No matter what sport you practice, strength training should always be a part of your training schedule as it helps you improve your overall performance, strength, and stability, among many other benefits.
When strength training for a particular sport, it is essential to focus on functional movements that emulate those of the sport you take part in and work the main muscle groups used.
Many of us don’t have the means to make it to the gym several times a week, so having at home golf exercises is a great option.
In this guide, we will discuss the benefits of functional training for golfers and 11 great golf exercises at home that you can do from the comfort of your living room to build strength and play each round at your very best.
More specifically, we will look at the following:
- The Benefits of Functional Training For Golfers
- The 11 Best Golf Exercises At Home To Improve Your Game
Ready?
Let’s jump in!
The Benefits of Functional Training For Golfers
Functional training has endless benefits, not just for your golf game but for performing day-to-day tasks efficiently as well.
Due to the repetitive internal and external rotation from the golf swing, lower back and hip injuries are some of the most common culprits. Strength training can help reduce the risk of those specific injuries and any other issues that can pop up along the way.
Functional training can also improve athletic performance by increasing driving distance, swing speed, and ball speed and also help fix common muscle imbalances due to the nature of golf.
It will also improve overall fitness and endurance, which is imperative for a long day on the course.
This is just the tip of the iceberg as to why adding functional training to your schedule is so important.
As previously mentioned, some of us may not have the time or convenience to make it to a gym a couple of times a week, so having a handy dandy workout full of golf exercises at home is a great way to work in your training without leaving your house.
Our at home golf exercises include a variety of movements that will not only build strength but help improve flexibility, mobility, coordination, and stability. All critical elements in your golf game.
Depending on your current fitness levels, you can perform anywhere from 8-12 reps per exercise for 2-3 rounds.
Ready? Let’s check them out:
The 11 Best Golf Exercises At Home To Improve Your Game
#1: The World’s Greatest Stretch
How can we not have this one on our list of golf exercises at home when clearly, it says it’s the greatest?
This dynamic stretch consists of a series of movements that will warm up and mobilize every part of your body while assisting in the all-important turning radius of your torso. It’s a great one to get started with for any workout.
- Stand tall with your arms by your side.
- Roll down until your palms are on the floor, and walk your hand out until you reach a full plank position.
- Bring your left foot forward, place it on the outside of your left hand in a lunge position, and hold for a couple of seconds.
- Rotate your body to the left and lift your left arm straight up over your head, perpendicular to the floor. Hold this position for a couple of seconds.
- Next, rotate to the other side and reach your left arm through the open space under your right arm. Hold for a couple of seconds.
- Slowly sit back and put your left heel on the floor in front of you and your right knee on the floor. Stretch your hamstring.
- Lastly, Put your weight on your left foot and shift forward, stretching your hip flexor and raising your arms above your head, leaning back slightly. Hold for a couple of seconds.
- Get back into the plank position and repeat on the other side.
- Do 8 reps in total, alternating sides.
#2: Hip Crossovers
To continue our mobility work, let’s work those hips.
- Lie face up, knees bent at 90 degrees, and feet in the air. Your lower legs should be parallel to the ground.
- Stretch your arms out to your sides, making a T.
- Rotate at the hips to your right and lower your knees to the floor on your right side.
- Return to your starting position in the center.
- Now, rotate at the hips and lower your knees to the floor on your left side.
- Repeat for 8-12 reps.
Note: Keep your shoulders on the ground and core engaged for this exercise.
Now that we are mobile and warmed up, let’s get into more strength work.
#3: Split Squat
This is an excellent exercise to work strength, stability and mobility all in one; that is challenging yet can be done with just your body weight, meaning no equipment necessary. As you advance, you can add dumbbells or kettlebells for more of a challenge
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Step forward with your right leg and lower into a lunge position with your left knee just above the ground.
- With control, extend your left knee.
- In a controlled manner, bend the left knee again and lower it toward the ground.
- Repeat on the other side.
#4 Single-Leg Glute Bridge
This unilateral exercise will not only help your hip extension but also help correct muscle imbalances as it works just one side at a time. A single-leg glute bridge is also a great way to work your stability, as you must keep your body aligned at all times.
