Play Golf Forever: a golf balance exercise for the over 50s

Suzanne Clark, author of new book 'Play Golf Forever', suggests an exercise to improve the balance of the over 50s golfer

Suzanne Clark, author of new book 'Play Golf Forever', suggests an exercise to improve the balance of the over 50s golfer

Long-time physiotherapist, Suzanne Clark, has written a book called Play Golf Forever: a Physiotherapist’s Guide to Golf Fitness and Health for the Over 50s, a sister title to her earlier Play Tennis Forever.

One of the things all golfers need is good balance, but sadly, that is one of the things that can regress a little as we get older. Here, Suzanne suggests a very simple exercise that will not only show you how good your balance is,  but also help you to improve it...

Exercise to improve your balance for golf

It sounds a little odd to say, but a very good way to improve your balance is simply to practise balancing! Balance is a skill that declines with age as we're often guilty of not really making our balance mechanisms work for us, but rather just assuming that they'll be there when we need them.

So a really good thing to do is just to spend a little time every day balancing on one leg - you can do it when you're doing other mundane tasks like brushing your teeth.

Try it on both legs individually, and then try with your eyes shut too, which you will probably find a little harder. The reason for this is that with your eyes open you're using your other senses to help with your balance, and are correcting yourself visually rather than just letting the mechanisms required for good balance taking over automatically.

Do this every day or night for three weeks, and you will notice a difference

Check out our short video series highlighting some of the other key exercises and suggestions Suzanne gave GM's very own over 50s golfer, Jezz Ellwood, on a recent visit to the Golf Monthly offices...

Pre-round five-minute warm-up

Exercises from the comfort of your chair

Resistance band swing exercises

Post-round cool down

Important Medical Disclaimer If the reader or viewer has any existing medical conditions or requires individual advice, they should check with their GP or appropriate healthcare professional before undertaking any exercise or stretching programmes. No responsibility is assumed for any loss or damage caused, or allegedly caused, as a result of following the advice given.

Jeremy Ellwood
Contributing Editor

Jeremy Ellwood has worked in the golf industry since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is now a freelance journalist writing mainly for Golf Monthly. He is an expert on the Rules of Golf having qualified through an R&A course to become a golf referee. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all of the Top 100 plus 91 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified when it comes to assessing and comparing our premier golf courses. He has now played 1,000 golf courses worldwide in 35 countries, from the humblest of nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to the very grandest of international golf resorts. He reached the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he will be blissfully content.

Jezz can be contacted via Twitter - @JezzEllwoodGolf


Jeremy is currently playing...

Driver: Ping G425 LST 10.5˚ (draw setting), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 55 S shaft

3 wood: Ping G425 Max 15˚ (set to flat +1), Mitsubishi Tensei AV Orange 65 S shaft

Hybrid: Ping G425 17˚, Mitsubishi Tensei CK Pro Orange 80 S shaft

Irons 3-PW: Ping i525, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Wedges: Ping Glide 4.0 50˚ and 54˚, 12˚ bounce, True Temper Dynamic Gold 105 R300 shafts

Putter: Ping Fetch 2021 model, 33in shaft (set flat 2)

Ball: Varies but mostly now TaylorMade Tour Response