The Best Golf Exercises That Actually Build Your Golf Swing (Weekend Warrior Method)

You've been playing golf for years, maybe even got your swing looking decent on the range, but something's missing. You watch your buddy Tom absolutely crush it 30 yards past you with what looks like the same swing, and you think "What the hell does he have that I don't?"

Here's the answer you probably don't want to hear: Tom's been doing golf exercises. Not hours in the gym. Not some insane CrossFit routine. Just smart, golf-specific exercises that weekend golfers like us can actually do.

I'll be straight with you - this isn't about becoming a bodybuilder or spending two hours a day in the gym. Every weekend golfer who wants to improve their own game knows the truth: the difference between hitting it 210 yards and 240 yards isn't more practice swings. It's having a body that can actually generate and transfer power through the golf ball.

Why Golf Exercises Actually Matter for Weekend Golfers

Let me paint you a picture. You're on the 16th hole Saturday morning, trying to impress your buddies with one good drive to finish strong. But your lower back's tight, your shoulders feel like concrete, and your legs have about as much spring as a soggy pancake.

Sound familiar?

According to research published in Sports Medicine, specific physical training programs can boost clubhead speed by 1.6 to 7% and driving distance by 4 to 8%. That's real yards on the course - the kind that leave your playing partners asking what you changed.

But here's what really matters to us weekend warriors: Jamie Greaves (TPI Fitness Level 3 Certified, former +2 handicap) trains golfers at Northampton Golf Club, and he's watched regular players add serious distance through simple strength work. Not complicated Olympic lifts. Not dangerous max-weight attempts. Just smart, progressive exercises that make your golf swing more powerful.

The brutal truth: Your body is either helping your golf swing or fighting against it. There's no middle ground. Every weak glute, every tight hip, every unstable core is costing you distance and consistency.

I'm not totally sure why this still surprises people, but after playing with the same foursome for a few months and actually sticking to a simple exercise routine, Dave asked me what I'd changed about my swing. Thing is, I hadn't changed my swing at all.

The Best Golf Exercises That Build Real Swing Power

Smart weekend golfers understand something important: not all exercises help your golf game. Doing endless bicep curls might look impressive, but it won't add a single yard to your drives. The exercises that matter are the ones that strengthen the exact movement patterns your body uses in the golf swing.

Jaacob Bowden, a PGA Professional and World Long Drive record holder, has proven through his speed training programs that focused golf exercises can add 12-16 mph of clubhead speed within just 30 days. And Bowden, a 2023 Golf Fitness Association of America Off-Course Award winner, emphasizes something crucial: "It's more about strengthening and speeding up the muscles that you use from the top of the backswing down to impact."

That's the key. We're not trying to become powerlifters. We're training the specific muscles that fire during your golf swing to generate more force, more efficiently.

1. Squats - The Foundation of Golf Power

Every golfer I've trained with does some form of squat exercise. Why? Because squats develop the lower body mass, strength, and power that directly boosts clubhead speed. Research shows that the 1RM back squat has a large correlation with clubhead speed (r = 0.54) in elite golfers - meaning stronger legs equal faster swings.

For weekend warriors, goblet squats or bodyweight squats work perfectly. You don't need a barbell across your shoulders to get benefits. Just focus on sitting back into your hips (exactly like your golf setup position), keeping your chest up, and driving through your heels.

Weekend Golfer Tip: Start with 3 sets of 8-10 reps, twice per week. Use a weight that feels challenging but allows perfect form. Your golf balance will improve almost immediately.

2. Deadlifts - Hip Hinge Power for the Golf Swing

The hip hinge is at the absolute top of the list for golf-specific movements. When you set up to the ball, you're hinging at the hips. When you load into your backswing, you're maintaining that hinge. When you fire through impact, you're extending those hips.

Deadlifts teach your body exactly this pattern. Scott Shepard, a three-time winner of the Golf Digest Top 50 Golf Fitness Trainers award, emphasizes that hip hinge exercises develop mass, strength, and power in the posterior chain - your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.

Single-leg Romanian deadlifts are particularly valuable for golfers because they challenge balance while strengthening the exact muscles you need for a powerful, controlled golf swing. These also help build the range of motion in your hips that's essential for a full shoulder turn.

Progressive Approach: Week 1-2: Bodyweight, focusing on perfect form (flat back, pushing hips backward). Week 3-4: Add light dumbbells (10-20 lbs). Week 5+: Gradually increase weight while maintaining form.

