With the return of spring, golf enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the start of a new season on the turf. However, before you dust off your clubs and head out to the course, it's essential to ensure that your body is ready for the physical demands of golf. Targeted exercises and stretches will help you prepare for golf season and provide you with practical tips to optimize your performance and prevent injuries.

Golf is a Full-Body Sport
Golf may have a reputation for being a relaxed, recreational sport, but it also requires strength, flexibility, balance and coordination. A golf swing impacts the entire body—core, upper extremities, lower extremities, hips and back—so it’s important for golfers to include physical conditioning and exercise into their routines. Unprepared golfers may experience swing faults, decreased power and be at risk for straining muscles and joints.

Essential Exercises for Golfers
Regular exercise improves overall fitness levels, and targeted strength training helps build muscles to support a consistent golf swing. Incorporating balance and stability exercises with stretches for improving flexibility provides a comprehensive approach to golf fitness.

1. Core Strengthening: The core is integral to the golf swing. A strong core not only helps you power your swing, but also helps protect the muscles and joints in your spine and pelvis. Here are some great core strengtheners for golf:

• Planks
• Russian Twists
• Crunches with a Stability Ball
• Bicycle Crunches

2. Lower Body Strength Training: As the lower body provides a strong foundation for your golf swing, targeted lower body strength training helps with weight transfer and providing necessary stability during the swing. 

• Squats
• Lunges
• Deadlifts

3. Upper Body Strength Training: Strengthening the upper extremities helps to make a golf swing more consistent and smooth. Toward the end of a round of golf, shoulders and arms can fatigue, so building these muscle groups helps with swing endurance.

• Weighted Rows
• Lat Pulldowns
• Shoulder Presses

4. Flexibility and Mobility Exercises: Dynamic stretches are a great compliment to strength training exercises, as they help alleviate tight muscles and improve range of motion throughout the body.

• Arm Circles
• Leg Swings
• Torso Twists

Stretch Before, After and During Your Round
Stretching is an essential part of your warm up and cool down for all sports, and in golf, staying loose while you play is especially important. With a round of 18 taking several hours—and often including periods of sitting in a golf cart—engaging in dynamic stretches can help your body stay loose for the entire round. While you wait for your group to tee off, roll your shoulders, twist your torso and engage in a few knee lifts. This will help prevent your body from getting tight during your round.

With strengthened muscles, balance and stability in place, you’re ready to get out on the course and back to your golf game.