Opinion & Analysis
Why Olympic lifting is great for golf fitness and performance
Longer drives. Faster clubhead speed…Golf is a power sport!
Fitness in golf is, and has been, the hot topic in terms of performance and the future of the game. Understanding how to train, when to train and how that relates to your golf game can be a difficult task.
Olympic lifting, in some form, should be a part of that training. Olympic lifting consists of two lifts: the clean and jerk and the snatch. These two movements can be broken down in many different forms of lifting which can have huge benefits for your golf performance.
The best players in the world train a lot harder than people think, and these lifts, in some form, will be in their fitness programs.
The clean and jerk sees the barbell lifted from the ground to the shoulder and then to overhead (two movements) whereas the snatch is straight from the ground to the overhead position.
The lifts will increase performance and health in a number of ways:
- Increased power output due to the global movement patterns that strengthen the neuromuscular link and ability to function.
- Increased ground force reactions and the ability to use the ground for movement.
- High levels of core stability and spinal health improvements through strength, positioning and movement quality.
- Increased strength and muscle mass without unnecessary bulk due to range of motion and multi-joint activation.
- Great benefits for coordination, balance and agility through new learning pathways and challenges.
- A more efficient overall physical system that is primed to create speed, power and force.
It becomes really interesting to then transition this performance increase over to the golf swing to give you the gains you want.
Improved physical sequencing leading to a more efficient, powerful golf swing
You will have heard the term ‘Kinematic sequence’ numerous times relative to the golf swing and this is the engine of your swing. The key being to create force in a sequential way starting from the ground through the legs, to the hips, torso and finally through the arms, hands and into the club. Creating optimal force. The Olympic lifts work in the same way, creating force by pushing away from the ground with the legs, extending at the hip to create full force, using the arms and then the hands to bring the bar into position. Learn the patterns, create more speed period.
Great neuromuscular connectivity and activation
The ability to recruit and ‘fire’ muscles in the correct sequence and with full force is something that differs from person to person and will also reflect your lifestyle. If you want to get everything out of your swing and your game, you need to be able to recruit the musculature in the most efficient way possible. This means more of the muscle will be working to create force and therefore your output can be considerably higher.
Core stability and spinal posture
Yet again, the golf swing and the lifts match up here as during both movements posture and spine angle must be maintained throughout. It’s one of the biggest physical faults in the golf swing to see a lack of glute activation (think Tiger) and therefore a loss of posture and a player ‘coming out’ of the shot resulting in any number of misses. During the Olympic lifts, you will learn how to maintain spine angle and core activation whilst all of the other muscles work to create force.
Overall movement capacity, balance and coordination
The Olympic lifts need to be learned, and this is a good thing! Actively learning new movement patterns will help your everyday movement, balance and coordination and that can only be good for golf. Ever made a swing change and performed movements that were not even close to what you were aiming for (I have)? Well by learning such a complex movement pattern and benefitting the other aspects of fitness we often don’t think about (balance, coordination etc) you can see movements become more controlled, efficient and easier to implement over time.
Creation of higher levels of fast twitch muscle fibers (more speed!)
Your body has an incredible ability to adapt to what you ask it to so; sit at a desk all day and your body will adapt with poor posture and a lack of muscle mass etc. However if you add Olympic lifting to your training you are actively training muscle fiber activation as well as strength, speed and power etc. Everyone is genetically different here but no matter where you’re at currently you will see an increase in performance on and off the course.
Stronger you, stronger golf
Yes physically you will get stronger and that can only be a good thing, but you can be mentally stronger too. Learning a new skill, working through some levels of discomfort and creating a desire to be a stronger, healthier individual can all be gained through Olympic lifting and the correct use of it in your training.
There is some serious performance to be gained here and the cool thing is, due to the high energy demand and difficulty of the movements, you don’t need to spend hours in the gym doing sets and reps to achieve it. You can add 20-30 minutes of Olympic lifting work into your training 2/3 times a week and you will see your numbers go up! You can also specifically program your training, once developed, to give you the highest speed outputs at the most important times of the year. If you have heard the best players in the world talk about peaking physically, this is what they mean! The ability to understand your performance and body well enough to literally tailor your performance output for specific events and times of the year.
The key to implementing this into your training is to genuinely learn the lifts first and perform them well, any overloading with poor technique is not what any good coach or athlete wants to see. From there look to build a good level of baseline strength through low reps and continued learning which can then leave you working on the optimal power output moving forwards. Low to mid rep ranges with short rests in between matched with other movements is a phenomenal way to train.
