Tips From a Trainer: A 5-Minute Golf Warm-Up That Actually Matters
As spring arrives and you break out your clubs for another season at Breakfast Hill in Greenland or The Golf Club of New England in Stratham, it's tempting to head straight from the car to the first tee. But your swing demands mobility, rotation, and control, not stiffness, and skipping a warm-up is one of the most common ways golfers set themselves up for a rough round or a nagging injury.
The good news? Five minutes is all it takes.
Torso Rotations (slow and controlled) | 5-10 reps
This is the foundation of your warm-up. Slow, controlled rotations open up your spine and signal your body that it's time to move. They also set the stage for a fuller, more fluid backswing, which means more power with less effort.Hip Hinges | 5-10 reps
Your glutes are one of the most important muscle groups in your golf swing, and they're also the ones most likely sitting dormant after a car ride. Hip hinges wake them up and take pressure off your lower back, which your body will thank you for on holes 15 through 18.Arm Circles and Band Pull-Aparts | 5-10 reps
Cold shoulders are stiff shoulders. These movements get blood flowing through the joint and improve your range of motion before you ever take a swing. Pro tip: toss a resistance band in your golf bag. It weighs nothing and makes this exercise significantly more effective.Easy Practice Swings | 5-10 reps
Start slow and gradually build speed. Think of these less as practice and more as a preview: you're letting your body remember the movement pattern before you ask it to perform at full speed.
That's it. Four moves, five minutes, and your body will be ready to play the way you actually want to play, rather than spending the first few holes just warming up on the course.
– James Schuster, NASM CPT & TPI Certified