To be the best golfer you can be, it’s important to prepare the body, so you can meet the physical challenges of hitting a golf ball. This is true for golfers of all ages but particularly relevant for senior golfers.

As you pass 50 years of age, if you neglect to invest some time in your flexibility and mobility, then your golf swing will likely suffer as a result. 

Typical swing characteristics, which might become evident in your golf swing include early extension, flipping, over the top transition and poor balance, to name just a few.

Injuries will also become more common as your flexibility deteriorates.

The good news is, even as you approach your senior years, you can still maintain and even improve your mobility.

Stretching should be carried out after warming up and not before.

Warmer muscles are much more responsive to stretching and cold muscles can be easily injured.

Begin with a jog or even a brisk walk, to increase the heart rate and blood flow throughout the body.

Areas of concern for many senior golfers are the hamstrings.

The backs of your thighs can become stiff and sore, due to long periods of sitting and standing.

Simply reaching for your toes, with your legs straight, will undoubtedly stretch the hamstrings.

However, this isn’t ideal for the lower back and is not a long term solution.

Hamstring Stretches

Kneel on your left leg and stretch the right leg out in front of you.

Extend your right arm down, inside your right leg and bend forward from the waist. 

This will provide a safe and isolated stretch of your right hamstring. Hold the stretch for at least 1 minute for the best results.

Hip Flexors

The hip flexors also tighten with long periods of sitting and this can really affect posture throughout the golf swing.

Sit on the floor and cross your legs in front of you.

Don’t worry if you can’t cross them fully, just do the best you can.

Reach your arms forward, attempting to place your forearms on the floor.

This is extremely difficult to achieve for most and is a fantastic stretch for the hip flexors. Hold for 1 minute or more if you can.

Hip Rotation

The ability to rotate the hips both internally and externally, is critical for power and accuracy in the golf swing.

Without sufficient rotation in the backswing, you are not storing enough of your potential energy.

Additionally, if your hips fail to turn through impact and beyond, the arms and hands will inevitably control the clubface.

This often results in poor directional control as well as loss of potential clubhead speed.

Sit with your legs stretched out straight and wide. Place both hands on the floor behind you.

Choose 1 hip to mobilise and stretch your heel on that side as far away from you as possible.

At the same time, draw your toes towards you and detract your hip joint.

Next, rotate your flexed foot inwards and outwards, using your full range of motion.

You should feel as if you are unscrewing your hip joint.

Continue for 30 seconds, then repeat with the other leg.

Most find external rotation easier than internal rotation.

This exercise will improve the range of motion of your hips effectively.

We can further challenge the hip joint with 3 more ‘positions’, while rotation your foot in dorsiflexion.

After 30 seconds on each side, repeat the process with your hands in front of you.

The 3rd position is with the sole of 1 foot, folded against the inside of other leg, again while rotating the outstretched leg.

The 4th position is with 1 foot crossed over the other leg and might be a bridge too far for some.