Increased strength, efficient power, faster clubhead speeds and a whole lot of physical improvement – what’s not to like?!
We include Olympic lifting in our day-to-day programming and personalized programming at GOLFWOD and also offer online coaching for all of your movements!
With players all around following our training plans, we aim to create a global community of the fastest, most powerful golfers trying to take their games to the next level.
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The PGA TOUR heads to New Orleans to play the 2023 Zurich Classic of New Orleans. In a welcome change from the usual stroke play, the Zurich Classic is a team event. On Thursday and Saturday, the teams play best ball, and on Friday and Sunday the teams play alternate shot.
TPC Louisiana is a par 72 that measures 7,425 yards. The course features some short par 4s and plenty of water and bunkers, which makes for a lot of exciting risk/reward scenarios for competitors. Pete Dye designed the course in 2004 specifically for the Zurich Classic, although the event didn’t make its debut until 2007 because of Hurricane Katrina.
Coming off of the Masters and a signature event in consecutive weeks, the field this week is a step down, and understandably so. Many of the world’s top players will be using this time to rest after a busy stretch.
However, there are some interesting teams this season with some stars making surprise appearances in the team event. Some notable teams include Patrick Cantlay and Xander Schauffele, Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry, Collin Morikawa and Kurt Kitayama, Will Zalatoris and Sahith Theegala as well as a few Canadian teams, Nick Taylor and Adam Hadwin and Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners.
Past Winners at TPC Louisiana
- 2023: Riley/Hardy (-30)
- 2022: Cantlay/Schauffele (-29)
- 2021: Leishman/Smith (-20)
- 2019: Palmer/Rahm (-26)
- 2018: Horschel/Piercy (-22)
- 2017: Blixt/Smith (-27)
2024 Zurich Classic of New Orleans Picks
Tom Hoge/Maverick McNealy +2500 (DraftKings)
Tom Hoge is coming off of a solid T18 finish at the RBC Heritage and finished T13 at last year’s Zurich Classic alongside Harris English.
This season, Hoge is having one of his best years on Tour in terms of Strokes Gained: Approach. In his last 24 rounds, the only player to top him on the category is Scottie Scheffler. Hoge has been solid on Pete Dye designs, ranking 28th in the field over his past 36 rounds.
McNealy is also having a solid season. He’s finished T6 at the Waste Management Phoenix Open and T9 at the PLAYERS Championship. He recently started working with world renowned swing coach, Butch Harmon, and its seemingly paid dividends in 2024.
Keith Mitchell/Joel Dahmen +4000 (DraftKings)
Keith Mitchell is having a fantastic season, finishing in the top-20 of five of his past seven starts on Tour. Most recently, Mitchell finished T14 at the Valero Texas Open and gained a whopping 6.0 strokes off the tee. He finished 6th at last year’s Zurich Classic.
Joel Dahmen is having a resurgent year and has been dialed in with his irons. He also has a T11 finish at the PLAYERS Championship at TPC Sawgrass which is another Pete Dye track. With Mitchell’s length and Dahmen’s ability to put it close with his short irons, the Mitchell/Dahmen combination will be dangerous this week.
Taylor Moore/Matt NeSmith +6500 (DraftKings)
Taylor Moore has quickly developed into one of the more consistent players on Tour. He’s finished in the top-20 in three of his past four starts, including a very impressive showing at The Masters, finishing T20. He’s also finished T4 at this event in consecutive seasons alongside Matt NeSmith.
NeSmith isn’t having a great 2024, but has seemed to elevate his game in this format. He finished T26 at Pete Dye’s TPC Sawgrass, which gives the 30-year-old something to build off of. NeSmith is also a great putter on Bermudagrass, which could help elevate Moore’s ball striking prowess.
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After having four of the top twelve players on the leaderboard at The Masters, LIV Golf is set for their fifth event of the season: LIV Adelaide.
For both LIV fans and golf fans in Australia, LIV Adelaide is one of the most anticipated events of the year. With 35,000 people expected to attend each day of the tournament, the Grange Golf Club will be crawling with fans who are passionate about the sport of golf. The 12th hole, better known as “the watering hole”, is sure to have the rowdiest of the fans cheering after a long day of drinking some Leishman Lager.
The Grange Golf Club is a par-72 that measures 6,946 yards. The course features minimal resistance, as golfers went extremely low last season. In 2023, Talor Gooch shot consecutive rounds of 62 on Thursday and Friday, giving himself a gigantic cushion heading into championship Sunday. Things got tight for a while, but in the end, the Oklahoma State product was able to hold off The Crushers’ Anirban Lahiri for a three-shot victory.
