Because women have less muscular strength than men, they are not able to generate the same club head speed, which allows them to hit golf balls with more "power" or greater distance. Studies like the National Children and Youth Fitness Study noted that after puberty, men continue to develop muscle mass and strength to a significantly larger degree than women. However, women can improve muscles size and strength with exercise, including in the important core area, which is critical to the rotation needed to create a powerful golf swing.
Lunges with Dumbbells
According to biomechanics sport researcher Dr. Ben Kibler, men use a more efficient "push-through" motion during the striking skill, using larger muscles to accelerate the hip and trunks, while women use a "pull-through" motion, which takes more effort because of the smaller muscles used. Increasing the size of your hip and thigh muscles will help you get more muscle into your golf swing. One excellent exercise for building thigh muscles is the lunge with dumbbells.
Stand with your feet slightly farther apart than shoulder width and take a stride forward, keeping your torso straight, then bending your knee and lowering yourself as far as you can, using your upper leg to raise and lower yourself. Depending on your strength, start without weights, and then add dumbbells. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions per set, with three sets per workout.
Oblique Crunches
Your upper body rotation during the club takeback and forward swing is critical to generating the acceleration that creates club head speed. In addition to flexibility in your core, you'll want muscle strength to bring your trunk forward, into the shot, with maximum power. Strengthening the muscles on the front side of your trunk will help you improve this movement.
Lie on your side, with your knees bent and top leg on your bottom leg. Place the arm closest to the floor behind your head. Raise your head and trunk as far off the floor as possible using only your oblique muscles, which are on the front and side of your torso. Hold the crunch for one second, and then manually lower yourself using your muscles. Switch sides and repeat. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions per set, with three sets per workout. You can vary this exercise by trying to lift your legs as your raise yourself.
Squats
To improve your hip strength, try squats. You can perform squats with weights on your shoulder, dumbbells in your hand, or with only your body weight. Stand with your feet slightly farther than shoulder width apart. Begin to lower yourself by moving your buttocks backward, keeping your torso straight. Lower yourself as low as possible using your muscles, not gravity. Pause one or two seconds, then slowly raise yourself up, keeping your torso straight. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions per set, with three sets per workout.
Hip Thrusts
Combine hip and abs strengthening with hip thrusts. Lie on your back and cross your legs at the ankles. Raise your legs straight up so they are perpendicular to the floor, where they will remain for the duration of the exercise. Raise your hips off the floor by pulling your abdominal muscles in and pushing off the floor with your lower back. Perform 10 to 15 repetitions per set, with three sets per workout.
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