch. Use one that works for you.

Take your golf club and hold it in both hands behind your shoulders. Put one of your feet on a bench with your knee slightly bent. Keeping your lower body and spine steady, bend your upper body forward at the hips until you feel tension.

Alternatively, you can use a hip press to stretch your hammies. Put one foot forward in a lunge-type position. Place both hands on your hips. Tuck your pelvis in, bend your back leg, and straighten your front leg until you feel a stretch in your hamstring.

9. Shoulder Stretch

You may see PGA golfers do this golf stretch before and during a round with good reason. A shoulder injury can derail any golfer, so ensuring they’re limber and ready to go is always in your best interest.

Using an overhand grip, hold a golf club on each end. With your right and left arm extended and your elbows straight, lift the club over your head. Move your hands as far back as you can until you feel a stretch in the front of your shoulders, then hold that position for about 30 seconds. Repeat two or three times or until you feel like your shoulders are ready for a swing.

10. Lower Back Stretch

Injuring your lower back is the kiss of death in the golfing world, so always add this golf stretch to your stretching arsenal.

Go into a lunge position with your left leg forward. When you’re ready, press your left elbow into your right knee and twist your torso to the left. Put your right arm behind you as you do the stretch and hold for 30 seconds. Switch to the other side to complete the stretch.

This particular exercise also stretches your groin and hips, making it more versatile than individual stretches.

11. Piriformis Stretch

The piriformis is one of the strongest muscle groups in the hips, making it possible to externally rotate the hip. That’s why it should come as no shock that you need to add this group to your golf stretches each time on the course.

To perform this stretch, stand next to a table. Put your leg on the table with the knee bent and the outside of the leg on the surface. Lean forward slightly, and you should feel your hip start to stretch. Do the same for the other side of your body.

Quick Tips To Improve Your Golf Stretches

Regardless of what golf stretches you do, you can improve your overall flexibility by following a few simple rules. Add these tips to your stretching routine to maximize their effectiveness and continue to add to your limberness:

• Stretch frequently. Stretching isn’t just part of your golf game warmup. Making a vested effort to stretch each morning and evening at home or in the office will ensure you don’t give up your hard-earned flexibility gains.
• Do static stretches after a round. Static stretches are stretching exercises that involve holding a muscle for about 30 to 60 seconds while keeping the rest of your body stationary. After a round of golf, your muscles are warm and pliable. It’s the perfect time to extend your stretching regimen to provide more flexibility moving forward.
• Stretch safely. When you stretch, you shouldn’t feel any pain. The flexion of your arms, legs, and back should present a bit of a pull, but ease into each stretch to avoid discomfort. Safe stretching should start with slight bends and move forward only when you feel limber. Never stretch in a position that could compromise your joints or put muscle tears at risk.
• Maintain good posture. If you have trouble keeping your back straight or a back stretch is uncomfortable, the problem could lie in your posture. As part of your golf fitness routine, sit up straight and ensure your ears are over your shoulders and your shoulders above your hips.
• Eat right. It may seem counterintuitive, but your diet can actually help your flexibility. To boost your stretching prowess, eat a diet full of leafy greens and foods with omega-3, vitamin D, and calcium. Doing so can lubricate your joints, reduce inflammation, and strengthen your bones.
• Add strength training to your workout. Running and jogging are vital parts of a well-rounded workout regimen, but a bit of strength training can help you hit the golf ball further and aid in flexibility. Body-weight or free-weight training enhances your range of motion and increases flexibility in your joints and muscles.
• Enlist the help of a physical therapist. Golfers regularly suffer backswing injuries due to improper stretching, prior injuries, or a sedentary lifestyle. If you can’t stretch, you have lower back pain, or your stretches are ineffective, schedule an appointment with a physical therapist. These professionals can teach you the proper way to stretch, identify postural imbalances, and develop a plan to increase your flexibility.

Add Golf Stretches To Your Regular Routine

Just because you’re not on the course doesn’t mean you should skip your golf stretches. Stretching each day can make you more limber and flexible, while also improving your golf swing, hitting distance, and range of motion. Whether you’re in the office or on the driving range, a stretching routine can pay dividends on the course and in your daily life.