3. Rotational Medicine Ball Throws

This is where golf exercises get fun. Medicine ball throws train your body to generate explosive rotational power - exactly what happens in your downswing. Stand perpendicular to a wall, load the ball to your back hip (like the top of your backswing), then explosively rotate and throw it into the wall.

Brendon Elliott, a PGA Coach in Orlando, recommends using a 4-6 pound medicine ball and focusing on creating stretch and rapid rotation for maximum benefit. This exercise dramatically improves arm speed and the ability to transfer that speed into clubhead velocity.

The beauty of this exercise? It feels like golf. You're loading, coiling, and exploding through rotation - the exact sequence your body needs to master for a powerful golf swing.

From what I've noticed over my Saturday morning rounds, guys who actually do rotational exercises like this have a different quality to their swing. It's hard to describe, but there's a snap through impact that you can hear.

4. Planks and Core Stability Work

A strong, stable core is absolutely non-negotiable for consistent ball striking. Your core muscles (abs, obliques, lower back) have to maintain your spine angle and transfer power from your lower body through your upper body during the swing.

The problem with traditional crunches? They put your spine in flexion and promote poor posture - exactly what you're trying to avoid in your golf setup. Instead, focus on exercises that build core stability without compromising your spine position.

Best Core Exercises for Golfers:

• Standard Planks: Hold for 30-60 seconds, focus on keeping a straight line from head to heels
• Side Planks: Build oblique strength for rotational control
• Dead Bugs: Lie on your back, extend opposite arm and leg while keeping your lower back flat against the ground
• Bird Dogs: From hands and knees, extend opposite arm and leg, holding for balance

According to Golf Digest's Best Fitness Trainers, core stability exercises help golfers maintain posture and swing in control throughout the entire round, not just the first few holes.

These aren't sexy exercises. They're not going to make you look like a beast in the gym. But they'll make you hit the ball more solidly, more consistently, and with less lower back pain. That's worth way more than looking impressive.

5. Upper Body Push Exercises (Push-Ups, Shoulder Press)

Upper body strength and power contribute significantly to clubhead speed. Research shows that upper body explosive strength has a notably large association with swing speed (zr = 0.67) - actually larger than general upper body strength.

Push-ups are perfect for weekend golfers because you can do them anywhere. Standard push-ups build chest, shoulder, and tricep strength. To make them more golf-specific, try single-leg push-ups, which also engage your core and improve stability.

Overhead press movements (with dumbbells or resistance bands) improve shoulder stability and mobility. Jamie Greaves notes that vertical push patterns help increase upper body muscle mass, strength, and power - all contributing to added yards off the tee.

Practical Program: Start with 3 sets of as many quality push-ups as you can manage. When you can do 15+ clean reps, start adding variations like single-leg push-ups or resistance band exercises for increased challenge.

6. Lat Pulls and Rowing Movements

The pulling muscles in your back and shoulders play a massive role in controlling the club throughout your swing. Strong lats help you maintain your posture, control the club on plane, and generate speed through the impact zone.

Jaacob Bowden includes cross-body lat pulldowns and rowing movements in his speed training programs because they strengthen the "pulling" part of the downswing. When you fire your lead side through impact, those pulling muscles are working hard.

If you have access to a cable machine or resistance bands, try:

• Cable Rows: Pull to your ribs, squeezing shoulder blades together
• Lat Pulldowns: Pull down from overhead, focusing on engaging your back muscles
• Resistance Band Rows: Anchor a band, pull to your chest with perfect posture

Don't have equipment? No problem. Inverted rows using a sturdy table edge work great for building pulling strength.

7. Lunges for Hip Mobility and Leg Strength

Golf demands hip mobility and single-leg stability. Every time you swing, you're rotating around your lead leg while maintaining balance and power. Lunges train exactly these qualities.

Lateral lunges with rotation are particularly valuable because they combine hip mobility with rotational movement. Step to the side into a deep lunge, then rotate your torso over the lead leg. This mimics the weight shift and rotation pattern of your golf swing.

Walking lunges build strength through your quads, hamstrings, and glutes while challenging your balance. Bulgarian split squats (rear foot elevated on a bench) take this even further by forcing each leg to work independently - just like in your golf swing.

According to research, the countermovement jump (which lunges help develop) shows a large correlation with clubhead speed (r = 0.61). Stronger, more explosive legs equal more distance.

8. Resistance Band Work for Golf-Specific Patterns

Resistance bands are absolutely perfect for weekend golfers. They're cheap, portable, and let you train exact golf movement patterns with progressive resistance. You can throw them in your golf bag for a pre-round warmup or use them at home between work and dinner.

