Fit for Play by DAVE POND
Center Your Game
Pilates is a strong addition to every golfer’ s season prep and in-season routine
AS SPRING ARRIVES and Virginia’ s courses fill up, many dedicated golfers fall into the same pattern: more range time, more rounds, and a quiet hope that their bodies will“ hold up” through the season. However, research consistently shows that over half of golfers will experience a musculoskeletal injury during their lifetime, with the lower back accounting for roughly one-third of reported injuries.
“ The biggest patterns I see are overuse of the trail-side low back to create rotation, tight hips that stop turning and force the spine to compensate, dominant arms with a passive core, and weak glutes,” said Linda Worthington, a TPI-certified golf and fitness professional at Manakin Sabot’ s picturesque, 36-hole Hermitage Country Club.“ These patterns build up slowly, but over months or years they create predictable injury points— low back, lead hip, trail shoulder, and wrist.”
CAN PILATES HELP ME? Worthington stresses that you don’ t need to be flexible or athletic to benefit from Pilates, which is designed to improve how your body moves, not how much weight it can lift. That makes Pilates ideal for golfers who want to play more often, for more years, without relying on painkillers, braces, or extended downtime.
“ I explain to golfers that Pilates is basically rotational strength training in stealth mode,” Worthington explained.“ You’ re not engaging in generic weight training— you’ re training the exact muscles that keep your swing smooth, powerful, and repeatable. You build strength in the gym; you build usable, swing-specific strength through Pilates.”
FOUR REASONS PILATES WORKS WELL FOR GOLFERS 1. It protects the lower back“ The lower back is a frequent source of pain for golfers because it bears the brunt of rotational forces during the swing,” Worthington said.“ When the hips and thoracic spine are stiff or weak, the lower back compensates, leading to fatigue, strain, and sometimes injury.”
Pilates emphasizes trunk stability with controlled rotation, teaching your body to share the load across the hips, core, and upper back.“ The result is a more efficient, controlled swing with reduced stress on the lower back over 18 holes,” she said. 2. It restores lost mobility Many frequent golfers lose hip and upper-spine mobility over time, often without noticing. Pilates gently rebuilds this range of motion through controlled, supported movement rather than aggressive stretching.
“ You gain range because the muscles around the joint know how to support the movement,” Worthington explained.“ It feels safe and strong instead of forced or hesitant.” 3. It improves posture and swing consistency Pilates reinforces alignment and teaches you how to maintain posture while moving— helping you produce a more repeatable swing, especially late in the round when focus and energy dip.
“ Pilates builds endurance in the deep stabilizers— the tiny muscles responsible for keeping your posture, rotation, and sequencing consistent,” Worthington said.“ When those muscles stay online longer, your swing holds up longer.” 4. It supports mental sharpness and stress control Mental fatigue is real. Pilates sessions are intentionally slow and focused, built around breathing and control.
“ Better breathing means better tempo, better decision-making, a softer grip, and fewer panic swings,” Worthington said.
PLAY SMARTER. PLAY LONGER. For golfers who already invest time in lessons, equipment, and practice, Pilates is not an extra— it’ s support.
“ Pilates doesn’ t just make you fit,” Worthington said.“ It trains the body to generate power from the ground up and move more efficiently. That means more distance, better control, and reduced injury risk— without relying on brute strength.”
The goal isn’ t to swing harder. It’ s to swing better, feel better, and keep playing— season after season.
36 V IRGINIA G OLFER | M ARCH / A PRIL 2026 vsga. org