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Hip pain from golf: the lead and trail hip, impingement, labral tears, walking and what helps

Hip pain in golfers is less common than back pain, and it usually comes from the hip joint or the tendons around it rather than anything dangerous. As you swing through, the lead hip turns inward fast and further than it can standing upright, so a pinch at the front of the lead hip points to impingement or, from mid-life, arthritis; the trail hip does the hard pushing, and in elite golfers it more often showed a cam shape and labral tears on MRI. The bony point on the outside of the hip that aches after a hilly round is usually the gluteal tendons. A shorter, smoother swing, a buggy and fewer holes usually help while it settles.

This guide starts with the signs that need a 999 call or accident and emergency (A&E), such as a fall on the course and a leg you can't put weight on, or chest pain while you walk, and those that need a general practitioner (GP) or the National Health Service's 111 line (NHS 111) the same day, such as a hot, swollen hip with a high temperature or a child with a limp. It then maps the causes by where it hurts, explains what the swing and walking studies show about the lead and trail hip, the lead foot and the buggy, and gives a four-stage plan with a 3D demo of every move, ending with the golf warm-up and a step-by-step return to 18 holes.

4-stage exercise planWhen to get help42 sourcesUpdated 28 October 2026

When to get help first

Exercise is for pain that has been checked or is clearly mild and settling.

Get urgent medical help if

  • Call 999 or go to A&E: severe hip pain after a fall or injury, or you cannot stand, walk or put weight on the leg. In an older adult this can be a broken hip; the leg may be at an odd angle or look shorter. Don't drive yourself.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E: tingling or loss of feeling in the hip or leg after an injury.
  • Ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 if you have severe hip pain that started suddenly but you've not had a fall or injured your hip, your hip is swollen and feels hot, the skin around your hip has changed colour, or you have hip pain, feel generally unwell and have a high temperature (although not everyone has one) or feel hot, cold or shivery. A hot, swollen hip with a high temperature can be a joint infection.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E if your child gets sudden pain in their hip, knee or thigh (hip problems can sometimes be felt in the thigh or knee) or cannot put any weight on their leg. If your child is limping, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111 the same day. This applies to teenagers too, and in some children knee pain is the only sign.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E if you have sciatica on both sides, weakness or numbness in both legs that's severe or getting worse, or numbness around or under your genitals, or around your bottom (anus); if you find it hard to start peeing, cannot pee or cannot control when you pee; or if you do not notice when you need to poo or cannot control when you poo, and this is not normal for you. These could be symptoms of a serious back problem that needs to be treated in hospital as soon as possible.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E now if you have a femoral hernia (a small lump at the top of your thigh, in your groin) and very bad tummy pain, you feel sick or you're being sick, you cannot fart or poo, you have a high temperature or you feel hot, cold or shivery, or you've suddenly become confused. Do not drive to A&E. With any other hernia and pain in or around it, a bloated tummy, feeling or being sick, vomiting blood or vomit that looks like coffee grounds, constipation, a high temperature or feeling hot, cold or shivery, or sudden confusion, get help from NHS 111.
  • Same day, and stop running now: groin or front-of-hip pain in a runner, sometimes felt in the thigh or knee, that builds with running, hurts with every step or at night, or hurts when the hip is turned to the end of its range. Keep weight off the leg, using crutches if you have them, and get an urgent GP appointment or help from NHS 111 the same day: a stress fracture of the hip (femoral neck) needs urgent imaging.
  • Call 999: chest pain that feels tight or like squeezing on your chest; chest pain that's spreading to your arms, neck or jaw; severe difficulty breathing (you're gasping, choking or not able to get words out); lips or skin that are pale, blue or grey (on brown or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands); or someone who has passed out and is not responding normally. It could be a heart attack. Don't drive yourself to A&E.
  • Get help from NHS 111: pain or tightness in your chest, neck, shoulders, jaw or arms that comes and goes, often brought on by exercise, stress, emotion or cold and easing after a few minutes' rest. It can be angina, a sign of a heart problem. If you've been diagnosed with angina, get help from NHS 111 too if it feels worse than before, is happening more often, lasts longer or happens when you're resting.
  • Call 999 or go to A&E: a foot or leg that is suddenly cold, pale, numb, weak or very painful without an injury. A sudden loss of blood supply is a vascular emergency.