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor (or up on your heels) hip-width apart.
- Lift your left leg and extend it so it is parallel to your right thigh.
- Engage your core and lift your hips off the ground, aligning with your right knee.
- Hold this position for a couple of seconds, activating your glutes.
- Lower your hips to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side.
#5: Reverse Lunge With Rotation
This one of our best golf exercises at home works our lower body and our core with the rotation. You can perform this lunge with your body weight or add weight to hold out in front of you to make the rotation even more challenging. A kettlebell, dumbbell, or even a jug of water will work.
- Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart, chest up, and shoulders back. Look straight ahead, holding your weight straight out in front of you, arms extended.
- Take a big step backward with your right foot, placing the ball of your foot on the floor in the back of you.
- As you take this step, bend both knees until they reach 90 degrees. Your right knee will be just above the ground, and your left thigh will parallel the floor.
- As you step backward, engage your core and rotate your torso to your right.
- Rotate back to the center and return to your starting position.
- Alternate sides.
#6: Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift
This is another unilateral exercise that will work your hamstrings and glutes for a powerful swing, not to mention your stability. If this is your first time performing this exercise, you’ll notice keeping your balance is tricky.
With practice, you’ll get the hang of it. You can perform this exercise with just your body weight, one dumbbell, kettlebell, or two of each.
- Stand tall with your feet at hip-width apart with a dumbbell in your right hand.
- With all your weight on your left leg, hinge at the hips and lower the dumbbell toward the floor, keeping your back perfectly flat and raising your right leg behind you.
- Your torso and back leg should be parallel to the floor, and the dumbbell hovering over the floor.
- Engage your core, push through your left foot, and return to the starting position, keeping your weight solely on your left leg. Squeeze your glutes at the top.
- Repeat on the other side.
Note: Keep your shoulder blades back and down and back straight when performing this exercise.
#7: Jump Squat
For some serious power, jump squats are the way to go!
- Lower down into a basic squat position.
- As you extend your knees and hips, launch yourself off the ground bringing your arms back behind you.
- Land softly and repeat just as your feet hit the ground.
Note: These jumps should be explosive and full of power while taking care to land softly after each one to avoid impact.
Now onto some core strength exercises:
#8: Dead Bug
- Lie face up, knees bent at 90 degrees and lower legs parallel to the ground, and arms extended upward.
- Extend your left leg in front of you and your right arm back behind you simultaneously, keeping both extremities just barely above the ground.
- Engage your core and return your arm and leg to the starting position.
- Alternate sides.
#9: Superman
- Lie facedown on the floor with your arms extended in front of you and your legs straight behind you.
- Engage your glutes and core and lift your arms and legs off the ground simultaneously, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
- Hold this position for a couple of seconds.
- Gently lower yourself back to the floor.
#10: Push Up
Push-ups are excellent for upper body strength and a great bodyweight exercise you can do anywhere.
- Lie on your stomach, palms on the ground lined up on either side of your chest, and your feet hip-width apart.
- Push through your hands, extending your elbows as you raise yourself and keeping your body straight as a board.
- Lower yourself back down in a controlled manner, bending your elbows until your body is barely above the ground.
Note: To work up to this exercise, you may begin by performing push-ups against a wall, on your knees, or on a bench for extra help.
#11: Cross-Over Mountain Climbers With Shoulder Tap
- Begin in a full plank position.
- Bring your right knee to your left elbow, then your left knee to your right elbow.
- Next, tap your right shoulder with your left hand and your left shoulder with your right hand. That’s one rep.
#12: Side Plank
- Lie on your right side with either both feet on the ground, one slightly in front of the other, or your legs stacked one on top of another.
- Engage your core, and push yourself off the ground and prop yourself up on your right forearm and the side of your feet or right foot. Lift your hips off the ground aligning your body.
- Hold this position for 30 – 60 seconds.
- Repeat on the other side.
There you have it! 12 of the best golf exercises at home for a total body workout will surely improve your golf game.
If you are looking for some excellent dynamic exercises for your pre-round warm-up routine, check out our article: The Complete Golf Warm Up Routine.
