It’s no secret now that the vast majority of top golf professionals are spending an increasing amount of time in the gym working out. I felt it’s time to explain why this is the case.

Golf is an explosive sport that requires a lot of mobility, speed, power and strength. Some golfers swing a golf club at up to 120-130MPH which is pretty darn explosive and not e say to do. The vast majority of people who swing at these speeds put in the necessary work to do so.

The every day golfer on the other hand turns up at their local club and steps on to the tee after sitting down at work all week and having little to no warm up prior to hitting the first tee shot of the day. It shouldn’t be any shock hitting a poor shot off the first tee whilst feeling tight and achy. Yet we continue to start our round of golf this way.

So how is the gym going to help?

Here are the three main objectives when it comes to gym work that play a huge part when it comes to playing good golf.

1. To Move Better 

Good movement has to be the main objective when it comes to playing your best golf. We know now that the way you move your body directly effects the way you swing a golf club and the swing characteristics you may have based on your movement capabilities. This isn’t just about how far you can move (flexibility/Mobility) but also about how well you can move with control and stability.

We have key areas such as the thoracic spine, shoulder and the hips that play a huge role in our ability to swing a golf club effectively and consistently.

The thoracic spine (upper back) is where we get our upper rotation from. If you’re a golfer who struggles with rotating your thoracic spine then this can lead to movements in your golf swing such as losing posture or reverse spine angle which can be detrimental to your game. Reverse spine angle is also the biggest cause of lower back pain in golf. Definitely an unwanted characteristic!

The shoulder are another key area and are the most mobile joint in the body. The ability to externally rotate your shoulder (particularly on your backswing side) means you’ll be able to set the golf club properly at the top. It also allows a full follow through of the arms moving through the downswing.

The hips are a huge power source in the golf swing. The ability to rotate, flex and extend the hips is crucial for maintaining posture, to use the ground well to create power and force as well as positive sequencing throughout your swing.

If you have poor movement in the hips it is inevitably going to lead to compensations in your golf swing such as the sway and slide which will bring more inconsistency and an increased risk of injury to the lower body.

2. Hit The Ball Further

I don’t know a golfer out there that wouldn’t like to hit the ball further. Ultimately, the further you hit the ball the easier the game becomes. The one thing about hitting the ball further which people generally fear is losing accuracy through increasing distance. To be quite frank, you can improve both!

Putting the gym work in to increase lower body and core strength will allow you to create more speed by transferring force from the ground into the golf club. Alongside this, working on your core stability will help you to control the increased strength and speed in the lower body. These two things combined will have you hitting the ball longer and straighter than you have before!

Morale of the story is that improving the way your body moves can not only improve your technique but teach you to use your body more efficiently. Increasing your club head speed by 1MPH on average will give you an extra 2 yards per club in the bag. So gaining 5MPH per club would gain you an extra 10 yards per club. Thats a huge difference and one that shouldn’t be sniffed at!

3. Reduce and Prevent Injury

Without doubt the most important of all the reasons to be following a training programme both during the season and during the off-season.

Are you that golfer who has to take pain killers before you play golf? Are you finding that lower back pain after golf is causing you issues? Is that lead side shoulder or elbow causing you some grief during and after your round?

Pain during games of golf will definitely effect your golf game but even more so, it will have an impact on other areas of your health and wellbeing. If your body is weak or compensating for poor movement, playing golf can only make the issue worse. These issues will likely have an impact with performance on the golf course but could lead to bigger injuries that cause you to take time off from playing.

Working on the areas of your body that need strengthening and mobilising can help prevent this and provide longevity in your game and performance as you age.

Tour golfers who travel a lot have to be especially aware of keeping up training programs. Losing strength during the season is a definite no no. Fitting in your training programs around your events is essential for keeping the body in full working order and keeping those injuries and niggles at bay!

Don’t be that person who neglects the main thing that helps you to play your best golf…………… your body!