See a doctor or physiotherapist if

  • Hip pain that stops normal activities or disturbs sleep, keeps getting worse or keeps coming back, or has not improved after 2 weeks of looking after it at home.
  • Stiffness lasting more than 30 minutes after waking.
  • Bone pain that is constant or worse at night, especially with a lump, unexplained weight loss, fever or tiredness, or a past history of cancer.
  • Hip or groin pain that hasn't settled after 6 weeks, especially with a normal X-ray, or new hip pain if you take high-dose steroids, drink heavily, or have sickle cell disease or lupus: ask your GP about an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scan and a hip specialist. It can be avascular necrosis, which an X-ray can miss early on.
  • See a GP if you have pain and stiffness for more than a week, especially if you're over 50, it's in both shoulders (often the neck and hips too) and the stiffness lasts longer than 45 minutes in the morning. It can be polymyalgia rheumatica.
  • A lump in the groin, upper thigh or tummy, especially one that appears when you cough or strain and goes when you lie down: see a GP, as it may be a true hernia. A femoral hernia (a small lump at the top of the thigh, mainly in women over 50, though it can happen to anyone) needs treating in hospital.
  • A lump in your groin with hip or groin pain: contact your GP. For pain or swelling around your testicles, ask for an urgent GP appointment or get help from NHS 111.
  • Outer hip pain that hasn't improved within 6 weeks of following this advice, or that gets worse: talk to a GP or physiotherapist. In many areas you can refer yourself.
  • Painful catching or locking deep in the groin, or a hip that gives way: get it assessed.
  • Buttock or leg pain, heaviness or tingling that comes on when you stand or walk and only eases when you sit or bend forward, or the distance you can walk keeps shrinking: see a GP or physiotherapist (possible spinal stenosis). Leg weakness that is getting worse, or numbness around your genitals or bottom, is urgent (above).
  • Pain, tingling or numbness spreading below the knee that isn't settling after a few weeks, is getting worse or stops your normal activities: see a GP.
  • Leg ache when you walk that goes after a few minutes' rest: possible peripheral arterial disease (narrowed leg arteries), especially if you smoke or have diabetes.

Where does it hurt?

Location narrows the likely causes; it does not diagnose.

A deep pinch at the front of the lead hip or groin as you turn through impact or hold the finish, and when sitting low or bending deeply

Possibly hip impingement, especially under about 50.

Read: Hip impingement (FAI) →

Deep groin pain with clicking, catching or locking, or a feeling the hip may give way

Possibly a labral tear, alone or with impingement. Tears are also common on scans of hips that don't hurt.

Read: Hip labral tear →

A deep ache in the trail hip at the top of the backswing, or in the groin, in a young or elite golfer

The hip joint: in elite golfers' scans, cam shape and labral tears were more common in the trail hip.

Read: Hip impingement (FAI) →

Groin, front of the hip or thigh from mid-life, stiff for under 30 minutes in the morning, worse walking the course

Usually hip osteoarthritis. Golf usually carries on.

Read: Hip arthritis →

The bony point on the outside of the hip, worse walking hills, on stairs, lying on that side and crossing your legs

Usually the gluteal tendons, often called hip bursitis.

Read: Outer hip pain →

The inner thigh near the groin after a slip, a bunker shot or a wide, awkward stance

Usually a groin (adductor) strain.

Read: Groin strain →

A lump in the groin, bigger when you cough or strain

A possible hernia: see a GP, and the warning signs for a painful one.

Read: Groin pain →

The front of the hip when you lift the knee: climbing into the buggy or up steep slopes

Usually the hip flexors.

Read: Hip flexor pain →

The buttock, or pain down the leg below the knee, often with a stiff back

Often the lower back or a nerve. Our back pain from golf guide covers the back.

Read: Back pain from golf →

Buttock or leg heaviness walking the course that eases when you sit in the buggy or bend forward

Possibly spinal stenosis, which becomes more common from about 60.

Read: Lumbar spinal stenosis →

Walking in general, on or off the course

Our hip pain when walking guide maps the hip joint, the outer hip and the back.

Read: Hip pain when walking →

A child or teenager with hip, thigh or knee pain or a limp

Hip pain in a child should always be checked: see the warning signs and our children's hip pain guide.

Read: Hip pain in children →
Show all 15 areasShow fewer areas

After a fall on the course, especially in later life, and you can't put weight on the leg

A possible broken hip: call 999, as the warning signs say.

Read: Broken hip →

After a hip replacement

Most golfers return; your surgical team's plan comes first.

Read: Hip replacement →

After keyhole hip surgery (hip arthroscopy)

Most golfers return in small studies; your surgical team's plan comes first.

Read: Hip arthroscopy →

Understand it

How common it is, and what nobody has countedEmerging evidence

No study counts the causes of hip pain in golfers. In 910 amateur golfers (median age 60) followed for a season, hip and groin problems came at 0.25 a golfer a year with 0.77 days of golf lost, against 1.26 and 5.93 for the lower back. In 1,170 male golfers, 9.7% had right hip pain and 8.5% left hip pain in the past week; complaints were a little higher on the right, the trail side for most. At a European Tour event, 19.3% of 109 male professionals reported hip pain, and painful lead and trail hips were about equally common (11.9% and 9.1%); a larger cam shape and older age went with worse hip scores.

