How much golf flexibility do you need?

How Much Golf Flexibility Do You Need?

Intuitively it makes sense that if you increase your flexibility, you’ll be able to swing more freely, but how much flexibility does one need? It depends. For golfers, flexibility is a buffer, both for injury prevention and performance. This buffer – having more range than the golf swing requires – enables you to work at a lower percentage of maximum, increasing your ability to execute the skill effectively and consistently.

The right hip is a great example of this. If you need 40° of internal rotation to achieve the perfect backswing and have 60° available, there’s a good chance you’ll be able to get there consistently for 18 holes. If you have only 40° available though, you’re operating at 100% of your capacity in the best of circumstances. Add in a little fatigue, dehydration, or competitive stress and suddenly that buffer is gone. Your swing is either going to get shorter or you’ll compensate in some other way. Worse yet, as stress gets passed up or down the kinetic chain, things like the back, shoulder, and elbow can start to hurt.

The bottom line is that you need enough flexibility that you have a buffer. We have a series of tests that we do to test both your flexibility and your ability to effectively use your range of motion. Odds are it’s going to be at least a part of your golf program, and if you’re tight enough, it may be a large part of your program.