Split Squats for Golfers: Build Unilateral Power and Stability in Your Golf Swing
When it comes to building rotational power and balance in your golf swing, few exercises offer the functional benefits of split squats. This unilateral lower body exercise helps golfers train each leg independently, which is crucial since the golf swing isn’t symmetrical. The transfer of weight, rotation through the hips, and drive off the lead leg all demand strong and stable legs.
Split squats are a cornerstone in our golf performance programs—whether you’re an amateur or chasing scratch, this movement helps you create better ground reaction force, hip stability, and swing consistency.
Why Split Squats Matter for Golfers
Here’s how split squats translate directly to the golf course:
- Unilateral Strength & Motor Recruitment: Training one leg at a time improves strength asymmetries and requires more neural drive, meaning more motor units are firing—critical for building power in the downswing.
- Improved Weight Transfer: The golf swing requires proper load into the trail leg and a powerful shift into the lead leg. Split squats reinforce this pattern under control.
- Better Hip Mobility & Stability: Working through a full range of motion builds strength in end ranges of hip flexion and extension, important for both backswing depth and follow-through rotation.
- Scalable for All Fitness Levels: You can start with a kickstand (toe-down) back leg for support or progress to a rear-foot elevated split squat (RFESS) for greater range and challenge.
How to Perform a Split Squat for Golf
- Kickstand Split Squat
- Start with your back foot resting lightly behind you (toe down).
- Front foot planted, hip-width apart.
- Lower down with control, keeping the torso upright.
- Drive through the front heel to return to standing.
- Rear Foot Elevated Split Squat
- Elevate the rear foot on a bench or low box.
- Lower until your front thigh is parallel to the ground.
- Keep tension in the quads, glutes, and hamstrings of the lead leg.
- Keep your pelvis neutral—no arching or collapsing forward.
Programming Tips
We typically program split squats in the main strength block of our workouts:
- Reps: 6 per leg
- Sets: 3–4
- Tempo: Slow eccentric (3 seconds down), fast concentric (explode up)
- Optional Superset: Contrast with split stance med ball tosses for rotational power.
Split Squats and Golf Swing Translation
In your golf swing, a strong and stable lead leg is your post—it’s what you rotate around and push against to generate clubhead speed. Without stability in that post leg, you may leak power or lose consistency due to sway or slide. Split squats teach your body to control that movement and produce force exactly where it’s needed.
Final Thoughts
Split squats aren’t just a leg day staple—they’re a golf performance essential. Whether you’re in-season or building during the off-season, these should have a permanent place in your golf strength program.
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This exercise is just one of the dozens of targeted golf exercises in our PinSeeker Performance Program—a 6-week, lifetime-access golf workout program designed to build mobility, strength, and power exactly where you need it.
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