15th Club – The Forgotten Foursome

Neil Wolkodoff, PhD

How to work on the most overlooked muscle groups in the golf swing

Golfers still may not hit the gym as often as they hit the range, but more players than ever are attempting exercise routines to improve their performance. With so much exercise emphasis on “sport specific” and “functional” movements, most golfers probably don’t give certain muscles the attention they need. Here’s how to remedy that.

1 Gluteus Maximus. This is the largest hip extensor, and with its siblings —Glutei Medius and Minimus—helps maintain posture, and to a smaller degree, helps rotate the hips and legs through the swing, and is a key in balancing on one leg. Glutes also help you hike up and down to tee boxes and greens. Golfers who neglect this muscle group suffer in terms of postural consistency and leg drive.

Exercise Plan: In terms of time/benefit, body-weight exercises don’t work as effectively as weight-machine exercises for these muscles. The most beneficial exercise is a conventional leg press, but performed in the “high” position. Seated with your back firmly in the leg press, with your hips locked into a set position using the handles, place your heels at knee height. This will mechanically alter the exercise so there is more activation of the glutes. Press with pressure on your whole foot through the range of motion for 4-5 sets of 10-12 repetitions at least once per week.

2 Rotator Cuff. To set the club in the right position, this set of muscles and support tissues stabilizes the shoulder (Supraspinatus, Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Subscapularis). They not only keep the shoulder from excessive movement, but their activation at the top of the backswing helps set the shoulders, arms and club in the proper position. A lack of endurance in this muscular set compromises your position at the top, resulting in inconsistency over the last 9 holes.

Exercise plan: Different exercises target one of the four rotator cuff components. You can work essentially all four at one time with a depressed, rotational row with bands or cables. Start with a stance where the knees, hips and back are slightly flexed for better postural awareness. Grasp the handles with arms fully extended, trying to press your shoulder blades down towards the floor slightly. Start with your little fingers up with the arms fully extended, and pull towards your ribcage, ending with the thumbs upward, indicating you have completed the movement with external rotation. As this collective group responds best to endurance, use this exercise once or twice per week for 3-4 sets of 20 repetitions.

3 Hamstrings. The main grouping in the back of the upper leg (Semitendinosus, Semimembranosus and Biceps Femoris) plays a key role in maintaining the spine angle and leg rotation through the swing. This is an endurance muscular group, so expected deficiencies show up in the back 9 as a change in spine angle/posture and less than optimal leg drive. Without enough endurance in this group to help maintain spine angle, your back will bear the burden and tighten up, changing your spine angle with less than mechanically optimal results.

Exercise Plan: Make sure to include standard prone and seated leg curls once per week with 4 sets of 15-20 repetitions. Using a Fitball or Stability ball, lay on the floor with your shoulders flat and place your Achilles area on the ball. With your legs straight rise up, “make a board” and hold the position for 5 seconds. Then, pull your heels towards your hips in a curl motion for 8 repetitions. Rest and repeat the sequence 5-6 additional times.

4 Transversus Abdominis. This muscle, which circles the front of the abdominal area much like a championship belt for boxing, is a key muscle in spine angle, fighting sway and righting the body in periods of instability. Golf uses this muscular group, but does not activate it sufficiently just from golf to have a training effect. It takes a special contraction or movement, and, to some degree, it requires the body to be out of balance, then it activates automatically.

Exercise Plan: Sit on a Fitball, making sure your Make sure your posture is vertical, your feet are on the floor and your knees at a 90-degree angle. Have good upper back and shoulder posture as you sit with stomach in, chest lifted, shoulders low and relaxed. It is important to hold an upright sitting position, and try to pull your belly button to your spine. Once you are in position carefully lift one foot a few inches off the floor. Maintain your balance and hold the position, and lift or straighten out that leg, stretching the hamstring while not tilting out of neutral posture. Return the leg, then repeat with the other leg, and complete the set of 3 repetitions with each leg before returning to the starting position and recovering for 10-15 seconds before 4 more sets of this exercise.

Neil Wolkodoff, PhD, is the Medical Program Director for the Colorado Center for Health & Sport Science (www.cochss.com). He is the author of five books and has performed assessments and developed exercise programs for amateur and professional golfers for the last 15 years. Photos of Jack Hinshaw of Colorado Home Fitness (coloradohomefitness.com).