Best Resistance Band Exercises:

• Wood Chops: High to low diagonal movements that mimic your downswing
• Reverse Chops: Low to high movements that train power from the ground up
• Anti-Rotation Presses: Hold a band at chest height, press out while resisting rotation to build core stability
• Hip Rotations: Loop a band around your hips, practice loading and rotating while maintaining posture

David Sundberg, strength and conditioning coach for PGA Tour pros Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay, emphasizes that whether you're a Tour player or a recreational golfer, the principles are the same: "Move well, get strong, and the speed will come."

9. Jump Training for Explosive Power

Here's something most weekend golfers miss: explosive power is trainable, and it directly translates to swing speed. Jump impulse actually shows the strongest association with clubhead speed (zr = 0.82) of any physical characteristic measured in research.

You don't need to be doing crazy box jumps or hurling yourself around like a maniac. Simple squat jumps, where you squat down and explode upward, train your body to generate force rapidly from the ground up - exactly what happens in a powerful golf swing.

Safe Jump Training Progression:

• Week 1-2: Small squat jumps, focus on soft landings
• Week 3-4: Add rotational jumps (jump and rotate 90-180 degrees)
• Week 5+: Increase height and intensity as comfortable

These exercises teach your muscles to fire quickly and forcefully. That quality - the ability to generate force fast - is what separates a smooth 95 mph swing from an explosive 105 mph swing with the same technique.

It might just be my swing, but after adding jump training to my Saturday morning routine, playing with my old equipment suddenly felt different. The club felt lighter, the ball jumped off the face harder.

How to Actually Program These Golf Exercises (Weekend Warrior Style)

Look, I know you don't have unlimited time. You've got work Monday through Friday, family commitments, and you're trying to squeeze in 18 holes on Saturday. The last thing you need is some complicated gym program that requires an hour and a half, four days a week.

Here's what actually works for weekend golfers who want to improve their own game:

The Realistic Golf Fitness Schedule:

Monday (30 minutes): Lower body focus

• Goblet Squats: 3 sets of 10 reps
• Romanian Deadlifts: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Walking Lunges: 3 sets of 10 reps each leg
• Planks: 3 sets of 30-45 seconds

Wednesday (30 minutes): Upper body and core

• Push-Ups: 3 sets to fatigue
• Resistance Band Rows: 3 sets of 12 reps
• Medicine Ball Rotational Throws: 3 sets of 10 each side
• Side Planks: 3 sets of 30 seconds each side

Friday (20 minutes): Power and mobility

• Squat Jumps: 3 sets of 8 reps
• Lateral Lunges with Rotation: 3 sets of 10 each side
• Resistance Band Wood Chops: 3 sets of 12 each direction
• Dead Bugs: 3 sets of 10 reps

That's it. Eighty minutes a week split across three sessions. Most of these exercises can be done at home with minimal equipment - a pair of dumbbells, a medicine ball, and some resistance bands will cover 90% of what you need.

The Equipment You Actually Need

Don't fall into the trap of thinking you need a full home gym. Smart weekend golfers work with what's practical:

Minimum Effective Equipment:

• Set of adjustable dumbbells (10-40 lbs range)
• Resistance band set with door anchor
• Medicine ball (6-10 lbs)
• Yoga mat for floor work

Total investment: Under $150. Compare that to one golf lesson or a new driver, and it's a no-brainer.

If you want to get fancier later, add a pull-up bar, foam roller for recovery, or join a gym with cable machines. But you can make serious gains with just the basics. Strength training for golf doesn't require complicated equipment - it requires consistency and smart programming.

Common Golf Exercise Mistakes Weekend Warriors Make

I've watched enough golfers try to get stronger for golf to know where things go wrong. These mistakes won't just waste your time - they can actually hurt your golf game or, worse, get you injured.

Mistake #1: Going Too Heavy Too Fast

Your ego wants you to grab the 50-pound dumbbells and start crushing sets. Your body needs you to start with 20-pounders and perfect your form. Research consistently shows that weekend golfers see the best results from moderate weights with perfect form over heavy weights with compromised technique.

When you load too heavy before your body's ready, you reinforce bad movement patterns. Worse, you risk injury that'll keep you off the course entirely. Start light, add weight gradually, and prioritize movement quality over numbers.

Mistake #2: Doing Generic Bodybuilding Instead of Golf-Specific Work

Bicep curls won't add yards to your drives. Leg extensions won't improve your balance through impact. Traditional bodybuilding exercises build muscle, sure, but they don't train the integrated, full-body movement patterns your golf swing requires.

