9+ Best Golf Exercises for Seniors to Try Today

Searching for the top golf exercises for seniors, well we have them here. We all deal with father time but it’s ultimately how we respond. These are the 9+ best golf exercises for seniors, so you can continue to play this game for longer and prevent injury plus improve overall golf performance.

The following exercises focus on the following:

• Maintaining great posture 
• Improve balance and mobility
• Preventing injury
• Increased flexibility
• Develop muscle memory for stronger shots

What are the Best Golf Exercises for Seniors?

Here are my top picks for the best golf exercises for senior golfers to improve on their golf fitness.

The following exercise routine can be split into upper body, lower body, shoulder stretches, and other stretching muscle exercises.

Lunge with Overhead Raise

Lunges are a golfer’s secret weapon! They target your legs, core, and hips, building power for longer drives and more consistent shots. The single-leg nature improves balance and stability for a smoother swing, while also increasing hip mobility for a fuller range of motion.

Equipment:

• Golf club or alignment stick

How to do a lunge with overhead raise:

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart
• Hold a golf club horizontally at shoulder height with arms fully extended
• Step forward into a lunge position
• Slowly raise the club over your head while keeping your arms fully extended
• Bring the club back to starting position 
• Repeat with the opposite leg

Hip Loader

This exercise strengthens your core and hips, powering up your drives and improving consistency. Mimicking the golf swing’s rotation, it trains your body for efficient power transfer and better sequencing. By increasing core stability and hip mobility, the hip loader helps you swing smoother, hit straighter, and avoid injuries – all for a more enjoyable and powerful golf game.

Equipment: 

• Chair or stool

How to do a hip loader:

• Place a chair in front of you 
• Put one foot on the chair
• Stretch both hands toward the up foot, maintaining an upright posture

Side Bends

ide bends increase your torso flexibility for a wider swing arc, potentially leading to more power. They also strengthen your core and improve posture, promoting better swing mechanics and accuracy. By reducing tightness and promoting a smoother swing, side bends help you avoid injuries and enjoy a more powerful and enjoyable golf game.

Equipment:

• Golf club or alignment stick

How to do a side bend:

• Take a golf club and raise it over your head, horizontally
• Lean to the right or left
• Make sure to curve your torso as you lean

Seated Trunk Rotation

Seated Trunk Rotations strengthen your core muscles, the engine of your swing, leading to increased power and distance. They mimic the golf swing’s rotation, improving timing and power transfer.

Equipment:

• Chair or stool

How to do a seated trunk rotation:

• Sit on a chair with your feet on the ground
• Rotate towards one side of your body
• Stretch as far as you can within your comfort
• Repeat on the other side

Bridges

This exercise strengthens your core, glutes, and hamstrings, building a strong foundation for powerful swings and longer drives. It also improves core stability for better swing mechanics and accuracy, while increasing hip mobility for a fuller swing arc.

Equipment: 

• Mat

How to do a bridge:

• Lie flat on mat with your back and arms flat on the ground
• Feet should be flat and shoulder-width apart
• Keeping your shoulders flat on the ground
• Raise your hips and form a bridge from your knees to your head
• Reset to starting position

Back extensions

They strengthen your core and back muscles, giving you a strong foundation to generate power for longer drives. Improved flexibility allows for a wider swing arc, potentially increasing power further.

Equipment: 

• Mat

How to do back extensions:

• Lie on the mat face down with your hands on your face
• Tilt your head up and begin to arch your back
• Push up until you feel the stretch in your back
• Return to starting position

Seated Leg Raises

Seated leg raises target your core and hip flexors, the power couple for a controlled and powerful swing. They strengthen your core for efficient power transfer, potentially leading to longer drives. Improved hip flexion allows for better control on the downswing, resulting in more accuracy and distance.

Equipment:

• Chair or stool

How to do seated leg raises:

• Sit forward on a chair or stool with your back straight
• Slowly extend one leg until its parallel to the floor
• Hold this position for a few seconds
• Repeat with your other leg

Step-ups

This exercise strengthens your legs for more power, translating to longer drives. It also challenges your balance and core, leading to a more stable and accurate swing. By mimicking the golf swing’s rotation, step-ups can improve power transfer. Plus, the single-leg movement builds functional strength and reduces injury risk, keeping you golfing pain-free and hitting bombs all season long.

