Golfers seeking Distance Gains Should Prioritize Hip Mobility, Says Tour Fitness Coach
SCOTTSDALE, AZ - For golfers consistently seeking to add clubhead speed and distance, the key isn’t necessarily brute strength, but rather improved movement and loading mechanics, according to David Sundberg, a performance coach who works with PGA Tour stars like Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay. sundberg emphasizes that limitations in hip internal rotation are a primary culprit behind lost power, preventing golfers from effectively engaging their glutes during the swing.
“Without it, golfers can’t load into their glutes – and without that glute load, speed is basically capped,” Sundberg explained.”Hip internal rotation is super critically important. If you can’t load your hips properly,you can’t produce maximum power.”
sundberg’s approach begins before strength training, focusing on mobilizing the hips, activating the glutes, engaging the core, freeing up the upper back, and stabilizing the shoulders. This combination, he says, facilitates efficient rotation and creates the necessary separation for increased clubhead speed. “Once you mobilize something, you want to activate it so those gains stick,” he notes.
Strength training, when introduced, doesn’t require complex routines. Sundberg trains professional golfers using basic, full-body movements including squats, lunges, hinging patterns, rows, presses, core work, and rotational/med-ball power exercises. “You can strength-train anyone with anything provided that you can progress it over time – make it heavier, harder, more challenging,” he says.
He stresses that even elite players aren’t physically superior, but rather highly skilled in applying efficient mechanics. “They’re just people,” Sundberg said. “Their bodies aren’t necessarily better – they’re just incredibly skilled at hitting golf balls.”
The issues hindering Tour players – tight hips, limited rotation, weak glutes, and unstable cores – are the same challenges faced by recreational golfers, and the solutions are similarly applicable.
For golfers looking to implement this approach, Sundberg recommends starting with one to two gym sessions per week, with three sessions being optimal for notable speed gains. He also advocates for a short, five-minute warm-up before practice or a round to prime the body for optimal movement.
Ultimately, sundberg’s formula for increased speed is straightforward: improved movement leads to better loading, better loading leads to more force, and more force translates to greater clubhead speed. “Whether you’re a tour player or a recreational golfer, the principles are the same,” he concludes. “Move well, get strong, and the speed will come.”
