Getting Back Into Golf: 15 Exercises You Should Do

Golfers are often too eager to get back into golf after an injury or layoff. However, they must realize that it’s best to do a fitness program before starting to golf again because it can improve their swing and help them avoid injury in the future.

To find golf exercises for beginners, we recommend you start with some simple walking steps- this is by far the most basic and effective exercise.

15 Simple Exercises for Going Back To Golf

Exercise #1: The Cat

This exercise works out your abdominal muscles, which is essential for preventing an injury in the lower back. If you’re standing, this exercise will also improve your posture, promoting better balance and making you less prone to injury. This is an excellent exercise for warming up before going back to golf.  

How to perform:

1. Lie on your back and lift both legs so they are perpendicular to the floor. Keep your hands directly under your shoulders for balance and push the upper body weightless into the floor.  

2. Return to a stable position, i.e., lying flat on the floor, by reversing action 1 (you may need to gently pull down towards the legs if you cannot push them up) and move into a squatting position from there onto all fours (on hands and knees).  

3. Push your upper body weightlessly into the floor again and return to a stable position, i.e., lying flat on the floor, by reversing action 2 (you may need to gently pull down towards the legs if you cannot push them up).  

4. Repeat steps 1-3 for as many repetitions as you are capable of. Ideal repetitions for this exercise are 30 or more every time that you try it.

Exercise #2: Leg Lifts

Staying in the abdominal area of exercises for going back to golf, leg lifts are vital for strengthening your stomach muscles and core. This exercise can help prevent spinal cord injuries, and it is useful for warming up before returning back to golf.  

How to perform:

1. Sit on a mat or exercise ball and put your right leg across your left thigh.

2. Switch legs, putting the left leg across the right thigh.

3. Lift both legs from the floor to approximately 45° above the knees, making sure you keep them in line with your spine and shoulders as you lift them off the ground.

4. Lower legs back to the floor and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of. Ideal repetitions for this exercise are 30 or more every time that you try it.

Exercise #3: Wall Push-Ups

Another great exercise for warming up before going back to golf are wall push-ups. This works out your chest and shoulders, vital to keeping you injury-free on the course. This is a great way to build up your upper body strength without having to spend hours in the gym doing repetitive exercises like sit-ups.

How to perform:

1. Stand facing a wall with your legs shoulder-width apart and your arms stretched out in front of your body at shoulder height. (It’s best if you have someone to spot you as this is an exercise that you should only do if you have a good level of fitness.) 

2. Bend your knees as if you were going to sit down while keeping your upper body completely straight. The knees should not go in front of the toes. 

3. Push yourself back up to the starting position as if you were standing straight.

4. Repeat for as many repetitions as your fitness level allows. When you are more fit, aim for 10-15 repetitions at least once a week.

5. As you get more fit, try extending your arms out in front of you instead of keeping them at shoulder height; this will strengthen all the muscles in your arms, including the wrists.

Exercise #4: Wall Sit Ups

These will also strengthen your core and keep you injury-free while practicing the swing of golf. Also, a good warm-up before the game!

How to perform:

1. Place your hands on the wall with your shoulder-width feet in front of you, and bend your knees as if you were already sitting down.

2. Push yourself up to as straight a standing position as possible.

3. Sit back down as if you were sitting down normally, and repeat it for as many repetitions as you are capable of achieving; ideally, aiming for 10-15 repetitions at least once a week.

Exercise #5 The Lunge

Using dumbbells or not, lunges are a great way to strengthen your legs so that you can keep your balance on the course. This exercise also helps increase muscle mass in areas of the body that aren’t worked out during other exercises to go back to golf.   

How to perform:

1. Stand up with your weight evenly distributed between your feet. Keep your shoulders facing forward, holding your arms out in front, and keeping them straight.

2. Take a step sideways to the left, bend your knees, and bring one foot in line with the other. You should be able to keep the stance on both feet as you do this; if not, adjust by placing a chair in front of you for balance.

3. Push out from your hips and stop the lunge when you stand straight with both feet side by side.

4. After your forward foot is back to where it started, take a step back again with the other foot, this time bending that knee and bringing the other foot out in front of you.

5. Push out from your hips again to the standing position, ensuring that your feet are once again sided by side as they were when you started (you should use your shoulders for balance here).

6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 for as many repetitions as you are capable of. Remember to keep your back straight and use your hips for thrusting instead of your knees; this will take the strain off them.

Exercise #6: Crunches

Crunches are great for working out the abdominal muscles, which is key for preventing injuries in the lower back. You’ll have better posture if you frequently practice this exercise as well!    

How to perform:

1. Lie on your back on the floor, knees bent 90 degrees and feet flat.

2. Flex your abs as if you were pulling them in towards your spine to contract them. 

3. With the help of your arms and elbows, move your torso forward until it is parallel with the floor.

4. Slowly go back to the starting position, and repeat it for as many repetitions as you are capable of. 

Exercise #7: The Squat

This is a great warm-up before going back to golf, especially if you’re having trouble keeping your lower back fatigued during a game of golf. This exercise will help you build more overall muscle mass in your legs, giving you a better chance of successfully getting up and down the course.

How to perform:

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and approximately six inches apart.

2. With your body straight and back straight, bend your knees and slowly lower yourself down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.

3. Press back up, making sure that you keep your body as straight as possible throughout the movement, and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of.

Exercise #8: The Plank

The plank is a great foundation for any sport or form of exercise. 

