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top tips for senior golfers : improving balance in the golf swing

Maintaining good balance is crucial for you as a senior golfer to ensure an effective and consistent swing. At Proper Golfing we often talk about The Six Second Finish as a fundamental of The Proper Golfing Method as that’s a great way to measure how good your balance is through the golf swing. If you can hold your finish for six seconds you are in balance. If not, your balance needs work.

With age, balance can decline for any number of reasons, but there are several strategies that you can use to improve it. Here are our top tips for you as a senior golfer to improve your balance:

1. Strengthen Your Core Muscles

You may have seen us talking about a strong core on our YouTube videos. It’s essential to support your back and to maintain balance throughout the swing. Simple exercises like planks (you can watch us challenging ourselves here), seated knee lifts, and bridge poses (which need to be executed carefully) can help improve core stability. Engaging in core-strengthening routines can help keep you steady during the backswing and follow-through. It also helps in daily life.

2. Work on Your Leg Strength

Balance heavily relies on the strength of your legs. Try bodyweight squats, calf raises, or lunges to strengthen key muscles like the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves. Strong legs are critical to creating a stable base throughout the swing. You will be surprised just how much difference a few squats each day makes to your leg strength. Make sure you check on the correct technique though to protect your knees.

3. Practice Single-Leg Balance Drills

Practice standing on one leg to develop better balance. Start with holding each leg up for 10-15 seconds and gradually increase the time. You can make it more challenging by doing it with your eyes closed or on an unstable surface like a balance pad. Do it whilst you are making the coffee (or a nice pot of tea if you are in England!) Take a peek at us challenging ourselves here

4. Use Balance Boards or Stability Discs

Standing on a balance board or stability disc helps simulate the subtle weight shifts that occur during the golf swing. These tools improve both your balance and the muscle coordination needed for a consistent swing. We have one like this pictured below. You can buy on Amazon here

5. Yoga and Tai Chi for Flexibility and Balance

Yoga and Tai Chi are highly recommended for senior golfers many of our members and clients are regularly practicing these pastimes. These practices focus on controlled movements, stretching, and balance. Regular practice helps improve flexibility, stability, and body awareness, which are all essential for maintaining balance during the swing.

Check out this link here – yoga for senior golfers

6. Focus on Weight Transfer During the Swing

Improving balance requires understanding proper weight transfer. Practice slow swings, focusing on transferring weight from your back foot to your front foot smoothly. A slow-motion golf swing or step-through drill helps you identify and refine weight shifts. Julian is a specliast in transformational golf coaching for seniors so you can see more on this here

8. Strengthen Ankles and Feet

The feet and ankles play a significant role in balance. Toe raises, ankle circles, and even walking barefoot can help strengthen the small muscles in your feet and improve your stability during the swing. If you haven’t got the type of feet that should be seen out in public, do it whilst nobody is looking lol!! If you really want to test your toes, do a toe stretch like this one. You’ll be surprised what you find!

9. Stability Ball Exercises

Stability ball exercises are excellent for working on balance. Sitting on a stability ball while doing arm exercises or simply maintaining your balance on the ball can improve your posture and core strength. Sit and watch Netflix whilst you are doing (or the golf even lol)

10. Use Balance Aids During Practice

Consider using training aids such as balance disks or balance balls while practicing your swing. These tools help you become more aware of weight shifts and the importance of stability in your setup and follow-through.