The Big Four: Why Golfers Need the Bench Press, Squat, Deadlift, and Overhead Press

While many golfers focus on sport-specific exercises like rotational drills or flexibility routines, they often neglect the basic strength-building movements that can transform their game. The bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press—collectively known as “the big four”—are universally recognized as the foundation of athletic strength. They are highly effective multi-joint movements that have been shown time and time again to increase strength and mobility throughout your entire body. They also happen to be exactly what golfers need to play longer, stronger, and injury-free. When programmed correctly, starting with a light enough weight to learn the movement, and implementing the concept of progressive overload to build strength over time, there are no exercises that will give you more bang for your buck. 

Here’s a deep dive into why these four lifts are essential for golfers and how they directly enhance performance on the course.

1. The Deadlift: Unleashing Power from the Ground Up

The deadlift is often referred to as the king of strength exercises, and for good reason. This movement targets the posterior chain—the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back—while also engaging the core, lats, and grip strength.

Why it’s important for golf:

• Force generation: A powerful golf swing starts with force transferred from the ground through your legs, hips, and core, primarily through hip extension. The deadlift trains this exact chain of movement, through hip extension, teaching your body to generate power from the ground up.
• Injury prevention: Weak glutes or an underdeveloped lower back can lead to poor posture, and compensations during your swing and increase the risk of back injuries. The deadlift strengthens these areas, protecting your spine and improving your ability to maintain proper golf posture.
• Rotational power: The stronger your posterior chain, the more efficiently you can rotate through your swing without losing stability.

Key tips for golfers:

• Focus on form. Hinge at the hips, keep your spine neutral, your arms long, shoulders over the bar for longer than you think, bar in contact with your shins throughout the lift, and feel like you’re pushing the ground away from you.
• Start with lighter weights to ensure proper technique before progressing.
• Variations like Romanian deadlifts or trap-bar deadlifts can offer additional benefits for golfers by emphasizing different aspects of the posterior chain.

2. The Squat: Building Stability and Lower Body Strength

The squat is a full-body exercise that primarily targets the quads, glutes, and core. It’s a cornerstone of athletic training because it builds the foundation for balance, stability, and explosive power.

Why it’s important for golf:

• A stable base: Your swing depends on a stable lower body to anchor rotation and transfer force to the upper body. Strong legs provide that base, and the squat trains your body to hold steady under load. Stronger legs means longer drives
• Improved posture: A well-executed squat strengthens the muscles that support your spine and hips, making it easier to maintain posture throughout your swing.
• Hip mobility: Squats improve hip flexion, extension, and overall hip mobility when done through a full range of motion under control. There is no better “hip opener” than a full range squat under load.

Key tips for golfers:

• Use a full range of motion to maximize strength and mobility gains.
• Front squats can be a great variation for golfers, as they place more emphasis on the core and thoracic spine while being easier on the lower back.
• Don’t rush into heavy weights. Mastering bodyweight squats and progressing gradually to goblet squats and then barbell squats is more beneficial in the long term.

3. The Overhead Press: Strength and Stability for the Upper Body

The overhead press targets the shoulders, triceps, upper back, and core. It’s one of the best exercises for building upper body strength and improving stability under load.

Why it’s important for golf:

• Shoulder strength & stability: The golf swing puts a lot of stress on the shoulders. A strong overhead press helps reinforce the muscles that stabilize your shoulders, reducing the risk of injury.
• Core control: Pressing a weight overhead requires significant core engagement to keep your body stable, mirroring the demands of maintaining posture during a golf swing.
• Thoracic mobility: The overhead press encourages proper alignment and extension of the thoracic spine, which is essential for a smooth backswing and follow-through.

Key tips for golfers:

• Focus on controlled, deliberate movements to maximize stability and strength gains.
• Incorporate dumbbell presses for unilateral training, which can help address imbalances between your dominant and non-dominant sides.
• Avoid leaning back excessively; keep your ribs down and core engaged throughout the lift.

4. The Bench Press: Strength for Upper Body Control

The bench press, often synonymous with raw upper body strength, targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. While it might seem like a movement for bodybuilders, its benefits for golfers are undeniable.

Why it’s important for golf:

• Club control: A strong upper body allows you to maintain control of the clubface throughout your swing.
• Added power: While most of the power in a golf swing comes from the lower body and core, the bench press helps maximize force transfer through the arms at impact.
• Injury prevention: Strengthening the chest and shoulders provides additional support for the rotator cuff, which is often prone to overuse injuries in golfers.

Key tips for golfers:

• Use a controlled tempo, focusing on the eccentric (lowering) phase of the lift to build stability.
• Consider incorporating dumbbell bench presses for greater range of motion and shoulder health.
• Don’t constantly test your max strength, use submaximal loads around 85% of your 1 repetition max for sets of 3-5 to get the most out of the lift.

Why These Movements Matter for Golfers

These four lifts—bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press—are compound exercises that work multiple muscle groups at once. This makes them incredibly efficient for building total-body strength, improving coordination, and enhancing athletic performance.

Here’s how they translate directly to golf:

1.Strength equals distance: A stronger body can generate more force, which translates to greater clubhead speed and longer drives.

2.Stability prevents injuries: A well-balanced training program reduces the risk of common golf injuries, including back pain, shoulder pain, and hip issues.

3.Mobility enhances the swing: Properly performed lifts when done through a full range of motion improve joint mobility and flexibility, making it easier to achieve a full, fluid swing.

4.Endurance maintains consistency: Strength training builds muscular endurance, helping you maintain power and accuracy through all 18 holes.

How to Program the Big Four for Golf

For golfers, strength training should complement skill work and mobility training. Here’s a simple template:

• Day 1: Deadlift (3–4 sets of 5 reps), accessory work for hamstrings and core.
• Day 2: Overhead press (3 sets of 6–8 reps), accessory work for shoulders and thoracic mobility.
• Day 3: Squat (3–4 sets of 5–8 reps), paired with hip mobility drills.
• Day 4: Bench press (3 sets of 6–8 reps), accessory work for chest and triceps.

Pair these sessions with rotational exercises, low intensity cardio, and golf-specific drills in the hitting bay to ensure your training enhances your performance on the course.

Conclusion: Strength is the Missing Link

Golfers don’t just need finesse; they need strength, stability, and power to excel. The bench press, squat, deadlift, and overhead press build the raw athleticism required to hit longer drives, maintain consistency, and avoid injury.

Many golfers think that traditional barbell strength training will lead to injury when quite the opposite is true. If performed with proper technique, preferably under the watchful eye of one of our coaches at SMART Golf, it will lead to decreased chronic pain and help avoid acute injury.

Instead of relying on trendy, golf-specific workouts, build a strong foundation with these proven lifts. The benefits won’t just show up on your scorecard—they’ll show up in your ability to play the game you love for years to come.