The Four Aces won the team competition with the Range Goats finishing second.
*All Images Courtesy of LIV Golf*
Past Winners at LIV Adelaide
- 2023: Talor Gooch (-19)
Stat Leaders Through LIV Miami
Green in Regulation
- Richard Bland
- Jon Rahm
- Paul Casey
Fairways Hit
- Abraham Ancer
- Graeme McDowell
- Henrik Stenson
Driving Distance
- Bryson DeChambeau
- Joaquin Niemann
- Dean Burmester
Putting
- Cameron Smith
- Louis Oosthuizen
- Matt Jones
2024 LIV Adelaide Picks
Cameron Smith +1400 (DraftKings)
When I pulled up the odds for LIV Adelaide, I was more than a little surprised to see multiple golfers listed ahead of Cameron Smith on the betting board. A few starts ago, Cam finished runner-up at LIV Hong Kong, which is a golf course that absolutely suits his eye. Augusta National in another course that Smith could roll out of bed and finish in the top-ten at, and he did so two weeks ago at The Masters, finishing T6.
At Augusta, he gained strokes on the field on approach, off the tee (slightly), and of course, around the green and putting. Smith able to get in the mix at a major championship despite coming into the week feeling under the weather tells me that his game is once again rounding into form.
The Grange Golf Club is another course that undoubtedly suits the Australian. Smith is obviously incredibly comfortable playing in front of the Aussie faithful and has won three Australian PGA Championship’s. The course is very short and will allow Smith to play conservative off the tee, mitigating his most glaring weakness. With birdies available all over the golf course, there’s a chance the event turns into a putting contest, and there’s no one on the planet I’d rather have in one of those than Cam Smith.
Louis Oosthuizen +2200 (DraftKings)
Louis Oosthuizen has simply been one of the best players on LIV in the 2024 seas0n. The South African has finished in the top-10 on the LIV leaderboard in three of his five starts, with his best coming in Jeddah, where he finished T2. Perhaps more impressively, Oosthuizen finished T7 at LIV Miami, which took place at Doral’s “Blue Monster”, an absolutely massive golf course. Given that Louis is on the shorter side in terms of distance off the tee, his ability to play well in Miami shows how dialed he is with the irons this season.
In addition to the LIV finishes, Oosthuizen won back-to-back starts on the DP World Tour in December at the Alfred Dunhill Championship and the Mauritus Open. He also finished runner-up at the end of February in the International Series Oman. The 41-year-old has been one of the most consistent performers of 2024, regardless of tour.
For the season, Louis ranks 4th on LIV in birdies made, T9 in fairways hit and first in putting. He ranks 32nd in driving distance, but that won’t be an issue at this short course. Last season, he finished T11 at the event, but was in decent position going into the final round but fell back after shooting 70 while the rest of the field went low. This season, Oosthuizen comes into the event in peak form, and the course should be a perfect fit for his smooth swing and hot putter this week.
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Of all the clubs in our bags, wedges are almost always the simplest in construction and, therefore, the easiest to analyze what might make one work differently from another if you know what to look for.
Wedges are a lot less mysterious than drivers, of course, as the major brands are working with a lot of “pixie dust” inside these modern marvels. That’s carrying over more to irons now, with so many new models featuring internal multi-material technologies, and almost all of them having a “badge” or insert in the back to allow more complex graphics while hiding the actual distribution of mass.
But when it comes to wedges, most on the market today are still single pieces of molded steel, either cast or forged into that shape. So, if you look closely at where the mass is distributed, it’s pretty clear how that wedge is going to perform.
To start, because of their wider soles, the majority of the mass of almost any wedge is along the bottom third of the clubhead. So, the best wedge shots are always those hit between the 2nd and 5th grooves so that more mass is directly behind that impact. Elite tour professionals practice incessantly to learn to do that consistently, wearing out a spot about the size of a penny right there. If impact moves higher than that, the face is dramatically thinner, so smash factor is compromised significantly, which reduces the overall distance the ball will fly.
Every one of us, tour players included, knows that maddening shot that we feel a bit high on the face and it doesn’t go anywhere, it’s not your fault.
If your wedges show a wear pattern the size of a silver dollar, and centered above the 3rd or 4th groove, you are not getting anywhere near the same performance from shot to shot. Robot testing proves impact even two to three grooves higher in the face can cause distance loss of up to 35 to 55 feet with modern ‘tour design’ wedges.
