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5 common mistakes golfers make in their fitness routines
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Fitness

5 common mistakes golfers make in their fitness routines

By: Zephyr Melton
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February 10, 2023
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golfers stretch

If you want to be an elite golfer, you have to be in shape — but some people make mistakes when going about their fitness journey.

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The days of yesteryear when golfers were viewed as non-athletes is over. Nowadays, walk the range at any professional event and you’ll notice players don’t look like golfers from back in the day — they’re much more fit. That doesn’t mean you have to be fit to play golf, and there are exceptions to every rule, but for the most part, if you want to be an elite golfer, you’ve got to be in shape.

The trouble is, not a lot of golfers know how to get in golf shape. It’s a little different than training your muscles for other sports, so you need to know what to work on to get it right. That’s where Jamie Greaves comes in. He’s a golf-fitness guru located in the UK, and he’s made it a goal of helping get golfers stronger and swinging harder.

Below are the five most common mistakes he sees golfers make in their fitness journeys.

1. Lifting too much

Mistake #1 – Training like a bodybuilder and not an athlete

If your workouts are based on chest day, arm day etc + every exercise is done very slowly you way want to rethink your strategy

Principles of this can certainly be used but it shouldn’t be the main component

— Jamie Greaves | Golf Fitness (@JGGolfFitness) February 9, 2023

Golfers might be athletes, but they aren’t bodybuilders. Your exercise regimen should be focused on increasing athleticism, not just gaining strength.

2. Too much mobility training

Mistake #2 – Spending too much time on mobility

Mobility is important for golf and for some people it’s certainly more important than others

But it’s not a case of more and more is better

Golfers don’t need to be gymnasts after all

— Jamie Greaves | Golf Fitness (@JGGolfFitness) February 9, 2023

You need to be mobile to make a good golf swing, but you don’t need to be too limber. As long as you have a solid range of motion in your swing, you should be fine. Greaves says a few minutes of mobility training every day is plenty.

3. No in-season training

Mistake #3 – Stopping training when the season starts

As golf ramps up training is often one of the first things to go 😩

Not only does this make long term progress difficult as offseason gains are constantly lost in season it also increases injury risk

— Jamie Greaves | Golf Fitness (@JGGolfFitness) February 9, 2023

Just because the weather starts getting nicer doesn’t mean you should abandon the gym. If you do, you’ll lose all the gains you made in the offseason. Keep yourself in shape through the season by working out between rounds on the course.

4. Overcomplicating exercises

Mistake #4 – Over complicating exercises

Just because an exercise is complicated or looks cool doesn’t mean it’s beneficial

Ask yourself what the intent is behind the exercise? 🤔

— Jamie Greaves | Golf Fitness (@JGGolfFitness) February 9, 2023

In golf, the simpler, the better. That holds true in your golf fitness journey as well. Don’t overcomplicate things.

5. Overworking

Mistake #5 – Thinking you need to kill yourself in the gym to make progress

Your workouts don’t need to leave you not being able to move for days on end and you don’t need to be in the gym for hours a day

Most golfers can make huge progress working for 2/3 hours total a week

— Jamie Greaves | Golf Fitness (@JGGolfFitness) February 9, 2023

Don’t push yourself too hard in the gym. If you work out so hard that you can’t move the next day, you’re probably going too hard. Greaves says that golfers can make substantial progress with two to three hours in the gym every week.

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Zephyr Melton

Golf.com Editor

Zephyr Melton is an assistant editor for GOLF.com where he spends his days blogging, producing and editing. Prior to joining the team at GOLF, he attended the University of Texas followed by stops with the Texas Golf Association, Team USA, the Green Bay Packers and the PGA Tour. He assists on all things instruction and covers amateur and women’s golf. He can be reached at zephyr_melton@golf.com.

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