Joey Wuertemberger is a high-performance golf coach with Crown Golf in Arlington, Texas. He is known for blending modern swing instruction with a strong emphasis on movement, mobility and long-term athletic health. He works with competitive juniors, collegiate players and everyday golfers, helping them move better, swing more efficiently and stay healthy for the long haul. Check him out on Instagram today!
Joey Wuertemberger on the importance of mobility stretching for golfers:
Golf may look effortless, but the modern golf swing demands hip mobility, thoracic rotation, shoulder range of motion and core stability — the same ingredients needed for long-term athletic health. As a golf coach, I see the same physical limitations show up again and again. The good news is that you don’t need a full mobility session or fancy equipment. These simple stretches target the areas that matter most for golfers, and they translate beautifully to everyday fitness, running and lifting. Each stretch takes less than a minute and can be done before a workout, after a round or as part of a daily routine.
Banded Rotational Stability Drill
How to Do It:
Place a light resistance band just above the knees and stand in an athletic stance with feet shoulder-width apart. Cross your arms over your chest and hinge slightly forward from the hips, keeping your spine neutral. From this position, rotate your torso slowly to one side while maintaining tension in the band and keeping the lower body stable. Your goal for this stretch is to match the pole across your shoulders to the rod off of your trail foot. Return to the center and repeat on the opposite side.
Why It Works:
This drill improves rotational control and hip stability while encouraging movement from the upper back instead of the lower spine. The band engages the glutes and legs, helping stabilize the lower body as the torso rotates. For golfers and active adults, this promotes cleaner rotation, better balance and reduced stress on the knees and lower back. You should feel steady tension in the trail internal hip as your upper body rotates into your trail side.
Hinge with Arm Sweep Drill
How to Do It:
Stand tall with feet about hip-width apart, then hinge forward from the hips into an athletic posture while keeping your spine neutral. Extend both arms forward at shoulder height and slowly sweep them back and down behind your body as you maintain the hinge position. Move with control and return the arms forward before standing back up.
Why It Works:
This drill reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics while improving shoulder mobility and upper-back engagement. The arm sweep encourages the shoulders to move through a full range of motion without collapsing posture or overusing the lower back. For golfers and active adults, this helps connect the upper and lower body, supporting better posture, smoother rotation and more efficient movement patterns. You should feel engagement through the hamstrings and glutes with a stretch across the chest and shoulders as the arms swing back.
Pole-Assisted Shoulder Rotation Drill
How to Do It:
Stand tall, holding a pole vertically with one arm extended straight out in front of you. Keeping the torso stable and posture tall, rotate the pole overhead and behind your body, allowing the shoulder to move through internal and external rotation. Move slowly and under control, then reverse the motion to return to the start.
Why It Works:
This drill improves shoulder mobility and rotational control, particularly through the rotator cuff and upper back. The pole provides feedback to keep the movement smooth and prevents compensation from the lower back or ribs. For golfers and active adults, this helps maintain healthy shoulders, a better range of motion and smoother rotational movement during training and daily activity. You should feel a smooth rotation through the shoulder joint and upper back.
Joey Wuertemberger on the business impact of mobility stretching for coaches:
As stated in Part 1 of this two-part GFAA Best Practice series, these drills are designed to work together to improve mobility, stability and movement quality from the ground up. Your golfers don’t need to perform all of them every day — have them choose two or three as part of a warm-up, or run through the full sequence before practice, training or a round of golf. Teach them to move slowly, stay controlled and focus on quality over quantity. The goal isn’t to force range of motion, but to help their bodies move more efficiently and with less strain. When performed consistently, these stretches can improve posture, enhance rotation and support healthier movement patterns on the course, in the gym and in everyday life. Your golfers will play longer, more pain free and will enjoy their golf experience more, leading to enhanced relationships and increased business in the long-term.
If you would like to email the author of this Best Practice directly, please email jwinstruction@icloud.com.