In addition, as impact moves above the center of mass, the golf club principle of gear effect causes the ball to fly higher with less spin. Think of modern drivers for a minute. The “holy grail” of driving is high launch and low spin, and the driver engineers are pulling out all stops to get the mass as low in the clubhead as possible to optimize this combination.
Where is all the mass in your wedges? Low. So, disregarding the higher lofts, wedges “want” to launch the ball high with low spin – exactly the opposite of what good wedge play requires penetrating ball flight with high spin.
While almost all major brand wedges have begun putting a tiny bit more thickness in the top portion of the clubhead, conventional and modern ‘tour design’ wedges perform pretty much like they always have. Elite players learn to hit those crisp, spinny penetrating wedge shots by spending lots of practice time learning to consistently make contact low in the face.
So, what about grooves and face texture?
Grooves on any club can only do so much, and no one has any material advantage here. The USGA tightly defines what we manufacturers can do with grooves and face texture, and modern manufacturing techniques allow all of us to push those limits ever closer. And we all do. End of story.
Then there’s the topic of bounce and grinds, the most complex and confusing part of the wedge formula. Many top brands offer a complex array of sole configurations, all of them admittedly specialized to a particular kind of lie or turf conditions, and/or a particular divot pattern.
But if you don’t play the same turf all the time, and make the same size divot on every swing, how would you ever figure this out?
The only way is to take any wedge you are considering and play it a few rounds, hitting all the shots you face and observing the results. There’s simply no other way.
So, hopefully this will inspire a lively conversation in our comments section, and I’ll chime in to answer any questions you might have.
And next week, I’ll dive into the rest of the wedge formula. Yes, shafts, grips and specifications are essential, too.
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19th Hole2 weeks agoDave Portnoy places monstrous outright bet for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole2 weeks agoTiger Woods arrives at 2024 Masters equipped with a putter that may surprise you
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19th Hole1 day ago‘Absolutely crazy’ – Major champ lays into Patrick Cantlay over his decision on final hole of RBC Heritage
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19th Hole3 weeks agoReport: Tiger Woods has ‘eliminated sex’ in preparation for the 2024 Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoTwo star names reportedly blanked Jon Rahm all week at the Masters
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19th Hole1 week agoReport: LIV Golf identifies latest star name they hope to sign to breakaway tour
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sandtarped
Jun 23, 2019 at 11:26 pm
Incorporating Power Snatches/Power Clean and Jerk will increase an athletes power output, I do them and it’s paying dividends. Nice article. The only thing that people need to worry about is doing it properly. The move is not just a jump and shrug, it’s a pull to the body and the hip helps accelerate the barbell up. If people knew how to do this more they would be better athletes. Refer to track athletes who have a lot of explosive power – the majority of them do weightlifting exercises.
YouTube search Torokhtiy 2nd Pull, thank me later.
beefcakegolf
May 7, 2019 at 10:09 am
This is golf instruction malpractice.
Bobbyg
May 4, 2019 at 9:59 pm
This is so wrong.
N
May 3, 2019 at 6:59 pm
I’ll never be able to putt with my colon shat out the back of me between my giant elephant thighs
Dr. Common Sense
May 3, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Olympic lifting is one of the worst ways to train for golf right next to yoga. Decompression of the spine, doesn’t respect contralateral recpriocation, doesn’t respect tensgrity or anterior oblique sling. I could go on and on but have to go get ready for my functional patterns session. Great article for encouraging inexperienced golfer to get injured in the gym.
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:24 am
Throwing out the ‘injury’ word is quite simply the easiest way out of any conversation. Is olympic lifting right for every individual, probably not, is it right for someone who is well coached and is looking to create a higher level of performance, I think so. The easiest way to get injured, in my view, is to not do anything all week aside from sit down, drive and work is to rock up on the first tee, have 3 practice swings and have at it (or go check any conventional gym with people doing who knows what kinda movements). I have seen countless people, golfers and otherwise, see tremendous improvements in all areas of fitness, including movement quality, balance etc, from including some form of olympic lifting in their training. The rigidity of only working, and only considering, one way of training people shows a lack of willingness to learn and to appreciate how people function mentally and physically. I’d absolutely recommend everyone go get into a functional patterns session, but I would never limit my perspective to one minimalist approach that will leave individuals restricted in terms of growth.
Ken
Nov 27, 2020 at 11:59 am
I perform dumbbell power clean and press and cat stretch three days a week at 50 to 80 % of my one rep max. I do these movements while doing indoor spinning intervals for 45 mins.
