Fitness – Testing Your Mobility

Has your golf instructor ever asked you to make a change to your swing and your body just can’t complete the task? A golf swing might look simple from a distance, but it’s a highly complex and coordinated movement involving many parts of the body. The right combination of flexibility, strength, balance and timing is critical to executing an effective golf swing that produces both power and accuracy. 

Let’s break down a few components of the golf swing and how to test if your body has the mobility to get there. 

1. Wrist extension at the top of the backswing 

How to test: In hands and knees position with fingers facing forward, slowly shift your body weight forward. 

Good mobility: Shoulders in front of wrists

Fair mobility: Shoulders over wrists

Lacking mobility: Shoulders behind wrists 

2. Mid-back flexion and rotation at impact

How to test: Starting in child’s pose with elbows bent and on the ground, take right arm and thread behind left arm, allowing back to rotate (repeat on opposite side)

Good mobility: Elbow behind elbow, down shoulder contacting ground

Fair mobility: Elbow contacting ground, down shoulder not contacting ground

Lacking mobility: Elbow not able to pass knees, inability to thread moving arm

3. Hip rotation at follow-through

How to test: Sitting on ground with one leg in front and one behind, trying to create a right angle at each knee (complete on both sides)

Good mobility: Both legs able to contact ground without arm assist

Fair mobility: Able to get into position with knees off ground without arm assist

Lacking mobility: Knees off the ground with arm assist