TECHNIC · HIP

Hip rotation from 60 — the most important energy source.

In the golf swing, the hip is the central source of power. With age, it loses 5–10° of internal rotation per decade—without active mobility work. Three hip-specific exercises keep the senior swing mobile.

MA 64th birthday brought a MyTPI diagnosis: 28° right hip internal rotation, 32° left. Tour pro level would be 45-55°. Eight weeks of daily hip mobility later: 38° and 42°. My carry increased by 10 yards, my back stopped hurting. Hip mobility is the most underestimated senior score lever.

The hip is the most important energy source in the golf swing. It initiates the downswing, determines the X-factor magnitude (shoulder-to-hip differential), and defines maximum swing speed. In senior years, hip mobility is non-negotiable – three exercises per day keep it active.

Three Hip Exercises for Senior Golfers

Exercise 1 — 90/90 Hip Mobility

✓ 5 MIN DAILY.

Sit on the floor, both knees at 90 degrees, one leg in front, one behind. Alternate between internal and external rotation. 10 repetitions per side. Direct effect on hip internal rotation – the most important golf mobility marker.

Exercise 2 — Pigeon Pose

✓ 2 MIN PER PAGE DAILY.

Pigeon Pose from yoga: front leg at a 90° angle on the ground, back leg extended. Hold for 2 minutes per side. Opens the hip capsule and increases internal rotation range.

Exercise 3 — Standing Hip Circles

✓ 10 circles per page daily.

Stand, lift one knee, circular motion with the hip. 10 circles forward, 10 backward per side. Activates hip muscles and improves dynamic mobility.

5–10°

Loss of hip internal rotation per decade of life — without active mobility work

Lamontagne et al. (2021): Senior Golf Biomechanics

With 8-12 weeks of daily practice, 10-15° can be recovered — a direct distance effect.

Three tips for hip mobility in senior years

Tip 1 — Daily Routine

10 MIN NON-NEGOTIABLE.

A minimum investment of 10 minutes of hip mobility per day is recommended. Do it in the morning or before bed. Consistency beats intensity – short daily exercises are more effective than weekly marathon sessions.

Tip 2 — MyTPI Screening

MEASURABLE BASELINE.

Measure mobility: MyTPI-certified coach (Pro or Physio). Internal rotation in degrees. This number is your baseline – progress will be measurable in 8 weeks.

Tip 3 — Activate before each round

5 MIN WARMUP.

Before each round, 5 minutes of hip activation: 90/90, hip circles, light squats. This activates the muscles and prevents injuries on the first few holes.

If you fix only one thing on a senior golfer’s body, fix the hips. Everything else follows from there.

— Dr. Greg Rose, Co-founder Titleist Performance Institute

Three principles for hip mobility.

Daily Discipline

Hip mobility is a matter of daily consistency, not weekly intensity. 10 minutes daily beats 60 minutes weekly.

Have the baseline measured

Internal rotation at the grad is measurable. Without a baseline, there is no measurable progress. MyTPI screening is the basis.

Activate before each round

Mobility is not just exercise, but also activation. 5 minutes of warm-up before each round — direct effect on swing quality.

On this page

ON THIS PAGE

01 Three hip exercises

02 Three mobility tips

03 What hip mobility cannot replace

Mathias Struwe

PUBLISHER · HCP 31 · 68 YRS.

5-10°

Loss per decade without active work.

REFERENCE

Lamontagne et al. (2021): Senior Golf Biomechanics. MyTPI (2020): The Golf Body. Rose, G. & Phillips, D. (2018): The Golf Body. Trackman Performance Database 2024. PGA Tour Stats 2014–2024.

What hip mobility cannot replace

Hip mobility is the most important senior mobility pillar — but it neither replaces thoracic spine mobility nor shoulder mobility. The golf swing is an interplay of all rotations. Those who only train the hips have a partial lever — those who train all three axes have the full score effect.

THREE FIRST STEPS