How do Golf Pros Train?

Professional golfers don’t just “play more golf.” Their training is deliberately structured to improve power, mobility, stability, endurance, and injury resilience—all while protecting the back, hips, and shoulders. Although combining the biomechanics, physiological, motor learning, and motor control aspects of the sport to improve remains challenging, it is generally well accepted that, in order to improve performance, a multimodal approach is required

Below is a clear breakdown of the types of exercise routines golf pros typically follow, with examples you’ll often see on Tour.

1. Mobility & Flexibility (Daily)

Purpose: Increase swing range, reduce injury risk, improve consistency
Golfers need large rotational ranges through the hips, thoracic spine, and shoulders.

Common drills

• Thoracic spine rotations (open books, seated rotations)

• Hip internal/external rotation drills

• 90/90 hip mobility

• Shoulder CARs and band dislocates

• Hamstring and calf mobility

📌 Most pros do 10–20 minutes every day, often before and after practice rounds.

2. Core Training (Anti-Rotation Focus)

Purpose: Transfer force efficiently while protecting the spine
Unlike bodybuilders, golfers train the core to resist movement, not create it.

Key exercises

• Pallof presses

• Dead bugs

• Bird dogs

• Side planks

• Cable anti-rotation holds

👉 This helps control the massive forces produced during the swing (often 8–10× bodyweight through the spine).

3. Strength Training (2–4× per week)

Purpose: Build a stable, powerful base without adding unnecessary bulk
Pros favour compound, functional movements.

Lower body (power base)

• Squats (front, goblet, split squat)

• Deadlifts (trap bar often preferred)

• Lunges and step-ups

• Hip thrusts

Upper body (controlled strength)

• Push-ups and bench variations

• Pull-ups and rows

• Landmine presses

• Cable rows

📌 Heavy enough to stimulate strength, but rarely maximal lifting.

4. Rotational Power & Speed

Purpose: Increase clubhead speed and driving distance
This is where distance gains come from—not just strength.

Typical exercises

• Medicine ball rotational throws

• Cable chops and lifts

• Shot-put style throws

• Landmine rotations

• Overspeed training (e.g. SuperSpeed sticks)

💡 Power training is done explosively, with low reps and full recovery.

5. Balance & Single-Leg Stability

Purpose: Improve swing consistency and force transfer
Golf is essentially a single-leg sport.

Examples

• Single-leg Romanian deadlifts

• Step-downs

• Split squats

• BOSU or unstable surface drills (used sparingly)

• Y-balance patterns

6. Conditioning (Low Impact)

Purpose: Maintain focus and physical output over 4–5 hour rounds
Conditioning is about endurance, not exhaustion.

Common choices

• Walking (often 18–36 holes/day)

• Cycling

• Rowing

• Incline treadmill walking

• Tempo circuits (light kettlebells, bodyweight)

🚫 Long-distance running is rare due to joint stress and muscle loss risk.

7. Injury Prevention & Prehab

Purpose: Keep players on Tour, not in physio
This is non-negotiable at the elite level.

Focus areas

• Glute activation

• Rotator cuff strength

• Scapular control

• Neck and forearm care

• Foot and ankle stability

Example Of A pro Golfer’s Weekly Structure (Simplified)

Tour-level template

• Daily: Mobility + core

• 2–3 days: Strength training

• 2 days: Power & speed

• Most days: Walking / light conditioning

• 1 day: Recovery-focused (mobility, soft tissue)

Key Takeaway – How do golf pros train?

Golf pros train to be:

• Mobile enough to swing freely

• Strong enough to stay injury-free

• Explosive enough to generate speed

• Enduring enough to perform for 4+ hours

At Diets Don’t Work we provide personal training for golf, and being in the heart of Berkshire polo country we also provide training for polo – there is a great deal of overlap between training for these two rotational sports. All the equipment needed, in particular cables, medicine balls, few weights and TRX. Contact us to arrange a free consultation.