3 Specific Golf Exercises to Improve Your Stamina

You have decided to walk eighteen holes and, by hole number twelve, you are feeling the effects - labored breathing, aching legs..."boy," you think to yourself, "am I out of shape!" The truth is, golf is a sport as well as a game - it takes toned muscles to swing a golf club and to walk a course carrying a bag on your back.

You should not go onto a golf course without at least stretching before you swing a club, but, it would be much more beneficial if you also put a few exercises within your work-out routine. Golf for Beginners often writes about the mental game and offers you tips on everything from stance to injury prevention and now we present you with our "should-do" list of disciplines to keep you in golf shape.

1. CARDIO: Endurance and cardio-specific exercises such as cycling, walking, swimming or running, for about thirty minutes per day should be added to your training regimen.

If you are older, just get out and move your legs, take a brisk walk, stay active and you will be able to translate that energy to the golf course. The National Academy of Sports Medicine says that, maintaining a routine of moderate cardiac exercise will slow fatigue and will also allow, "the golfer to stay physically and mentally focused throughout the round."

2. STRETCHING:  PGA Director of Instruction at Salisbury Country Club, Adam Smith, suggests simple stretches before teeing off; torso rotations to loosen up the upper body, leg lifts to loosen your hamstrings and jumping jacks for cardio as an example.

3. STRENGTHENING: Jennifer Gatz, Exercise Physiologist suggests strengthening and stretching exercises to improve body flexibility during a round of golf.

Next time you are at the gym or, if you use bands, try a seated row to strengthen your back muscles. Wrist curls using a light weight will also help when you are coming through the ball.

If you are in decent shape and regularly visit the gym...
To improve endurance and stamina, try compound movements that utilize more than just one joint; "squats, step-ups, push-ups and pull-ups".

Will Torres, a New York-based personal trainer and founder of the personal training studio, Willspace says these combination exercises, "will improve your endurance more so than exercises in isolation. 'Isolated exercises like bicep curls and leg lifts aren’t going to stimulate you enough to increase your stamina.' "

Disclaimer: Golf for Beginners and it's writers only offers exercise suggestions to improve your stamina - we are not doctors or physical therapists. Contact your doctor or a qualified professional before beginning any exercise routine.

Do you perform specific golf exercises at the gym? What exercises or stretches have helped you improve your golf game? Let us know in the comments section below and by tagging us on Twitter @Golf4Beginners.


photo: healthtap.com, Wikipedia