How to perform:

1. Lie on the floor with your back straight and your weight spread evenly across your forearms and toes.

2. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, tighten all of your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your lower back.

3. Hold this position without taking a single breath, and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of.

Exercise #9: The Sit-Up

Another great exercise that helps to strengthen your abs and keep them from getting sore when you start playing golf are sit-ups. This is a good way to increase your core strength without having to lift weights.

How to perform:

1. Lie on the floor with your back straight and your weight spread evenly across your forearms and toes.

2. Take a deep breath in, and as you exhale, tighten all of your abdominal muscles as well as the muscles in your lower back.

3. Hold this position without taking a single breath, and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of.

Exercise #10: The Stretch

Stretching is an important part of any warm-up before going back to golf and is key for increasing flexibility while keeping injuries at bay.

How to perform:

1. Stand up straight with your arms at your side, fingers pointed straight ahead.

2. Spread your legs about three feet apart and bend at the knees until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.

3. Apply pressure to the leg muscles and hold for 15 seconds.

4. Then relax, and apply pressure for 15 seconds on the opposite side of your body by pointing your toes toward the ceiling and bending at the waist until you feel a stretch in your quadriceps (front thigh muscles). 

5. Repeat twice on each side.

Exercise #11: The Ab Crunch

This is a great way to warm up before going back to golf, and it also helps to strengthen your stomach muscles and keep them from getting sore when you’re standing about for hours.   

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor.

2. Extend the right leg up toward the ceiling, pointing the toes.

3. Keeping your spine in a neutral position, curl up into a crunch, raising as high as you can toward the ceiling while keeping your head in place.

4. Return to starting position and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of.

Exercise #12: The Knee Raises

The more exercise you get into beforehand, the stronger and more injury-free you will be on the course. This exercise strengthens your quads, hamstrings, calves, and even your forearms.   

How to perform:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent 90 degrees and your feet flat on the floor.

2. Extend the right leg up toward the ceiling, pointing the toes.

3. Keeping your spine in a neutral position, curl up into a crunch, raising as high as you can toward the ceiling while keeping your head in place.

4. Return to starting position and repeat for as many repetitions as you are capable of.

The more exercise that you get into beforehand, the stronger and more injury-free you will be on the course. This exercise strengthens your quads, hamstrings, calves, and even your forearms.   

Exercise #13: The Bird Dog

Using dumbbells or not, this is a great set of exercises for warming up before returning to the course. Having a strong core is vital for keeping your lower back safe while playing golf.

How to perform:

1. Kneel on the floor with your knees shoulder-width apart and your arms stretched out in front of your body at shoulder height. (It’s best if you have someone to spot you as this is an exercise that you should only do if you have a good level of fitness.)

2. Bend your knees as if you were going to sit down while keeping your upper body completely straight. The knees should not go in front of the toes. 

3. Push yourself back up to the starting position as if you were standing straight. You can alternate left and right.

Exercise #14: The Lunge and Reach

This exercise is a great warm-up before returning to golf, and it will also help strengthen your legs. This is necessary for preventing lower body injuries while you play.

How to perform:

1. Stand up with your weight distributed evenly between your feet and bend both knees to 90 degrees.

2. With your back straight, push down through the balls of your feet and bring one knee toward the opposite shoulder.

3. Then immediately lift the other knee up as high as you can go while keeping your back straight.

Exercise #15: The Squat and Reach

This exercise is also a great way to warm up before going back to golf. It will make you more flexible, which makes playing on the course much safer.

How to perform:

1. Stand up with your weight distributed evenly between your feet and bend both knees to 90 degrees.

2. With your back straight, push down through the balls of your feet and bring one knee toward the opposite shoulder.

3. Then immediately lift the other knee as high as you can go while keeping your back straight.

Before exercising and playing golf, it is important to stretch first to prevent any injuries. This video will teach the basic stretches for golf.

To Sum It All Up

Exercising regularly and as hard as you can safely go will help boost your energy, burn calories, and keep you injury-free. The body is a muscle, and the more it gets used to exercising, the easier it will be to use it for physical activity. 

These exercises for going back to golf should last somewhere between 30 minutes and an hour, depending on how hard you work out. Follow this routine every day for 3 months to start reaping the benefits of a healthier body.

Frequently Asked Questions:

1. What exercises can I do to warm up before golf?

Warming up with cardio is key for injury prevention at the beginning of every golf season. There are so many ways that you can warm up before playing a sport: running, free tips, and more.

2. Why should I stretch before going back to golf?

Stretching ensures that your muscles are loose and properly working when it comes to hitting a ball on the tee. It also helps relieve back pain, preventing injuries by keeping the muscles tight and strong while playing golf.

3. What are the best exercises for going back to golf?

The best exercises for going back to golf are all of the stretching and warm-up ones. You can find more detailed information here.

4. Why should I stretch after a workout?

Stretching is key after a workout because it loosens your muscles and gets them ready for the next one. It also increases your range of motion and flexibility, which is vital for golf.

5. How often should I stretch?

It is recommended that you stretch between every set or as much as you can. The more you stretch, the better the flexibility in your muscles will be. Sometimes the body can’t do everything that it needs to do, and stretching fixes this problem.

6. Which muscles are most important for going back to golf?

The most important muscles for going back to golf are:

Achilles tendon muscles of the lower leg consist of the tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, tibialis posterior, and flexor digitorum longus. 

These muscles are responsible for dorsiflexing and everting the foot, which is crucial in your arms’ downswing phase. This movement creates a catapult effect that helps propel the body forward and upwards during the swing.