If you’re looking to shave strokes off your handicap, there are a number of ways to approach the task. The first thing many golfers look at is their golf swing. They work on tweaks to the mechanics of their swing with an eye toward making it more consistent, accurate, and powerful. But what happens if your golf swing has reached a plateau? How can you get better at golf without messing up the swing you already have?
There is good news: your golf swing is intertwined with your overall fitness. That means you can become a better golfer by improving your strength, balance, flexibility, and coordination — all of which can be done off the course. Another benefit? Increasing your overall fitness will help you stay healthy and active as you go about your daily activities as well.
“The golf swing is made up of a number of complex movements that need to be timed correctly to create the optimal outcome. If the body is not flexible enough or strong enough to get into these positions, it can result in lack of performance or possibly injury,” said Josh Feeney, DPT, OCS, CGFI, a Summit physical therapist and golf injury expert.
Three ways to get better at golf without changing your swing
For lower-body strength, do squats
- Hold golf club horizontally above your head and perform squats
- Try to keep your arms/club straight above your head during your squats
- Sit back in a squat only to your comfort level
- This is great to do as a warm
Increase your pelvic mobility
- Stand in your golf posture and hold your golf club horizontally across your chest
- Practice slowly going through your swing by sweeping the club backward and then coming forward all the way through your swing
- Try to get your belt buckle sweeping back and forth with your club
Improve your balance
This is one of the most important parts of golf and everyday life, and we tend to lose it as we get older. There are many ways to work on balance:
- Attempt to stand on one foot and switch feet every 30 seconds
- Stand heel to toe, with one foot right in front of the other, and maintain your balance
- For a golf-specific balance exercise, stand on a cushion and swing a golf club, working to maintain your balance even on the follow-through
“At Summit, we have physical therapists who are certified golf and fitness instructors through the Titleist Performance Institute. These particular therapists are trained to help golfers improve their flexibility and strength to get the most out of their golf swing,” Feeney said. “This includes reducing the likelihood of injury or to help come back from injury to give you more years on the golf course.”
