As the days grow longer and the weather begins to warm, golfers everywhere start eyeing the course with excitement. But before you dust off your clubs and book your first tee time of the season, it’s time to ask yourself a crucial question:
Is your body ready to swing, walk, and rotate like it used to?
At Thrive Physical Therapy, we work with golfers of all levels who want to feel confident and discomfort-free on the course. And we know one thing for sure: if you want to play your best and avoid setbacks, preparation is key. That means taking care of your movement, mobility, and strength before you return to your regular golf routine.
This pre-season golf checklist will walk you through how to:
- Prevent common golf injuries
- Improve your swing mechanics
- Build total-body strength and mobility
- Start the season feeling better than ever
Let’s break it down.
1. Assess Your Current Golf Mobility and Movement Patterns
You may have taken a break from regular physical activity over the winter, or maybe you’ve been doing more sitting than stretching. Before you hit the course, it’s essential to evaluate where your body stands right now.
Key areas to assess:
- Hip mobility: Tight hips can limit your rotation and force your lower back to overcompensate.
- Thoracic spine mobility: This mid-back region is crucial for rotation and swing fluidity.
- Ankle and shoulder flexibility: These often-overlooked joints affect balance, power, and control.
At our clinic, we offer golf-specific movement assessments to help identify where you might need improvement and how to address it.
2. Strengthen Core and Glute Muscles
Golf is a rotational sport, and your core and glutes play a central role in generating power and maintaining control throughout your swing.
Why these muscles matter:
- The core stabilizes your spine and supports consistent swing patterns.
- The glutes help drive rotation and support lower body strength and endurance.
Simple exercises to add to your pre-season routine:
- Side planks
- Glute bridges
- Bird-dogs
- Lunges with rotation
These movements improve strength, stability, and body awareness—key ingredients for a discomfort-free, powerful swing.
3. Reintroduce Golf-Specific Mobility Exercises
Stretching isn’t just something you do when you’re already stiff. When done consistently, it can help maintain your range of motion and keep you injury-resistant.
Try adding these to your daily warm-up or morning routine:
- Cat-cow stretch (spinal flexibility and core activation)
- Hip circles (hip joint mobility)
- Arm swings (shoulder and thoracic spine mobility)
- Standing trunk rotations (pre-swing prep)
A few minutes a day can go a long way. These mobility exercises help prep your muscles and joints for the demands of the game.
4. Practice Balance and Posture
Golf requires dynamic balance and excellent posture to execute consistent swings. Winter inactivity can reduce your balance reflexes, so use the pre-season to rebuild them.
Balance exercises to include:
- Single-leg stance
- Single-leg deadlifts
- Step-ups with knee drive
You can also incorporate balance pads or resistance bands to make exercises more challenging and realistic to on-course movement.
5. Focus on Injury Prevention
Common golf injuries include:
- Low back discomfort
- Golfer’s elbow
- Shoulder strain
- Knee discomfort
These issues often result from poor form, muscular imbalances, or tightness in key areas. Our advice?
Don’t wait for aches to start. Address the root cause before it becomes a problem.
Working with a movement professional, like our team at Thrive Physical Therapy, allows you to:
- Catch imbalances early
- Learn proper technique
- Build a foundation of strength and flexibility
6. Ease Into Golf Practice Sessions
Don’t go from 0 to 18 holes overnight. Give your body time to adjust to the increased activity and movement demands.
Pre-season tips:
- Start with a short range session before your first round
- Gradually increase your time on the course
- Use warm-up swings with intent and control
- Take breaks and hydrate
You’ll build endurance and confidence without shocking your system or risking burnout.
7. Tune Into Your Body For Golf
Above all else, listen to what your body is telling you.
If something feels off—tight, weak, sore, or unstable—don’t push through it. The earlier you address an issue, the easier it is to resolve. Our clients are often surprised how much relief and performance improvement they feel after just a few targeted sessions.
Why Choose Thrive Physical Therapy?
As you start checking items off your pre-season golf checklist, it’s crucial not to overlook one of the most powerful tools in your game—your body. It’s easy to get wrapped up in equipment upgrades, new clubs, or swing techniques, but without a strong, mobile, and well-prepared body, even the best gear won’t help you play your best. Your hips, spine, shoulders, and core work together like a finely tuned engine during every swing. If just one area is tight, weak, or out of sync, it can throw off your entire game and increase your risk of injury. That’s why targeted mobility work, strength training, and injury prevention strategies aren’t just for professional athletes—they’re essential for every golfer who wants to stay on the course and play discomfort-free.
Our practice is built on a simple belief: when you understand your body, you play better—and feel better doing it.
What makes us different:
- Golf-specific assessments and treatments
- One-on-one care and personalized plans
- Emphasis on strength, mobility, and prevention
- Compassionate, knowledgeable team ready to help you thrive
We don’t believe in band-aid fixes. We help you solve the root cause of discomfort so you can enjoy the game for years to come.
Let’s Get You Golf-Ready
Whether you’re coming off an injury, want to boost performance, or simply want to prevent future issues, a Free Discovery Visit is the perfect way to get started.
We’ll listen to your goals, assess your movement, and outline a plan to help you feel strong, flexible, and confident as you head into golf season.
Book your FREE Discovery Visit here: https://mkruethdpt.com/free-discovery-visit/
At Thrive Physical Therapy, our personalized golf assessments help you understand how your body moves, where you may be compensating, and what adjustments you can make now—before the season kicks into full swing. Whether you’re recovering from an old injury or looking to build a stronger, more efficient swing, our team is here to help. Let’s make this your healthiest and most consistent golf season yet. Stay tuned for our next blog, where we’ll dive deeper into building a body that’s truly golf-ready, from warm-up routines to key mobility drills.