I do have move power in my golf tee shot. I tee off with a 5 or7 wood, and hit 200-250 yard range. I am 5’8″ 190 lbs and 60 years of age
Large chris
May 3, 2019 at 12:36 pm
I don’t believe there is a single successful tour pro who does anything remotely close to proper Olympic lifting, based on their published instagrams, twitter feeds etc.
Olympic lifting is an extremely technical sport requiring enormous dedication and supplementation with way too much potential for injury to be a sensible part of golf specific training.
Rascal
May 3, 2019 at 12:56 pm
Yes, let’s stick to chopping wood.
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:33 am
My other comment was meant for Large chris… if you’re chopping wood and feeling good, have at it!
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:28 am
I think you’ll find this to be incorrect with minimal research, there are a huge number of tour pro’s incorporating oly lifting in some variety. As I mentioned above, the likelihood of injury approach is a very simple thing to say from the outside. I do agree you have to be committed to it, thats where either good coaching or good programming becomes important – there are various forms of lifting that can be used without the technicality. I also think its a great way to get away from golf mentally. just my thoughts, appreciate it.
dillaila
May 3, 2019 at 10:59 am
Ask the guy in the picture how he feels in about 10-15 yrs
Ray
May 3, 2019 at 10:57 am
Yes – for explosive strength and distance. But only good for healthy young people. Very dangerous for older golfers or older, beat to hell, athletes. I power lifted for yrs with some olympic lifts. It took a great toll on my spine and hips. Now, I’m too stiff and with arthritis and degenerative spondylosis of the spine to ever=n think of these movements or going heavy. Now its a full time job to stay limber and out of pain. I’m still a gym rat, but can’t push it like this. If I could reverse time, I would avoid these lifts.
Better to be born bigger and athletic with natural strength and speed. No need to kill yourself..
NOT SUSTAINABLE…..
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:32 am
Hey appreciate your input. I think we are blurring the lines a little here though as powerlifting, however seriously, is different to supplementing your golf fitness training with some olympic lifts and supplementary lifts. Using the correct lifts at correct weights can indeed increase performance and its the specific usage and volume of these lifts that can, and will, aid short and long term performance. stay loose my friend.
T
May 3, 2019 at 10:44 am
KJ Choi is about the only guy who was able to convert from heavy lifting to golf.
But look at him now – thin and strong, not like a power lifter any more.
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:36 am
yeah this is a good point! and similar to above, don’t confuse serious powerlifting with supplementing olympic lifting into a golfers fitness program. olympic lifters are generally the most mobile, and often very lean, individuals around. Using the correct volume and load you are unlikely to add any unnecessary bulk whatsoever. Powerlifting is working into max squats, deadlifts etc. Again extremely useful in the correct situation, but not to be confused between the 2!
Bobby C
May 3, 2019 at 6:04 am
Moderation. Crossfit/Oly lifts led to injuries that kept me out of golf over the years. Squat clean (tweaked wrist on the front rack), snatch (tweaked neck and fingers went numb), DB single arm snatch (herniated disk, L/4-5 far lateral), excessive pull ups (chronic elbow tendinitis). I’m CF Cert 1, went to Oly seminars and taught. Good for explosive adaptation but moderate # of reps and weight. I still do Oly lifts but am very careful.
Wil
May 3, 2019 at 10:44 am
Poor form.
Bobby C
May 3, 2019 at 10:03 pm
Perfect form actually. Age. Went for that extra rep or lb. My point is moderation. Oly lifts are the best measure of strength, coordination, power etc, not a 1:1 correlation to golf.
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:40 am
Hey Bobby, appreciate this and its a big factor in terms of what I am trying to do. the correct implementation of the right lifts at the right times, appropriate volume and good technical awareness are very important in terms of how this can be used successfully. Seems like you have a tough ride though!
Tiger Noods
May 2, 2019 at 6:31 pm
I say to that:
Kiradech Aphibarnrat.
Rascal
May 2, 2019 at 11:35 pm
What does one’s physique have to do with one’s strength? Preconceptions?
I say to you:
Butterbean
Michael
May 7, 2019 at 2:45 am
there are always exceptions, no doubt – he wants to get better though: https://www.golfchannel.com/article/golf-central-blog/asias-john-daly-losing-weight-hitting-gym
not sure what he’s doing now, pretty sure the last time I saw him he maybe hadn’t quite kept this up… everyone makes their own choice, I’ll take lifting and working out over not looking after myself
Nick
May 2, 2019 at 5:32 pm
AMEN