Focus on compound movements that involve multiple joints and muscle groups working together. Squats, deadlifts, rows, presses - these exercises train your body to generate and transfer force as a complete system, exactly like your golf swing demands.

Mistake #3: Ignoring Mobility and Flexibility

All the strength in the world won't help if your hips are tight and your shoulders can't rotate. You need both strength AND mobility to maximize your golf swing potential. Smart golfers spend 5-10 minutes before each workout doing dynamic mobility work - leg swings, arm circles, torso rotations.

After your workout, dedicate another 5-10 minutes to static stretching. Focus on hip flexors, hamstrings, shoulders, and thoracic spine. This investment in mobility pays dividends in both swing performance and injury prevention.

Mistake #4: Training Without a Plan or Progression

Randomly doing exercises whenever you feel like it won't build the consistent strength gains you need. Your body adapts to progressive overload - gradually increasing the challenge over time.

Follow a structured program, track your workouts, and add small amounts of weight or reps each week. This systematic approach ensures you're actually getting stronger, not just going through the motions.

Mistake #5: Not Giving Your Body Time to Recover

I get it - you're excited about getting stronger and bombing drives past your buddies. But training every single day without rest will wreck your progress and burn you out. Your muscles grow and get stronger during recovery, not during the workout itself.

Stick to 2-3 strength training sessions per week with at least one rest day between sessions. On your off days, focus on mobility work, light cardio, or just rest completely. Your body - and your golf game - will thank you.

When You'll Actually See Results on the Golf Course

This is the question every weekend golfer wants answered: "How long until I'm crushing it past my buddies?"

Based on research and real-world experience with regular golfers:

Week 1-2: You'll notice improved balance and stability. Your swing might feel a bit different as your body starts moving better through key positions. Distance gains: minimal, maybe 2-3 yards.

Week 3-4: The first real strength gains kick in. You'll feel more solid over the ball, your legs feel springier, and your core feels more engaged. Distance gains: 5-8 yards on average.

Week 6-8: This is where things get fun. Your clubhead speed has increased noticeably, and you're consistently hitting drives 10-15 yards past your old maximums. Your playing partners start asking questions.

Week 10-12: Full adaptation. Research shows average golfers see 3+ mph gains in swing speed (~10 yards) in less than 12 weeks with consistent training. Some see even more - up to 50% greater gains when using power and strength training perfectly matched to their needs.

But here's the thing - the distance is almost secondary to how you'll feel. Playing 18 holes without your back tightening up. Maintaining your swing quality through the entire round. Having enough energy on hole 17 to still go after the pin.

That's the real win. The extra yards are just the bonus that lets you earn the right to brag to your buddies.

Special Considerations for Different Age Groups

Golf fitness isn't one-size-fits-all. What works for a 30-year-old weekend warrior might need modification for someone in their 50s or 60s.

For Golfers Over 40

Your body still responds to strength training - actually, you might need it more than younger golfers to maintain muscle mass and bone density. But you need to be smarter about recovery and exercise selection.

Focus on:

• Joint-friendly variations (goblet squats instead of barbell back squats)
• Longer warm-ups and more mobility work
• Extra recovery time between sessions
• Strength training tools that protect your joints while building power

Don't fall into the trap of thinking you're "too old" for this. Research shows older golfers make excellent strength gains with proper programming. You just need to be more thoughtful about how you train.

For Golfers Over 50 and 60

Strength training becomes even more critical as you age. You're fighting natural declines in muscle mass, bone density, flexibility, and power output. But smart exercise selection can reverse many of these trends.

Key adjustments:

• Start with bodyweight exercises and progress more gradually
• Emphasize balance and stability exercises to prevent falls
• Focus heavily on mobility and flexibility work
• Consider working with a trainer initially to ensure proper form
• Listen to your body and don't push through pain

The good news? Studies show golfers in their 50s, 60s, and beyond can still add significant clubhead speed through targeted training. It might take a bit longer than it would for younger players, but the gains are just as real.

For Younger Golfers (Under 30)

You have the advantage of faster recovery and greater natural athleticism. Use it wisely by building a strong foundation now that'll serve your golf game for decades.

You can:

• Progress weight and intensity more aggressively
• Handle more training volume (3-4 sessions per week)
• Incorporate more explosive movements and plyometrics
• Build muscle mass more easily

Just don't skip the mobility work and proper movement patterns. The habits you build now will determine how your golf game holds up as you age.

