Want to add 20 yards to your drive without buying a new club? The secret isn’t hiding in the pro shop—it’s in the gym. Golf fitness has become the not-so-secret weapon of tour professionals and weekend warriors alike, and for good reason. When you build a body optimized for the golf swing, those extra yards come naturally.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through 10 proven exercises specifically designed to increase your driving distance. Whether you’re a single-digit handicapper chasing longer approaches or a beginner looking to get more out of your game, these exercises will help you unlock the power you didn’t know you had.

Why Golf Fitness Matters for Distance

Here’s a truth that might surprise you: the average amateur golfer loses 15-25 yards off the tee compared to what their body is actually capable of producing. The culprit? It’s rarely swing mechanics alone—it’s physical limitations that prevent you from executing the swing you’ve been taught.

Golf fitness addresses three critical components of distance:

• Rotational Power: The ability to generate and transfer force through the kinetic chain—from your feet through your core and out through the club.
• Flexibility and Mobility: The range of motion required to achieve a full backswing and maintain posture through impact.
• Stability and Control: The foundational strength that allows you to maintain balance and sequence your movements efficiently.

Studies from the Titleist Performance Institute have shown that golfers who engage in targeted fitness programs can increase their clubhead speed by 5-10 mph—that’s potentially 15-30 yards of additional carry distance. And unlike equipment upgrades, these gains are permanent improvements to your physical capabilities.

The exercises below target each of these components systematically. They’re organized from power-building movements to mobility work, creating a complete program that addresses every physical aspect of a powerful golf swing.

Exercise 1: Medicine Ball Rotational Throws

If you only add one exercise to your routine for distance, make it this one. Medicine ball rotational throws are the gold standard for developing golf-specific power because they train the exact movement pattern and energy transfer your swing requires.

How to perform:

1. Stand sideways to a wall, about 3-4 feet away, holding a 6-10 pound medicine ball at your trail hip.
2. Load into your trail hip by rotating your torso away from the wall while keeping your lower body stable.
3. Explosively rotate toward the wall, driving from your hips first, then core, then shoulders.
4. Release the ball into the wall at chest height, focusing on maximum velocity.
5. Catch the ball and reset. Perform 8-10 reps per side for 3 sets.

Why it works: This exercise teaches your body to generate rotational force from the ground up—exactly like your golf swing. The explosive nature builds fast-twitch muscle fibers, which are responsible for generating clubhead speed. The medicine ball provides just enough resistance to build power without sacrificing speed.

Exercise 2: Hip Hinges and Deadlifts

Your glutes and posterior chain are the engine room of your golf swing. The hip hinge pattern—the ability to push your hips back while maintaining a neutral spine—is fundamental to both maintaining golf posture and generating power from your lower body.

How to perform:

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart, holding a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebell.
2. Push your hips back as if closing a car door with your backside, keeping your chest proud and spine neutral.
3. Lower the weight along your legs until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings (typically when the weight reaches knee height).
4. Drive your hips forward to stand, squeezing your glutes at the top.
5. Perform 8-12 reps for 3-4 sets.

Why it works: Deadlifts build the powerful glutes and hamstrings that initiate the downswing sequence. They also strengthen your lower back and core in an integrated fashion, helping you maintain posture throughout the swing. Tour players like Rory McIlroy and Brooks Koepka are well-known for their deadlift strength.

Exercise 3: Cable or Band Rotations

While medicine ball throws build explosive power, cable or band rotations develop rotational strength throughout the full range of motion. This exercise is particularly valuable for building strength at the transition—that critical moment where your backswing converts to downswing.

How to perform:

1. Set a cable machine or anchor a resistance band at chest height.
2. Stand sideways to the anchor point, arms extended and hands clasped on the handle.
3. Keeping your arms straight and hips stable, rotate your torso away from the anchor point.
4. Control the return to the starting position—don’t let the cable snap back.
5. Perform 12-15 reps per side for 3 sets.

Why it works: The constant tension from the cable or band forces your core to work through the entire movement, building strength in ranges that bodyweight movements can’t access. This translates to more control and power through the impact zone.

Exercise 4: Planks with Rotation

A stable core is the bridge between lower body power and clubhead speed. Planks with rotation challenge your core’s ability to resist movement while rotating—exactly what happens during your swing when your hips fire while your upper body stays loaded.

How to perform:

1. Start in a forearm plank position with your body forming a straight line from head to heels.
2. Without moving your hips or lower body, rotate your torso to reach one arm toward the ceiling.
3. Hold the rotated position for 2-3 seconds, maintaining the plank with your supporting arm.
4. Return to the starting plank position and repeat on the other side.
5. Alternate for 8-10 reps per side, or perform 3 sets of 30-45 seconds.

