How to Improve Golf Flexibility: Gain Power & Banish Pains

If you are like many golfers out there, you might be looking to improve golf flexibility. 

It makes sense.  As golfers age, we start to experience things like lost distance, fatigue, and soreness when we play golf. Flexibility plays a key role in all of it, so wanting to get it back is only natural!

With so much information about how to get optimal results by upgrading golf equipment, it sometimes gets lost in the shuffle that your fitness is even more important to your success and enjoyment of the game!

You are in the right place!

Here is what we will discuss

Does Flexibility Help With Golf?

One important aspect of golf is having good flexibility. According to the National Golf Foundation, increasing your flexibility can improve your golf game by giving you a longer, more fluid swing, which in turn can add distance to your shots.

Improving your flexibility can also help improve your overall balance and coordination, both of which are important in maintaining a good swing.

In addition, increasing your flexibility can help reduce the risk of injuries, as muscles and tendons that are properly stretched are less likely to be strained or torn. You will enjoy fewer injuries during your rounds, and less soreness after. Win-win.

There are a number of golf stretches that can improve flexibility, and many can be done without any special equipment.

In short, the answer is YES, good flexibility does help with golf!

Does Flexibility Improve the Golf Swing?

If you’ve ever taken a golf lesson, you’ve probably been told that flexibility is key to having a good swing, among other things.

But what does that really mean?

Essentially, flexibility refers to the range of motion of your joints. When you have good flexibility, it means your joints can move through their full ranges with ease, making it easier for a golf club to get to each spot within its swing sequence.

This is important for golf because swinging a golf club requires a lot of rotation at the hips, shoulders, and spine. If your joints are unable to rotate through their full range, it will be difficult to generate the power needed for a good swing.

Additionally, tight muscles can put excess strain on your joints and lead to injuries. By implementing golf stretches and improving your flexibility, you can help reduce your risk of injury and improve your golf swing. These all have benefits that go beyond the course, too.

How to Increase Your Backswing Flexibility

Many golfers struggle with backswing flexibility, which can lead to a loss of power and accuracy. There are a few simple exercises that can help improve flexibility in the backswing.

Shoulder Rolls

First, try doing some shoulder rolls. Start with the shoulders relaxed and slowly roll them backward 10 times.

Side Bends

Next, try side bends. Stand up straight and slowly bend to one side 10 times, then repeat on the other side.

Trunk Rotations

Finally, try trunk rotations. Start with the feet shoulder-width apart and the arms crossed in front of the chest. Slowly twist the trunk to one side 10 times, then repeat on the other side.

Doing these exercises a few times per week can help improve backswing flexibility and improve your game.

Additionally, make sure you are properly warming up before you play.

This will help to prepare your body for the upcoming workload golf will put on your body.

Here is a great 5-minute warm-up you can try:

Best Stretches for Golf Rotation

There are a few golf stretches that can help with golf swing rotation. Here are a few to try:

The Chest Opener

To do this stretch, stand with your arms behind you and your palms together. Open your chest and arch your back. Hold for 30 seconds.

Shoulder Rotator

Start by holding your arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Rotate your shoulders forward 10 times, then backward 10 times.

Arm Raise

Start by holding your arms out to the sides at shoulder height. Raise your arms up overhead and then back down to shoulder height. Repeat 10 times.

These are just a few stretches that should help you with golf rotation and improve your swing and game.

By doing these stretches on a regular basis, you’ll be able to make your swings more powerful and increase your distance.

Best Golf Stretches to Increase Distance

No matter what age you are, one thing every golfer wants is more distance.

When it comes to stretches that can help increase your distance in golf, there are a few that stand out.

Chest Press Stretch

This stretch can help to loosen up your chest muscles and improve your posture.

To perform a chest press stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Clasp your hands together in front of your chest.
3. Keeping your arms straight, push your hands forward as if you were pressing against a wall.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
5. Repeat the stretch a few times, taking breaks in between as needed.

Lateral Raise Stretch

This stretch can help to loosen up your shoulder muscles and improve your range of motion.

To perform a lateral raise stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Hold a light dumbbell in each hand.
3. Slowly raise your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the ground.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
5. Repeat the stretch a few times, taking breaks in between as needed.

Overhead Triceps Stretch

This stretch can help loosen up your triceps and improve your range of motion.

