Let’s assume you haven’t done any type of stretching, mobility, or foam rolling recently. If you haven’t, you are probably suffering from overly tight muscles, muscles imbalances, and most likely low back and/or shoulder pain.

Common remedies most golfers choose are ibuprofen, chiropractor, or avoiding the game.

Years of neglect will guarantee that you have overly tight muscles and inhibited muscles that impact your movement patterns. Luckily, there is one tool that I personally rate above all others to help repair and restore movement patterns for golfers:

The Foam Roller

Over the past few years I have increased my flexibility and joint mobility. This new found flexibility has funneled down to my golf swing, allowing longer drives, more endurance, and a reduction in injury.

More enjoyment playing the game.

Today, I feel as flexible as a cat… but it hasn’t always been that way.

I haven’t always foam rolled for golf. In fact, I didn’t even know what foam rolling was 4 years ago.

When I first tried it out, I was skeptical. Rolling actually hurt pretty bad, and I gave up on it. However, just a few weeks later I stumbled across an interview with famed trainer Tony Horton (P90X) discussing foam rolling and yoga.

In a nutshell, Tony discussed how Yoga was the “fountain of youth” and that foam rolling could reverse age related stiffness and restore the body to a more youthful state. By coupling foam rolling with static stretching, and yoga – you could “reduce your real age”.

Tony went on to mention that if you hit a spot you were foam rolling that hurt, that meant that you needed to foam roll! So all the pain I had felt earlier was a signal that I needed to roll. Love or hate Tony, he speaks the truth when it comes to fitness. Tony Horton doesn’t bullshit for the sake of selling more copies of P90X – he speaks the fitness gospel.

So I set out to learn more about foam rolling, yoga, and flexibility as it related to golf.

The journey was a slow one that has simply transformed my game.. and you can do the same thing in just a few minutes every evening. I do my foam rolling right before bed and spend about 15 to 20 minutes on the floor watching the Golf Channel or some sporting event. I focus on trouble spots and spend time to make sure each side of my body is equaled out.

Now I don’t know about you, but I like hitting the ball a long way, having no back pain, and feeling as good after my round as before.

Muscle imbalances are one of the great problems of the world that cause people back pain, knee pain, shoulder pain… all of which can be alleviated to some degree through foam rolling.

5 Reasons to Foam Roll for Golf

1. Hit the Ball Farther – It’s no secret that a wider and longer golf swing equate to more club-head speed. And you will make your swing more efficient by being able to generate more power with less effort.
2. Reduce Muscle Soreness – researchers from both Canada and Australia found that post-workout rolling reduces muscles soreness and improves range of motion.
3. Reduce Muscle Fatigue – University of Rhode Island study found that those who foam-rolled prior to workouts reported less post-workout fatigue.
4. Increase Range of Motion – Yet another study found that a combination of foam rolling and static stretching can increase range of motion better than either technique alone.
5. Helps Arteries – Researchers in Japan found that just one session of foam rolling can decrease arterial stiffness. This makes it easier for blood to be pumped through the body, which allows you to heal faster and be more efficient with movement.

So, that’s a pretty clear case that you should foam roll for golf, right? …and just in case you didn’t know how to get started foam rolling, check out my full on Golf Fitness System – Core to Score. Use this program to rejuvenate your body and even add a few yards to your driver.