5 Essential Mobility Drills Every Golfer Needs for a Stronger, More Consistent Swing

Golf is a sport that demands precise, coordinated movement across the entire body, especially in the spine, hips, shoulders, and ankles. Mobility—the ability to move joints freely through their full range of motion—is essential for executing an efficient and powerful golf swing.

READ: TPI vs. Traditional Physical Therapy: What’s the Difference for Golfers?

Limited mobility can lead to compensations, decreased power, and increased injury risk.

For example, tight hips or a stiff thoracic spine often cause golfers to overuse their lower back, leading to pain and strain. That’s why golfers, whether amateur or competitive, should prioritize mobility exercises that target key areas affecting their swing.

At Back9 PT in Louisville, our TPI certified trainers emphasize mobility drills as a foundation for both improving performance and preventing injuries on the course.

Drill 1: Thread the Needle for Thoracic Rotation

The thoracic spine—the middle portion of your back—plays a crucial role in allowing your upper body to rotate during the golf swing. Limited mobility here can restrict your swing power and increase stress on the lower back.

One effective drill to improve thoracic spine rotation is to thread the needle:

https://youtu.be/yixF5zhZM7s?si=nWuJxgKQUbn1sGCz

1. Start on the floor or your bed on your hands and knees.

2. Keep your hips facing forward and slowly thread one arm under the other rotating as far as comfortable.

3. Hold for 1-2 seconds, then move that arm behind your head and rotate up towards the ceiling.

4. Repeat 10 times on each side, focusing on controlled movement.

Incorporating this drill into your routine helps increase rotational range and creates a smoother, more powerful swing.

READ: Common Golf Injuries and How Physical Therapy Can Help

Drill 2: 90/90 Hip Internal Rotation Lift Offs

Hip mobility is vital for generating power and maintaining balance throughout your golf swing. Tight hip flexors and external rotators can limit your range of motion and cause compensations in other areas like your lower back.

A simple yet effective drill involves working into this generally limited ROM and learning how to access it:

https://youtube.com/shorts/RLX7gPx_9tY?si=Sv9u-S4TJbuqCOwr

1. Start in a sitting position with your legs out in front with the knee bent.

2. Gently rotate your hips to one side, move the opposite hand between your knees and then attempt to lift that foot off of the ground.

3. Hold for1-2 sec and then slowly lower it. Repeat 10 times per side.

This combination improves hip internal rotation flexibility and activates muscles necessary for a stable, balanced swing.

Drill 3: Shoulder Soft Tissue Rolling + Bonus Stability Drill

The shoulder joint must be both mobile and stable to handle the demands of the golf swing, especially during the follow-through and backswing phases. Rolling the muscles surrounding the shoulder helps decrease tension across the joint, reducing impingement risk, while stability drills ensure control and strength.

A simple drill to promote these qualities is the rolling the muscles surrounding the shoulder joint: https://youtube.com/shorts/mALjR10S6e4?si=7HfdWdA_4PMX4S-q

1. Grab a lacrosse ball and start at the wall

2. Place the ball about 2 inches toward midline from the front of the shoulder targeting the pec minor with the ball

3. Lean in to give pressure (not to a level of pain) and roll for 2-3 minutes. Then repeat on each side.

4. Then, move the ball to the back side of the shoulder at the wall targeting the insertion of the rotator cuff muscles as well as the infraspinatus muscle belly.

5. Lean in to give pressure once again and roll for 2-3 minutes. Then repeat on each side..

This drill helps maintain healthy shoulder mechanics crucial for injury-free golf performance.

To begin working some stability in the shoulder, try this exercise: https://youtube.com/shorts/PtmF5hGilvk?si=byjgT-L-uSeisPw3

READ: Michigan Golf Getaway: A Bucket-List Weekend at Forest Dunes and Arcadia

Drill 4: Ankle Mobility for Better Weight Transfer

Effective weight transfer during a golf swing begins at the feet and ankles. Limited ankle mobility can disrupt your balance and reduce power generation, leading to compensations and injury risk.

An effective ankle mobility drill is the calf matrix:

https://youtube.com/shorts/QTPqz9g9kk0?si=cH-wV-XVKtwu2rI0

1. Stand facing a wall with one foot about 3-4 inches away and the other farther back on a half-foam roll/towel.

2. On the trail side, keep your heel flat, and move front- to back towards the wall without lifting your foot. Then repeat going side to side, as well as rotationally.

3. Try to keep the heel down throughout the movements.

4. Move in and out of the motion and repeat 2 times per side in each plane if able.

Improving ankle mobility helps with smoother weight shifts and more stable posture throughout your swing.

If your ankle mobility feels more stiff or pinchy on the front side, try this drill instead:

https://youtube.com/shorts/BulZyAFhHjI?si=TGT4n3s1c8j2CCEd

Drill 5: Cervical Rotation Mobility

The cervical spine is one of the 4 rotary centers that is important to the golf swing. If the player has limitations here, we could see limitations in both the backswing and downswing and likely difficulty maintaining posture throughout the swing.

One effective exercise is the Cervical SNAG for rotation with a towel:

https://youtube.com/shorts/JXo3g3bpv7g?si=K5qwJFhMEXUe9SV4

1. Start in s sitting position with a towel around your neck

2. Cross your hands and grab the towel on the opposite side

3. To go to the right, stabilize with your left hand on the right half of the towel

4. Then use the right hand that is holding the end of the towel to assist in rotating to the right with the towel going across the jaw

5. Repeat 10 times on each side, focusing on slow, controlled movements and avoid pain