As golfers begin to approach the twilight of their peak golfing years, the same question comes up repeatedly. “How can I continue to play the game I love for years to come and not lose the power and distance I’ve enjoyed during the peak of my playing days?” The answer is intuitive and complicated at the same time! Across all of the major sports leagues from the PGA to the NBA, there is only one competitor that has achieved and maintained an all-time undefeated record. Father Time. As athletes age, certain physiological changes are inevitable and a steady decline in performance should be expected and embraced as a fact of life. However, the good news is that golfers can participate in important stretching regimens that can hold off Father Time and not only lengthen the time spent in their peak years but will also aid in preserving, and in some instances, improving driving distance.
Rubber Bands and Muscles
When thinking about your muscles, it’s not too far of a stretch (pun intended) to think of them as a complex network of rubber bands. Imagine holding a relaxed rubber band in the palm of your hand. At rest, the potential for that rubber band to produce power is minuscule at best. Now take that same rubber band and stretch it as far as you can without breaking it. Depending on the density and length of the rubber band, you have now created a situation for the rubber band to produce more power. The complex network of muscles involved in the golfer’s swing can be looked at in a similar fashion. As the golfer addresses the ball they become the physical embodiment of that relaxed rubber band in the palm of your hand. As the golfer coils into their back swing, they then become the stretched rubber band ready to unleash energy into the golf swing. This analogy is why it is crucial for golfers to maintain mobility that will allow for an adequate wind up into their back swing, therefore creating the highest potential for club head speed and subsequently ball speed and distance. Two of the biggest indicating factors in terms of golf swing mobility are related to thoracic and internal hip rotation mobility. Make time for the following exercises in order to increase your playing longevity while giving you the flexibility, range of motion, and power to keep swinging safely and efficiently!
Golf Hip Stretches: Why They Matter So Much for Your Swing
Of the two mobility categories on this page, hip mobility tends to have the biggest single impact on both power and injury risk. In order to get a feel for exactly what internal hip mobility is, sit upright in a chair, squeeze both fists together between your thighs, and rotate one foot at a time upward. How far were you able to lift your foot? The average PGA Tour golfer is able to rotate their foot upward about 45 degrees. In the golf swing, the ability to internally rotate the trail hip allows for greater range of motion in your backswing, while the ability to internally rotate the lead hip allows for greater range of motion through the follow-through. Try the golf hip stretches below to make sure your ability to internally rotate your hips isn’t getting in the way of your ability to load and release both sides of your swing.
Banded Internal Hip Rotation
Helps with internal rotation, strengthening, and stability of the hips — 3 sets of 10 reps
- Lie flat on your stomach with your legs together and knees bent at 90 degrees, with a light resistance band tied around your ankles.
- Slowly rotate both feet outward as far as possible and return to the starting position in a controlled manner.
- If needed, place a small pillow under your hips during this exercise to provide more back support.
Glute Medius Stretch
Helps stretch and lengthen the glute medius, which can limit internal hip rotation — 5 sets of 15-second stretches
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet spread wide.
- Allow your knees to collapse toward each other and hold for 15 seconds.
- Safely increase range of motion with each subsequent stretch by placing light pressure downward on your knees.
90/90 Hip Switch
Helps build internal and external rotation range of motion in both hips at once — 2 sets of 8 controlled switches per side
- Sit on the floor with your lead leg bent 90 degrees in front of you and your trail leg bent 90 degrees out to the side behind you.
- Keeping your chest tall, lift both knees slightly and rotate your legs to switch sides, so your hips end up mirrored.
- Move slowly and under control — this is a mobility drill, not a stretch to rush through. If one side feels noticeably tighter, spend extra reps there.
Standing Hip Flexor Stretch with Rotation
Targets a tight hip flexor, a common cause of early extension and lower back compensation — 3 sets of 20–30 second holds per side
- Step into a deep, staggered lunge position with your back knee either on the ground or hovering just above it.
- Squeeze the glute on your back leg and shift your hips forward until you feel a stretch through the front of that hip.
- Once you feel the stretch, gently rotate your torso toward your front leg to add a golf-specific rotational component, then hold.
Thoracic Mobility
Thoracic mobility refers to the range of motion in regards to flexion, extension and rotation of the 12 vertebrae in your spine from just below the base of your neck to just above the small of your back. In golf, the ability of this area to rotate while remaining in extension is paramount for swing speed. Below are a few exercises that should be incorporated into your daily routine in order to preserve thoracic mobility and keep you swinging fast and pain-free for years.
FAQs
What are the best hip stretches for golfers?
The most effective golf hip stretches target internal hip rotation specifically, since that’s the motion most directly tied to backswing and follow-through range of motion. The Banded Internal Hip Rotation, Glute Medius Stretch, and 90/90 Hip Switch above are three of the most efficient ways to address it, along with a Standing Hip Flexor Stretch if tightness in the front of the hip is limiting your finish position.
How often should golfers do hip stretches?
For golfers dealing with noticeable tightness, daily is ideal, especially in the off-season when you’re not getting the natural mobility work that comes from playing regularly. At a minimum, work these hip stretches for golf into your routine 3–4 times per week, plus a quick version as part of your pre-round warm-up.
Can tight hips cause lower back pain in golf?
Yes, very commonly. When the hips can’t rotate through their full range, the lower back is often forced to pick up the slack during the swing, absorbing rotational stress it isn’t built to handle. Improving hip mobility is one of the most direct ways to take pressure off the lower back without changing anything about your swing mechanics.
Build a Complete Mobility Plan
These hip stretches for golf and thoracic drills are a strong daily foundation, but every golfer’s specific restrictions are a little different. At Par4Success (P4S Golf), our Golf Performance Assessment pinpoints exactly where your mobility is limiting your swing, rather than guessing.
Whether you want to train locally through our Golf Performance Enhancement in Raleigh programs, resolve hip or back pain at our Raleigh physical therapy clinic, or browse our free resources to Get Golf Fit, we’re happy to help you build a plan around your body specifically.
Scott Knox
Performance Coach
References:
- Mark Wong, PT. 17 Exercises to Improve Your Thoracic Spine. posturedirect.com. Nov. 9, 2015.
- Greg Rose, MD. Your Hips and Your Swing. TPI. mytpi.com/articles/swing/your_hips_and_your_swing. Nov 1, 2012.
- Brian Reddy, BS. Talking About Hip Retroversion. b-reddy.org. May 9, 2013.