Why it works: This variation trains anti-rotation stability while simultaneously building rotational mobility in the thoracic spine. The combination develops the separation between lower and upper body that creates lag and power in the downswing.

Exercise 5: Lunges with Twist

Lunges with a rotational component develop single-leg stability while challenging your core’s ability to rotate under load—similar to the weight shift and rotation that occurs during your swing.

How to perform:

1. Hold a medicine ball, weight plate, or dumbbell at chest height.
2. Step forward into a lunge position, lowering until both knees are bent at approximately 90 degrees.
3. While holding the lunge, rotate your torso toward your front leg, keeping the weight at chest height.
4. Rotate back to center, push off your front foot, and return to standing.
5. Alternate legs for 10-12 total reps, performing 3 sets.

Why it works: This movement challenges balance and stability on a single leg while training your core to rotate against resistance. It mimics the weight transfer and rotation of the golf swing while building functional lower body strength.

Exercise 6: Glute Bridges

Weak glutes are one of the most common physical limitations among amateur golfers. Glute bridges activate and strengthen these critical muscles, improving your ability to generate power from your lower body and maintain posture through impact.

How to perform:

1. Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
2. Drive through your heels to lift your hips toward the ceiling until your body forms a straight line from knees to shoulders.
3. Squeeze your glutes hard at the top and hold for 2-3 seconds.
4. Lower your hips back down with control.
5. Perform 15-20 reps for 3 sets. For added challenge, try single-leg bridges or add weight across your hips.

Why it works: Strong glutes are essential for hip extension—the driving force behind the downswing. Glute bridges also help counteract the negative effects of sitting, which can lead to “dead butt syndrome” and robbed distance.

Exercise 7: Lat Pulldowns

Your lats—the large muscles of your back—play a crucial role in controlling the club through the swing and generating speed through the hitting zone. Strong lats also help maintain posture and connection between your arms and body.

How to perform:

1. Sit at a lat pulldown machine with your thighs secured under the pads.
2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width with palms facing away from you.
3. Pull the bar down toward your upper chest, focusing on driving your elbows down and back.
4. Squeeze your shoulder blades together at the bottom of the movement.
5. Control the bar back up and repeat for 10-12 reps, performing 3 sets.

Why it works: The lats are critical for maintaining the connection between your lead arm and torso through the downswing. Strong lats also contribute to club control and help prevent the “chicken wing” follow-through that bleeds power.

Exercise 8: Wrist Curls

While major muscle groups generate the bulk of your clubhead speed, your forearms and wrists control the club face and add the final snap of speed through impact. Neglecting these smaller muscles can limit your distance and control.

How to perform:

1. Sit on a bench with your forearms resting on your thighs, wrists hanging over your knees.
2. Hold a light dumbbell or barbell with palms facing up.
3. Curl the weight up by flexing your wrists, then lower it back down with control.
4. After completing a set, flip your grip (palms down) and perform reverse wrist curls.
5. Perform 15-20 reps of each variation for 2-3 sets.

Why it works: Strong forearms improve grip strength and wrist hinge, which contributes to lag and clubhead speed. They also help prevent common golf injuries like golfer’s elbow and tendinitis.

Exercise 9: 90/90 Hip Stretch

Hip mobility is often the missing link for amateur golfers seeking more distance. Limited hip rotation forces you to compensate with your spine, reducing power and increasing injury risk. The 90/90 stretch is the most effective hip mobility exercise for golfers.

How to perform:

1. Sit on the floor with one leg in front of you, bent at 90 degrees, and the other leg to your side, also bent at 90 degrees.
2. Keep your torso tall and square to your front shin.
3. Lean forward over your front shin, feeling a stretch in your front hip and glute.
4. Hold for 30-60 seconds, then switch to lean toward your back hip.
5. For a dynamic version, rotate from one hip to the other, performing 10-15 transitions.

Why it works: This stretch addresses both internal and external hip rotation—essential for a full backswing and powerful hip clearance through impact. Regular practice can unlock significant range of motion that directly translates to swing freedom.

Exercise 10: Thoracic Spine Rotations

Your thoracic spine—the middle portion of your back—should handle the majority of rotational movement in your golf swing. Poor thoracic mobility forces compensation from the lower back and limits your ability to create separation between upper and lower body.