Equipment:

• Stair or box 

How to do step-ups:

• Stand in front of a step (gym equipment or stair) 
• Feet should be shoulder-width apart
• Step on the stair with your lead foot followed by your trail foot
• Step down onto the floor in the reverse order (trail then leading foot)
• Repeat starting with the opposite foot

Russian Twist

They target your core muscles, the engine of your swing, leading to increased power and distance. Mimicking the golf swing’s rotation, they improve timing and power transfer. By boosting core stability, balance, and even flexibility.

Equipment:

• Weighted ball

How to do a Russian twist:

• Sit on the floor with your knees slightly bent
• Grab a weighted ball with fully extended arms
• Rotate the upper part of your body to one side
• Return to the start position and twist to the other side

Toe Touches

They improve hamstring flexibility, making everyday activities like picking things up easier. This flexibility can also reduce injury risk and improve balance, leading to better posture and potentially fewer falls. Remember to listen to your body and prioritize gentle stretches.

Equipment:

• None

How to do toe touches:

• The starting position is standing with your fight together
• Stretch your hands above your head
• Slowly bring your arms down to your toes
• Stop at a comfortable position and hold for a few seconds

People also ask:

What is the best exercise for senior golfers?

There’s no single “best” exercise for senior golfers. It’s all about creating a well-rounded routine that focuses on three key areas:

• Flexibility: Stretching exercises like arm circles, torso twists, and leg extensions improve your range of motion, leading to a smoother swing and reducing injury risk.
• Light Cardio: Activities like walking, stationary biking, or swimming maintain endurance for walking the course and playing multiple rounds.
• Core Strength & Stability Exercises: Exercises like planks, side bridges, and light medicine ball throws strengthen your core, which is crucial for a powerful and consistent swing.

These exercises can be done at home with bodyweight routines or with light weights at the gym.

How do seniors get more distance in golf?

There are two main ways seniors can potentially gain distance:

• Lighter Clubs: Switching to clubs with lighter shafts and clubheads can make it easier to generate more clubhead speed with less effort, resulting in longer shots.
• Swing Technique Tweaks: Consulting a qualified golf coach can help identify areas in your swing that can be optimized for power transfer. This might involve adjustments to posture, weight distribution, or swing plane, potentially leading to increased distance.

What exercise should a 70 year old man do?

For a 70-year-old man, low-impact exercises that are gentle on the joints are ideal. Here are some good options:

• Swimming: Provides a full-body workout with minimal impact on joints, making it a great choice for all ages.
• Walking: An easy way to incorporate exercise into your daily routine, offering cardiovascular benefits and improving overall fitness.
• Balance Exercises: Exercises like heel-toe walking or single-leg stands help improve stability and coordination, which can be especially important as we age to prevent falls.

Important Note: Regardless of age, it’s always recommended to consult with a doctor before starting any new exercise program, especially for individuals with pre-existing medical conditions.

What are the best gym exercises for golf swing speed?

While there’s no single “best” exercise, incorporating exercises that target different muscle groups involved in the golf swing can contribute to increased swing speed. Here are some examples:

• Rotational Exercises: Medicine ball throws, cable wood chops, and Russian twists engage your core and improve rotational power.
• Lower Body Strength: Squats, lunges, and deadlifts (with lighter weights) strengthen your legs and hips, a key source of power in the swing.
• Explosive Plyometrics: Exercises like jump squats or box jumps (with modifications for seniors) can help develop power and explosiveness in your movements.

Remember, focus on proper form and gradually increase weight or intensity to avoid injury. Consulting a certified personal trainer familiar with golf can help you create a safe and effective program tailored to your needs and goals.

Should senior golfers lift weights?

Strength training is important for everyone including golfers over 60. Not only do you gain strength but minimize the risk of injury.

What generates the most power in a golf swing?

Legs and core generate most of your power in a golf swing. Engaging your core creates rotational mobility for extra speed on your swing. 

Related articles:

• 9+ Best Golf Ball for Seniors 2023 (Ranked)
• 7 Best Golf Drivers for Seniors (2022)
• 10 Exercises to Improve your Golf Swing Power
• Top Golf Exercises for Distance

Wrap-Up.

There you have it – my list of the top exercises for every senior golfer. There are 100+ exercises out there, I’ve condensed the list down to the very best so that you can implement these in your next workout. To improve your flexibility for golf, I’ve incorporated a routine of stretching muscles like hamstrings and glutes. Try these exercises and see the results on the golf course.