08/09/2023
Golf is one of those sports that are easy to learn, but extremely difficult to master. If you’ve played, then you know it has this strangely addictive quality where you’re constantly driven to improve your game and numbers. These two factors and a broad appeal across age groups allow golf to be played by the young and the old alike. Dedicated golfers spend hours practicing their drives and short game, but few realize the value of stretching for golf.
Being loose, limber, and flexible carries a wide range of benefits, not just for your golf game, but also for your overall health and wellbeing. With that in mind, StretchPros is excited to explore the value of stretching and its relationship with the sport of golf.
What are the Benefits of Assisted Stretching for Golf?
• Improve your mobility
• Strengthen your muscles
• Get the deeper stretches your body needs most
How is Stretching Related to Golf?
Breaking Down a Golf Swing
Golf might be a low-impact activity, but there’s still a lot of exercise and motion associated with swinging, the constant walking, and bending over to line up a put. What’s more, you use more muscles when you play golf than you have probably considered. Let’s take a closer look at the mechanics of a golf swing to identify the parts of your body you are using every step of the way.
A golf swing can be broken down into five steps:
• Takeaway
• Backswing
• Transition
• Downswing
• Follow Through
TAKEAWAY
The start of your golf swing needs to be stable and consistent. If you don’t start the right way, your entire swing could be compromised. The takeaway requires you to use your shoulders to rotate the club back, steady hands/wrist to keep your club stable, and your core to complete the rotation.
BACKSWING
This is the point at which your club transitions to the highest point of the swing. Here you will also be using your shoulders, wrists, and core. But now you are also using a slight bend to your knees and placing weight on your legs to gain balance. Without realizing it, you are engaging your quads and hamstrings.
TRANSITION
The moment of transition is when your backswing becomes a downswing and where you begin to implement the force that will take you through the rest of the motion. At this point, your lower back is bearing a lot of weight and your torso is sustaining a rotated position. Your shoulders and wrist are also engaged holding up the club.
DOWNSWING
This is perhaps the most important phase of your golf swing and the moment at which your club meets the ball. During the downswing, your body unrolls like a spring at your torso, your shoulders create a downward force as they help bring your club down. Your legs are also getting some work by bearing the shift in weight during the rotation. This entire process also requires you to spin your hips. The downswing engages several important parts of your body and puts pressure on your joints. One can argue that stretching for golf will translate the most improvement to this phase of your golf swing.
FOLLOW THROUGH
Experienced golfers understand that the swing is not done after the club hits the ball. The follow-through is crucial in securing the trajectory of the ball. This motion is all about balance. Balance that comes from your legs, hips, abdomen, and shoulders. A proper follow-through also causes you to displace weight onto your lower back, which means the strength and flexibility in this area and in your hamstrings can help you improve and avoid injury.
What Stretching for Golf Can Do for Your Game?
Swinging the golf club is not a natural motion. Our bodies are not necessarily equipped with the tools to execute a flawless swing, that’s why it takes years to master the motion. However, when you stretch, you improve your length, flexibility, and muscle strength needed to get the most out of each attempt. With the right stretches, done regularly, you can add several yards to your driving distance and make a significant improvement to your accuracy.