How to perform:

1. Start on all fours in a quadruped position.
2. Place one hand behind your head with your elbow pointed out to the side.
3. Rotate your torso to bring that elbow down toward your opposite arm, then rotate in the opposite direction to open your chest toward the ceiling.
4. Focus on rotating through your mid-back, not your lower back or shoulders.
5. Perform 10-15 reps per side for 2-3 sets.

Why it works: Improved thoracic rotation allows for a bigger shoulder turn without excessive strain on the lower back. This creates more potential energy in the backswing that converts to clubhead speed in the downswing. Many golfers gain 10-15 degrees of shoulder turn after consistent thoracic mobility work.

Sample Weekly Golf Fitness Routine

Consistency beats intensity when it comes to golf fitness. Here’s a practical weekly schedule that balances strength, power, and mobility work:

Day 1 – Power Focus

• Warm-up: 5 minutes light cardio + dynamic stretching
• Medicine Ball Rotational Throws: 3 x 10 per side
• Deadlifts: 4 x 8
• Cable Rotations: 3 x 12 per side
• Cooldown: 90/90 Hip Stretch + Thoracic Spine Rotations

Day 2 – Mobility Focus

• 90/90 Hip Stretch: 2 x 45 seconds each position
• Thoracic Spine Rotations: 3 x 15 per side
• Planks with Rotation: 3 x 10 per side
• Light yoga or foam rolling: 15-20 minutes

Day 3 – Strength Focus

• Warm-up: 5 minutes + glute activation drills
• Lunges with Twist: 3 x 12 total
• Glute Bridges: 3 x 20
• Lat Pulldowns: 3 x 12
• Wrist Curls: 2 x 20 each variation
• Cooldown: Stretching routine

Day 4 – Active Recovery

• Light walking, swimming, or cycling: 20-30 minutes
• Full-body mobility routine: 15 minutes

Weekly Tips:

• Schedule strength work at least 24 hours before playing if possible
• Mobility work can be done daily—even 10 minutes makes a difference
• Progress weights gradually—golf fitness is a long game
• Listen to your body and adjust intensity during heavy playing periods

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take to see results from golf fitness training?

Most golfers notice improved mobility and energy levels within 2-3 weeks. Measurable distance gains typically appear after 6-8 weeks of consistent training. However, some golfers report immediate improvements in swing feel and control even after a few sessions, particularly with mobility work.

Will lifting weights make me too bulky for golf?

No—this is one of the most persistent myths in golf. Building significant muscle mass requires very specific training protocols and nutritional strategies. The moderate-rep, functional training described in this program builds lean strength and power without adding bulk. Look at tour players like Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson, and Tiger Woods—all avid gym-goers with athletic, not bulky, physiques.

Can I do these exercises at home without gym equipment?

Many of these exercises can be modified for home use. Medicine ball throws can be done with a heavy cushion or sandbag against a garage wall. Resistance bands can replace cables. Glute bridges, planks, and all mobility exercises require no equipment. However, for optimal strength gains, access to weights (even adjustable dumbbells) is beneficial.

Should I do these exercises before or after golf?

Mobility exercises and dynamic warm-ups are excellent before golf. Avoid heavy strength training within 24 hours of playing, as fatigue can negatively affect your swing timing. On playing days, focus on light activation exercises and mobility work only.

I’m over 50—are these exercises safe for me?

Yes, with appropriate modifications. Start with lighter weights and fewer sets, focusing on proper form. The mobility exercises are particularly beneficial for older golfers and carry minimal risk. Consider consulting with a golf-specific fitness professional or physical therapist to customize the program for any specific limitations.

What’s more important for distance—strength or flexibility?

Both are essential, but their relative importance depends on your current limitations. A golfer who can’t complete a full backswing due to tight hips needs mobility work first. A golfer with good range of motion but weak glutes needs strength work. Ideally, your program addresses both—which is exactly what the routine above provides.

Final Thoughts: Your 20-Yard Action Plan

Adding 20 yards to your drive isn’t about finding a magic drill or secret swing thought—it’s about building a body capable of producing more power and controlling it efficiently. The ten exercises outlined in this guide address every physical component of distance: rotational power, stability, mobility, and strength.

Start small if you need to. Even adding two or three of these exercises to your weekly routine will yield noticeable improvements. Focus particularly on the areas where you feel most limited—tight hips, weak glutes, or poor thoracic rotation—and address those first.

Remember that golf fitness is a marathon, not a sprint. Consistency over months will always beat intensity over weeks. Track your progress, celebrate the small wins, and trust the process.

Your future self—the one bombing drives 20 yards past your playing partners—will thank you for starting today.

Ready to take your game even further? Check out our guides on pre-round stretching routines and maximizing driver distance for more performance-boosting tips.

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