6 Physio Secrets Keeping You On The Golf Course For Longer!
If you love golf, there’s nothing worse than being sidelined by injury, especially when it could have been avoided. Whether you’re chasing a lower handicap or just want to enjoy a few more pain-free rounds each week, keeping your body in top condition is key.
As a physiotherapist who works with golfers, I see the same patterns again and again: sore hips, irritated shoulders, overloaded backs. The good news is that most of these issues can be prevented with a few smart habits.
Here are six physio-backed secrets to help you stay strong, mobile, and playing your best for years to come.
Load Management
Golfers are some of the most passionate about their desired sport, we tend to play as much as we can! Your body can only handle so much especially when you suddenly ramp up how often or how intensely you play. Load management means finding the sweet spot between enough golf to improve and not so much that you overload your joints or soft tissues.
Balance is key, if you’re playing or practising more frequently, such as adding a second or third weekly round, make sure your strength and recovery routine matches that increase. Small, gradual progressions in volume and intensity help your tissues adapt safely. A well balanced training and playing schedule will improve performance, reduce fatigue and risk of injury.
Pro Tip: Track your weekly swings, rounds, or driving range sessions. If your workload jumps by more than 10–20% from one week to the next, you’re running the risk of injury.
2. Appropriate Warm Up Routine
Not warming up for any activity, especially golf, significantly increasesyour risk of developing an injury. Prematurely beginning a round of golf results in limited joint mobility, cold muscles, reduced blood flow, poor muscle activation, reduced coordination and stability.
A rushed or non-existent warm-up is one of the quickest ways to find yourself injured mid-round. Golf requires rotation, balance and controlled power, all of which depend on well-prepared muscles and joints.
A proper golf warm-up should include dynamic stretches for hips, shoulders, and thoracic spine, light activation work for your glutes and core, and a few slow practice swings to ease into your full range.
Physio tip: Spend10-20 minutes before tee-off getting your body moving. Go to the practice nets and work through your swing, starting with shorter range shots and building to longer range shots. It can add meters to your drive and protect you from injury.
3. Foundation Strength & Mobility
Adequate levels of strength in key muscle groups reduces the risk of common golfing injuries such as low back pain and golfer's elbow. By having strong muscles, your body will be able to tolerate the physical stress that playing golf puts on your body.
A balanced routine might include core control exercises like dead bugs and Pallof presses , glute strengthening with bridges and split squats, and mobility drills for rotation through the mid-back and hips.
Physio tip: Think of strength and mobility work as your insurance policy for a longer, pain-free golf life.
4. Appropriate Swing Mechanics
No amount of stretching or strength training can overcome poor swing mechanics. Repeated inefficient movement patterns can overload the same joints and muscles over time.
Working with a golf pro or physiotherapist trained in swing analysis can help identify compensations or mobility restrictions affecting your technique. A small tweak to your set-up or follow-through might relieve a big strain on your back or shoulder.
Physio tip: Your swing should feel smooth and balanced, not forced. Pain or restriction is often a signal that your body is compensating somewhere.
5. Addressing Early Signs Of Injury
That dull ache in your lower back or pinch in your shoulder after a round isn’t something to ignore. Small niggles often turn into chronic injuries if left unchecked.
Early assessment by a physio can uncover the root cause before it becomes a bigger problem. Sometimes all it takes is modifying your load, improving movement patterns, or adding a specific exercise.
Physio tip: If pain lasts more than a week or keeps returning, get it looked at. Early intervention can save weeks or even months off the course later.
6. Rest & Recovery
Recovery isn’t just rest. It’s an active process. Proper hydration, sleep, stretching, and mobility work all help your body repair and perform better next time.
If you’re playing multiple times per week, schedule at least one true recovery day with light activity like walking, cycling, or mobility drills. Regular soft tissue release or physiotherapy can also help maintain flexibility.
Physio tip: Treat recovery as part of your training, not an afterthought. Your next round will thank you!
Some final thoughts…
Longevity in golf isn’t about luck. It’s about consistency, body awareness, and the right guidance. By managing your load, maintaining strength and mobility, and addressing issues early, you’ll set yourself up for many more years of pain-free play.
If you’re noticing stiffness, recurring soreness, or just want to move and perform better on the course, a personalised golf physio assessment can help.
Book your session below and keep your body in the best shape for golf.
