Why Your Off-Season Work Won’t Show Up in Your Swing This Year
If you’ve been working out this winter but your swing still feels stiff, restricted, or inconsistent, you’re not alone.
Every year we see the same pattern.
Golfers attempt to put in off-season work. They lift. They stretch. They stay active.
Then spring shows up… and the swing feels exactly the same.
Or worse.
So what’s going on?
The issue usually isn’t effort.
It’s structure.
1. Mobility That Doesn’t Transfer
Many golfers stretch hamstrings and hips all winter.
But the golf swing is rotational.
If you are not improving rotation through four key areas, your swing will not change:
- Neck
- Thoracic spine
- Shoulders
- Hips
You can feel “looser” in general and still not rotate better through the ball.
Mobility has to be targeted. And it has to match the demands of the swing.
Get my 5-Minute Mobility Screen for Golfers 50+
2. Strength Without Clean Movement
Another common issue is loading strength exercises on top of dysfunctional movement.
If your shoulders elevate during pressing.
If your lower back extends during rotation.
If your hips do not separate from your torso.
Adding more weight simply reinforces compensations.
We see this all the time.
Better movement first. Then strength.
When activation work is done cleanly and intentionally, strength actually transfers to the course.
3. Too Much Cardio. Not Enough Progression.
A lot of golfers approach off-season training like an endurance sport.
Time on treadmills and ellipticals.
Lots of exercises.
Minimal rest.
It feels productive.
But golf performance is built through progressive overload and measurable strength gains.
Fewer exercises.
More strength focus.
More intensity.
Clearer progressions.
That’s what builds the physical capacity to maintain speed and stability late in the round and late in the season.
4. Ignoring the “Small” Limitations
Almost every golfer over 50 has a history.
A stiff low back.
A shoulder that acts up.
A knee that limits depth.
An ankle that never fully recovered.
If those areas are not addressed consistently, they quietly cap your swing.
You can practice more.
You can take more lessons.
But if your body cannot physically get into the positions your instructor wants, improvement stalls.
Not sure if your off-season workout will translate to your swing this season?
A brief conversation with Dr. Wade Roberts can help you understand where limitations may be holding you back and what to focus on next.
What Actually Shows Up in the Swing?
When off-season training is structured correctly, we typically see:
- Smoother rotation
- Less early extension
- Better weight transfer
- More consistent ball striking
- Maintained or improved club head speed
And just as importantly.
Less stiffness after walking 18.
On a Personal Note
My grandpa passed away recently at 90.
He stayed strong well into his late 80s because he worked as a cattle farmer and did chores daily. His strength was built into his lifestyle.
Most of us do not have that kind of built-in physical demand anymore.
He “Stayed in the Game, For Life” as we like to say around here, because he was a cattle farmer and worked chores until he was 87. That daily physical demand kept him strong and capable for decades.
Most of us are not cattle farmers.
If we want to stay in the game long enough to enjoy competitive rounds, trips with buddies, and golf with our grandkids, we have to be intentional about building a body that supports the swing.
The off-season should not just be about staying active.
It should be about building something that shows up when you step on the first tee.
If you’re unsure whether your current training is translating to your swing, we’re always happy to have a conversation.
Not sure if your off-season workout will translate to your swing this season?
Start by identify any rotational limitations that may be costing you distance and shortening your longevity on the course.