The 8 Best Stretches For Golf, According To Pros

It’s important to stretch before and after your golf game. It helps prevent injury, sure, but doing the right stretches for golf also improves your power and precision. Golf coach Randy Chang says to focus on your shoulders, arms, back, and hips before playing — here’s how.

Forward Fold

Chang recommends doing this leg stretch before you head out on the course.

- Bend forward at waist.

- Let arms, head hang loose.

- Release further as you breathe.

- On an inhale, raise hands to shins.

- Hold stretch few seconds, then release down again.

- Repeat 3x.

Shoulder Stretch

Try this before and after your game to warm up and cool down, Chang says.

- Hold club with both hands.

- Raise club above head, arms straight.

- Lean right shoulder down.

- Bring hands back overhead.

- Lean to left.

- Extend arms out front.

- Repeat pattern 3x.

Arm Circles

Golf pro Mike Malaska says this arm stretch will help you loosen up to swing.

- Stretch arms forward.

- Form a golfer’s grip with your hand, palms down, thumb up.

- Do 20 slow wrist circles.

- Reverse palm.

- Do 20 circles in opposite direction.

Wrist Stretch

Malaska says this warms up the muscles in the wrist and forearm for more mobility and speed.

- Extend arm out straight, palm down.

- With other hand, pull fingertips toward forearm.

- Hold 5-10 seconds.

- Reverse, pull fingertips back to you.

- Hold 5-10 seconds.

Tricep Stretch

A long, loose tricep will reduce pressure on your neck as you play, Malaska says.

- Drop one arm up and over your back, elbow pointing up.

- Use other hand to push elbow further down.

- Feel stretch in tricep.

- Hold 10 seconds.

- Do 1 to 2 reps per arm.

World’s Greatest Stretch

Trainer TJ Mentus says this stretch opens the hips and shoulders so you can swing more fluidly.

- Runner’s lunge, right foot forward, hands on ground.

- Twist right arm open to sky.

- Reach elbow down to ground. Switch sides.

- Perform 10 reps, 3x.

Swing Stretch

Myodetox physiotherapist Nathan Santos likes this one.

- Split stance, left leg forward.

- Hold arms out straight. Drop them down to right leg.

- Sweep arms up over left shoulder to mimic golf swing.

- Move through this motion in one breath.

- Do 15 reps per side.

Pelvic Rotations

Body coach Drew Ryan says this stretch will help you maintain good posture through your backswing.

- Stand tall, cross arms at chest.

- Without moving upper body, shift your hips side to side.

- Start to rotate your hips in a circle.

- Do 10 swings in each direction, 2 times.