Written by Dr. Ryan Boyd (DC)
Whether you’re a weekend warrior or aspiring tour player, one thing is certain: how you prepare before your round can significantly impact your performance. Despite this, the majority of golfers still show up minutes before their tee time and head straight to the first tee without warming up. Not only does this increase the risk of injury, but it can also lead to frustratingly inconsistent play.
The Titleist Performance Institute (TPI)—a global leader in golf fitness and performance—strongly advocates for structured warm-ups to activate key muscle groups, increase mobility, and prime the nervous system for explosive, coordinated movement. A few targeted exercises before your round can make the difference between a solid front nine and a sluggish start.
Why a Golf Warm-Up Matters
Golf is a rotational, power-driven sport requiring mobility, stability, balance, and sequencing. Without warming up, your body isn’t prepared to perform the complex movement patterns involved in the golf swing, which include rapid rotation, weight transfer, and coordinated muscle firing from your feet up to your shoulders.
According to research, even a 10-minute warm-up can:
- Increase clubhead speed by 3–5 mph (translating to 10–15 more yards off the tee)
- Improve swing consistency
- Reduce the risk of injury
- Enhance mental focus and confidence
Instead of static stretching or mindlessly pounding range balls, the key is dynamic, golf-specific movement. That’s where these three highly effective, golf-specific exercises from TPI come in: Lunge and Rotate, Speed Skaters, and Banded Shoulder Blade Retractions.
1. Lunge and Rotate
Purpose: Enhances thoracic spine mobility, hip stability, and core activation—crucial components for an efficient backswing and follow-through.
How to Do It:
- Step backwards into a lunge with your left leg.
- Simultaneously rotate your torso to the right with extended arms.
- Hold for moment and return to the start.
- Repeat 6 times on each side.
Why It Works: This movement mimics the separation between lower body stability and upper body mobility that’s required during the swing. A more mobile thoracic spine allows for a more full turn without putting strain on the lumbar spine.
2. Speed Skaters
Purpose: Activates glutes and hip stabilizers, while priming lateral movement and balance—essential for generating power and maintaining posture through the swing.
How to Do It:
- Place a miniband around both legs just around the knee.
- Keeping the torso tall, skate back and out to the side with alternating legs. In a controlled movement, tap the toe on the floor only slightly.
- Return to the starting position.
- Repeat 6 times on each side.
Why It Works: Speed Skaters challenge your ability to load and explode from one leg to the other, mimicking the weight transfer in a golf swing. This exercise also engages the glutes, which play a key role in hip stability and rotational power.
3. Banded Shoulder Blade Retractions
Purpose: Engages the scapular stabilizers and upper back muscles, improving posture and shoulder control for a more connected golf swing.
How to Do It:
- Hold a light resistance band with arms extended in front at shoulder height.
- Without bending your elbows, set your shoulder blades down and back, pulling the band apart
- Hold for 1–2 seconds, then slowly return to start.
- Repeat for 15 reps.
Why It Works: Many amateur golfers suffer from rounded shoulders due to poor posture and prolonged sitting. This exercise helps reset the upper body, supporting a more athletic address position and better control of the club throughout the swing.
Final Thoughts
Skipping your warm-up might save a few minutes, but it’ll cost you strokes. Incorporating functional movements such as: Lunge and Rotate, Speed Skaters, and Banded Shoulder Blade Retractions helps you start your round loose, strong, and focused. The next time you head to the course, treat your body like a performance machine—not a passenger.
Remember: Your best swing starts before you even grip the club.
Looking to improve your body for golf? Prevent injuries?..
Get Assessed!
At Ascent Health & Sport Therapy, Dr. Ryan Boyd offers “The Golf Medical Assessment.” This assessment is comprised of the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI) functional movement screen, as well as mobility testing specific to what is needed for the golf swing. The goal of the assessment is to find any major physical limitations which may be inhibiting a repeatable swing, or potentially precipitating injury. The results of the screen are reviewed, and a specific plan is made to address these limitations through rehabilitation exercises, and potentially treatment.
Throughout the Golf Medical Rehabilitation process, the player will be reassessed, progress will be tracked, exercises will be fine-tuned, and exercise progressions will be issued.
The Golf Medical Assessment Can Improve Your Body For Golf:
- Identify & Remove Physical Body Limitations
- Reduce Injuries by building joint & tissue resilience
- Increase the longevity of your game so that you can play for years to come
- Increase Distance
- Improve Performance
For more information, check out: https://ascent.health/services/golf-assessments/
Resources: https://www.mytpi.com/articles/fitness/the-science-behind-a-golf-warm-up
