Three golf exercises to improve your game

To perform at the highest level in golf, many of the players on the PGA Tour use rigorous workout routines to stay in shape and gain a competitive edge and improve their performance.

From Dustin Johnson to Rory Mcilroy, players in recent years have made strides to gain muscle and flexibility to hit the ball further.

As an amateur, we all want to be able to hit the ball further off the tee and have easier shots to the green. Golf workouts are one of the best ways to naturally gain distance without having to feel like you’re swinging out of your shoes. Gaining more natural strength will help you gain distance and lower your scores.

So what should you be doing to improve your game? Here are 3 key things to include in your golf exercises to help you play better golf, courtesy of Brandon DiCroce

1. Stretching: Standing Lateral Twists

While stretching isn’t explicitly a golf exercise, it’s absolutely critical to getting the most out of your game. A proper warm up will help you gain more power from your swing, and stretching prepares your muscles for the work to be done during your round.

Try doing standing lateral twists to help loosen up your back and lateral muscles, which get tons of use throughout your round. This exercise can be done with a golf club in hand which makes it a perfect pre-round stretch.

How to Execute:

1. Stand with your legs shoulder width apart, and grab your driver's grip with one hand.

2. Bend forward slightly and grab your driver's head with your other hand, keeping your arms fully extended in front of you.

3. Twist fully from one side to the other keeping your arms extended. Repeat for a few rotations each side.

2. For Power and Speed: Single-Leg Deadlift

The hip hinge is the foundation of a golfer’s set up, and the source of power for any golfer. It’s important to have a stable starting position for your golf swing in order to generate the power and speed necessary to crush your shots.

The single-leg deadlift is a perfect exercise to work on more stability in your set up, which will help you generate more power. This can be done with or without dumbbells in your hands, depending on how difficult you’d like to make the exercise.

How to Execute:

1. Stand on one leg, and reach down to your toes with the opposite arm.

2. Make sure to keep your hips back, with your standing knee slightly bent.

3. Engage both your core and your hamstrings throughout this motion, while keeping your back flat, not rounded.

4. Return to the starting position, and you’ve completed one rep. Repeat 8-10 times per leg for 1 set, and repeat 3 sets.

3. Core Exercise for Power Transfer: Deadbug

While you build up power in your backswing through your legs and lower body, you need to be able to transfer this energy effectively during your swing for power in your upper body. Strengthening your core is the key to connecting these two sources of power.

Try doing this deadbug exercise for a stronger core!

How to Execute:

1. Lay on the ground with your lower back completely flat, and raise your legs off the ground, bent at a 90 degree angle.

2. Stretch your arms out in front of you completely straight.

3. Lower your opposite arm and leg slowly to the floor (right arm left leg, for example), keeping the motion controlled.

4. Bring both limbs back to the centre, and execute the move with the opposite leg and arm. Repeat this exercise 8-12 times for one set, and complete 2-4 sets.

Here’s a video example for this exercise:

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Final Thoughts

Most, if not all professional players are incorporating some sort of workout routine into their game improvement plan. Improving your strength and mobility is key for a better golf swing, and

will help you out in many ways on the course. Try working these exercises into your routine for a better golf swing. For more interesting golf exercises, check out our complete guide!

Bio: Brandon runs a golf website called Fairway Approach, focused on helping golfers take a smarter approach to golf by offering game improvement guides and equipment reviews. He’s been playing amateur golf for over 15 years, and is originally from Syracuse, NY. During the day he’s a technical recruiter within the financial industry, helping software engineers land jobs.

Instagram: @fairwayapproach

Website: https://fairwayapproach.com/