The NHS lists the common adult causes: a strain or tendonitis after intense or repetitive exercise, osteoarthritis from about 45 with pain worse walking, bursitis on the outside of the hip, a fracture after a fall, and, rarely, a joint infection with a hot, swollen hip and a high temperature.

Sources 1, 2, 3, 4

The lead hip turns, the trail hip pushesEmerging evidence

As you swing through, the lead hip turns inward fast: peak speeds of about 228 degrees a second, against 145 for the trail hip turning outward, in 15 college golfers. The lead hip used about 35 degrees of inward turning in the downswing, more than its full range measured standing upright, though about 85% of its range measured in the golf set-up posture.

The trail hip does the heavy pushing. Trail hip extensor torque was the largest hip load in 20 golfers, the trail leg took about 40% more load than the lead leg in 17 older golfers (a conference abstract), and modelled forces in replaced hips were 5.1 times body weight in the lead hip and 6.6 in the trail hip, below jogging. Professional golfers with limited inward turning at the hip moved their lower backs more in the swing. These are small lab studies.

Sources 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10

Elite golfers' hips on MRI: more findings in the trail hipEmerging evidence

In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans of 55 elite golfers, a cam shape (extra bone at the front of the ball of the hip) showed in 7 trail hips and 2 lead hips, and labral tears in 37% of trail hips and 16% of lead hips. That is the reverse of what the lab studies of the lead hip might suggest. Many of these hips didn't hurt, so a finding on a scan isn't proof of the cause.

Sources 11, 3

Walking the courseStrong evidence

Walking 18 holes took about 12,000 steps on three public courses, and 11,245 to 16,667 steps in a review, against about 6,280 riding a buggy. In 16 young competitive golfers, a walked round was 17,007 steps against 6,274 riding, with no change in club or ball speed. Intensity is light to moderate for most golfers, which is good exercise, but a lot of walking for a sore hip.

Sources 12, 13, 14, 15, 16

The rarer causes that need other careEmerging evidence

A hernia can cause a lump in the groin or upper thigh that may get bigger when you cough and smaller when you lie down. A femoral hernia, a small lump at the top of the thigh that mainly happens in women over 50 though it can happen to anyone, needs treating in hospital. In a child, hip pain is often irritable hip, which usually gets better in 1 or 2 weeks, but sudden pain or a limp needs help straight away, as the warning signs say. A joint infection (septic arthritis) is rare and urgent: sudden severe pain in a joint, which is hot and swollen, often with a high temperature, although not everyone has one. A broken hip after a fall, especially in later life, needs 999.

Sources 17, 18, 19, 20, 4

When a scan or test mattersEmerging evidence

Most hip pain in golfers is recognised from the story and an examination. The AAOS describes an examination test for impingement (the knee brought up towards the chest and turned inward) and X-rays for the bone shapes. An X-ray shows arthritis and impingement shapes; an MRI scan, sometimes with dye, looks at the labrum when surgery is being considered. Scans mislead on their own: as our hip labral tear guide reports, a review found tears in 54% of people without hip pain, and many elite golfers' tears were painless. A hip that hasn't settled after 6 weeks with a normal X-ray needs the MRI the warning signs describe.

Sources 21, 11

How it usually goesEmerging evidence

No study follows golfers' hip pain without surgery. Our hip impingement guide gives exercise-based treatment at least 3 months before surgery is considered, and outer hip pain often takes months to settle, as our outer hip guide says.

After keyhole hip surgery (hip arthroscopy), 90 of 95 golfers returned across 4 small series: 20 tour professionals were back at a mean of 4.7 months, and 28 of 29 amateurs at 7.2 months, with pain falling from about 7 to 2 out of 10. After a hip replacement, about 90% of golfers returned in pooled studies. In 1,097 UK golfers with a hip replacement, about a quarter were hitting irons at 6 weeks and 80% were in club competitions at 6 months, with handicaps about one shot higher, and the authors found a buggy helped early on. In a US handicap database, golfers were back in about 62 days and played a little more often than before. No one can promise a date.

Sources 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28

What helps, and how strong the evidence is

Keep moving, but don't overdo it: the NHS adviceStrong evidence

The NHS says it's best to keep moving if you can but try not to overdo things, don't carry anything heavy, don't sit in low chairs, wear comfortable, shock-absorbing shoes with a soft sole, and use ice and painkillers if you need them. Physiotherapy, injections and, for a damaged joint, a hip replacement come later if needed.