To perform the overhead triceps stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Raise your right arm above your head and bend your elbow so that your hand is resting on the back of your neck.
3. Use your left hand to gently press down on your right elbow, deepening the stretch.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
5. Repeat the stretch on the other side by raising your left arm above your head and pressing down on your left elbow with your right hand.

Standing Side Bend

This stretch can help to loosen up your oblique muscles and improve golf flexibility.

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Reach your right arm overhead, then bend to the left at your waist.
3. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
4. Repeat the stretch on the other side by reaching your left arm overhead and bending to the right at your waist.

Shoulder Rotation Stretch

This stretch can help to loosen up your shoulder muscles and improve golf flexibility and your range of motion.

To perform a shoulder rotation stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Bring your right arm across your chest and hold it with your left hand.
3. Gently pull your right arm towards your left shoulder until you feel a stretch in your right shoulder.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
5. Repeat the stretch on the other side by bringing your left arm across your chest and pulling it towards your right shoulder.

Standing Quad Stretch

This stretch can help to loosen up your quads and targets the hip flexors.

To perform a standing quad stretch, follow these steps:

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms at your sides.
2. Bend your right leg behind you and grab your foot with your right hand.
3. Gently pull your foot towards your buttock until you feel a stretch in the front of your thigh.
4. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
5. Repeat the stretch on the other side by bending your left leg behind you and grabbing your foot with your left hand.

Kneeling Hip Flexor Stretch

Great way to stretch tight hip flexors, something everyone needs. Can also provide a gentle hamstring stretch in the process. Be sure to get a full stretch and switch sides to hit both legs.

To perform a kneeling hip flexor stretch, follow these steps:

1. Kneel on your right knee with your left foot in front of you, hip-width apart.
2. Place your hands on your left thigh and push your pelvis forward until you feel a stretch in your right hip.
3. Hold the stretch for 15-30 seconds, then release.
4. Repeat the stretch on the other side by kneeling on your left knee with your right foot in front of you.

By doing these stretches, and others, on a regular basis, you’ll be able to make your swings more powerful thus increasing your distance and overall fitness levels.

To really help your hip flexors, we recommend the “Unlock Your Hip Flexors” program here. It’s the best program I’ve found to enjoy looser hips, greater strength, and more power.

Stretching Exercises for Golfers Over 60

As we age, our bodies become increasingly stiff and inflexible. This can make playing golf – a sport that requires a high degree of flexibility – quite difficult. But by doing some regular stretches, older golfers can help to keep their bodies flexible and prevent injuries on the course.

Many of the stretches mentioned above are great stretches for older golfers, too. Here are a few others to add to the mix…

One stretches that older golfers can benefit from is the shoulder roll. To do this stretch, stand with your arms at your sides and slowly roll your shoulders up, back, and down.

Another good stretch for older golfers is the trunk twist. To achieve a good starting position with this stretch, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your hands on your hips. Slowly twist your torso to the right, then to the left.

These are just a few stretches that can help you get some of the flexibility back that has been lost in the natural aging process.

The main thing to take away is that stretching is critical if you want to be able to play golf into your later years. This is possible, but it takes more work to keep the body golf fit.

One Last Tip…

One other thing we highly recommend is exploring all of the benefits a foam roller offers.

If you feel tension and/or pain this can be a great way to alleviate that. There is a lot of info out there on how to do this, and it’s certainly worth exploring.

How to Improve Flexibility for Golf: Final Thoughts

So many golfers sit back and wonder why they have lost their distance, or why they have aches, pains, and injuries from golf.

The answer is right in front of us, and it largely boils down to a loss of flexibility!

We lose flexibility as we age or when we stop using certain muscles.  Whatever the case is for you, it’s important to know that you need to do a little bit of work to regain or maintain your range of motion.

Swinging a golf club is something that requires a good deal of flexibility to play well. You do not need to get a yoga mat and become a certified yoga instructor here, it’s a matter of spending a few minutes a week working on your body so you can stay injury-free and continue to enjoy the game we love to its’ fullest!

That’s a wrap!

Thanks for checking out this masterpiece on improving golf flexibility!

If you love the game and want to play with less pain while getting better results on the course, then get on with that stretching routine! 

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To your golf success!