We all know rotation matters when trying to hit a golf ball well. However, knowing you need a good turn and actually having the mobility to make one are two different things.
You might spend hours practicing your swing or shopping for another driver. But have you checked whether your body can comfortably reach the positions you’re asking it to find?
For golfers over 40 in Broadview Heights, Ohio, a simple rotation check can provide a useful starting point. Best of all, you only need some tape and a broomstick.
Why Rotation Matters in Golf
Your golf swing requires coordinated movement throughout your body. In particular, your trunk needs to turn while your lower body provides support and contributes to the movement.
However, limited movement in one area can lead you to compensate somewhere else. As a result, what looks like a swing problem may deserve a closer look at how your body moves.
The Titleist Performance Institute’s seated trunk rotation test assesses rotational mobility and uses 45 degrees in each direction as a screening benchmark. The home check below follows a similar idea, although it doesn’t replace a standardized assessment. TPI
Try This Simple Golf Rotation Test
First, place two strips of tape on the floor to create an X with a 90-degree angle between the lines.
Next, sit upright at the center so the tape forms a V opening directly in front of you. Position yourself so that straight ahead splits that V evenly.
Then, hold a PVC pipe or broomstick across your chest with your arms crossed. Keeping your pelvis still, slowly rotate your chest as far as you comfortably can toward one side.
Afterward, repeat in the other direction. Compare the direction of your chest and the stick with each tape line.
Ideally, you’ll reach approximately 45 degrees each way without leaning, forcing the movement, or shifting your hips. However, treat this as information about your movement today, rather than a pass-or-fail judgment of your golf game.
Try a Kneeling Rotation Exercise
If one side feels restricted, try this controlled mobility drill.
First, kneel beside a wall with your wall-side knee raised and your opposite knee resting on a pad.
Next, gently hold a foam roller against the wall with the inside of your raised knee. Keep enough pressure on it to prevent it from slipping.
Then, slowly turn your torso away from the wall while keeping that knee steady. Allow comfortable movement through your upper back and hip without forcing your lower back.
Finally, return to the starting position and repeat several slow repetitions before switching sides. Breathe throughout, and stop if the movement causes pain.
Turn Better, Then Build Strength
Afterward, repeat your seated check and notice whether turning feels easier. However, lasting improvement usually requires consistent practice rather than one quick stretch.
From there, combine mobility work with strength and controlled rotation exercises suited to your needs.
If you want help getting started, explore my personal training services in Broadview Heights.
I’m Coach John, and I’m happy to help you move better, feel stronger, and enjoy more of your time on the course.