Key Takeaways: Building Golf Strength the Weekend Warrior Way

Fellow weekend golfers, here's what actually matters when it comes to golf exercises:

The science is clear - specific strength training directly improves your golf performance. We're talking measurable gains in clubhead speed, driving distance, and your ability to maintain quality swings through 18 holes. This isn't theory. It's proven by research and demonstrated by thousands of golfers who've made the commitment to get stronger.

You don't need complicated programs or expensive equipment. A simple routine focused on squats, deadlifts, core work, rotational exercises, and some basic upper body pressing and pulling will cover everything you need. Eighty minutes a week, split across 2-3 sessions, is enough to see real results.

Start light, focus on perfect form, and progress gradually. The golfers who get hurt or quit are the ones who try to do too much too fast. Be patient with the process. Your body will adapt, your strength will build, and the results will show up on the course.

Most importantly: consistency beats intensity every single time. A basic routine done consistently for 12 weeks will transform your golf game more than the perfect program you start and quit three times.

This is how you finally hit long drives down the fairway and play the golf you've always known you were capable of. Your buddies might have a head start, but 12 weeks from now, you're going to be the one they're asking for advice.

Frequently Asked Questions About Golf Exercises

What are the best exercises to improve golf swing speed?

The most effective exercises for increasing swing speed are squats, deadlifts, medicine ball rotational throws, and jump training. Research shows that jump impulse has the strongest correlation with clubhead speed (zr = 0.82), while lower body strength exercises like squats correlate significantly (r = 0.54) with driving distance. Focus on explosive movements that train your body to generate force quickly from the ground up.

How often should golfers do strength training?

Most weekend golfers see optimal results training 2-3 times per week, with at least one rest day between sessions. This frequency allows your muscles to recover and adapt while fitting into a realistic schedule around work and weekend golf. Each session should take 20-30 minutes focusing on compound movements that train multiple muscle groups simultaneously.

Can you increase golf swing speed at any age?

Yes. Research demonstrates that golfers in their 50s, 60s, and beyond can still add significant clubhead speed through targeted strength training. While younger golfers might see faster initial gains, older players benefit tremendously from exercises that build strength, maintain muscle mass, and improve mobility. The key is smart exercise selection and allowing adequate recovery time between sessions.

Do golf exercises really add distance?

Absolutely. Studies show that 8-week functional training programs produce average clubhead speed increases of 3.9 mph, translating to 10-15 yards of added driving distance. Some speed training programs report even better results - up to 12-16 mph gains in just 30 days with focused work. For every 1 mph increase in swing speed, you can expect 2-3 yards of added distance.

What exercises help prevent golf injuries?

Core stability exercises (planks, dead bugs, bird dogs), hip mobility work (lunges, hip rotations), and proper hip hinge movements (deadlifts) all help prevent common golf injuries, particularly lower back pain. Strengthening the muscles around your spine, hips, and shoulders creates stability that protects these areas from the rotational stress of the golf swing. Resistance band exercises are particularly effective for building injury-resistant strength patterns.

How long before golf exercises improve your game?

Most golfers notice improved balance and stability within 1-2 weeks. Measurable strength gains and the first distance improvements typically appear around weeks 3-4. Significant, consistent improvements in clubhead speed and driving distance usually manifest by weeks 6-8. Full adaptation and maximum benefits occur around the 10-12 week mark, assuming consistent training 2-3 times per week.

What's better for golf - strength training or flexibility?

You need both, but if forced to prioritize, research shows strength and power training have stronger correlations with golf performance than flexibility alone. Upper body explosive strength (zr = 0.67) and jump impulse (zr = 0.82) show large associations with clubhead speed, while flexibility showed no significant correlation in meta-analysis studies. The ideal approach combines strength training for power generation with mobility work to allow those movements to happen efficiently.

Can I do golf exercises at home without equipment?

Yes. Bodyweight squats, lunges, push-ups, planks, and jump exercises provide excellent golf-specific training without any equipment. Adding minimal gear - a set of resistance bands ($20-30) and a medicine ball ($25-40) - opens up nearly all the exercises you need for complete golf fitness. Many weekend golfers see substantial improvements without ever joining a gym.

Related Pages for Weekend Golfers

Looking to take your golf fitness to the next level? Check out these resources:

7 Resistance Band Golf Exercises That Boost Your Swing Speed - Perfect complement to the exercises above using minimal, portable equipment

Golf Core Exercises - Deep dive into building the stable, powerful core your swing demands

6-Week Golf Training Program - Complete structured program to transform your golf fitness

Golf Balance Exercises - Improve stability and consistency through better balance training

At-Home Golf Practice Setup - Combine fitness work with skill practice in your home setup

Stuck in a Rut? Weekend Golfers to the Rescue!

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