Source 4

Exercise comes first for impingement and labral painStrong evidence

The AAOS lists activity changes, anti-inflammatory painkillers and physical therapy before surgery for impingement, and says specific exercises can improve the hip's range and strengthen the muscles that support it; our hip impingement and labral tear guides give exercise at least 3 months. NHS inform's hip exercises pace the work, building to a maximum of 2 sets of 15.

No trial has tested exercise for hip pain in golfers. In golfers without pain, an 8-week golf exercise programme improved hip strength and flexibility (15 golfers, no comparison group), the golf warm-up raised lead hip outward-turning strength more than a sham warm-up, and a lead-hip foam rolling and dynamic stretching routine raised its inward turning at once. These suggest the hip responds to training, not that training prevents pain.

Sources 21, 29, 30, 31, 32

The lead foot, the stance and a shorter swing: untested for the hipMixed evidence

Turning out the lead foot is a common tip, but no study has measured its effect on the hip. An open lead foot cut lead knee rotation by 28% in 16 amateurs; turning the lead foot out changed knee twisting only with one knee replacement design; and a student study of 5 golfers found no group change in pelvic turn with a flared stance, concluding that flare shouldn't be seen as a universal remedy. So a little more flare when the lead hip pinches is our suggestion, untested at the hip. Our knee pain from golf guide covers the lead knee.

In a lab study of 15 golfers, a taught swing with less turn cut lead hip inward-turning loads by 43% and its other main loads by about a fifth, at the cost of about 2 metres a second of club speed. Nobody has tested it for hip pain.

Sources 33, 34, 35, 36

A buggy and fewer holes while it's soreEmerging evidence

Riding a buggy roughly halves the steps of a round without changing the swing, and golfers coming back after a hip replacement found a buggy helped. Experts encourage walking the course when you can, so the buggy is a tool for a sore spell, not for good (our suggestion).

Sources 14, 13, 27, 37

After hip surgery: most golfers play againEmerging evidence

About 95% of golfers returned after hip arthroscopy, though in only 4 small series, and about 90% after a hip replacement. One NHS trust lists golf among the activities you can return to 3 to 6 months after a hip replacement, the AAOS names golf among the lower-impact activities that suit a replaced hip, and an older survey found surgeons permitted golf and saw no more complications in golfers. Your surgical team's timeline comes first.

Sources 22, 23, 24, 26, 27, 38, 39, 40

Golf and arthritisMixed evidence

No study shows that golf wears out hips. In 1,170 male golfers, hip and other joint complaints were at levels the authors judged similar to the general population, and among people with osteoarthritis, 128 golfers reported less distress and better general health than non-golfers (an association; healthier people may be the ones who play).

Sources 41, 2

How much pain is OK while you exercise?

Up to about 5 out of 10, settling within an hour; a pinch means a smaller turnEmerging evidence

This guide uses the hip hub's rule. During the exercise, pain up to about 5 out of 10 is acceptable. It should settle within an hour or so, and your hip should be no worse that night or the next morning. If it is, do less next time (fewer repetitions, a smaller range, a lighter load), not nothing.

NHS inform's hip exercises use the same band (0 to 3 out of 10 is minimal pain, 4 to 5 acceptable and 6 to 10 excessive), and say your pain should be no worse the morning after you've exercised. If pain climbs week after week, or a warning sign appears, stop and get it checked.

Chest discomfort that comes on with effort, such as brisk walking or stairs, and eases within a few minutes of rest, or feels tight, squeezing or heavy, or comes with breathlessness, sweating or feeling sick, is not a pain-rule question: that is how angina and heart attacks behave. Stop, and follow the warning signs.

For golf (our suggestion, built on the same rule, on our hip impingement guide's advice to work up to the pinch rather than through it, and on a hospital's interval golf programme): a deep pinch at the front of the hip at impact or in the finish means a smaller turn, a little more lead foot flare or a three-quarter swing for now, not pushing through it; a dull ache that settles within an hour is fine. Judge a round or range session by that evening and the next morning, and add holes, walking or full swings only when the last session was within the rule. Catching or locking, the hip giving way, or pain at night that doesn't ease aren't pain-rule questions: see the warning signs.

Sources 29, 42

The exercise plan: 4 stages

Start at the first stage. Each move opens a full guide with a 3D demo.

Stage 1

Settle: ease the swing and the walking, keep the hip moving

About the first 1 to 2 weeks. Keep moving without overdoing it, as the NHS advises, with hip strength that doesn't pinch. Putting, chipping and a few holes with a buggy can carry on within the pain rule (our suggestion).

Standing wall-press hip abduction demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding wall-press hip abductionBeginner · A wall

3 to 5 holds of 5 to 15 seconds each side, twice a day: the standing hold in the LEAP trial programme. · The move page's dose; it suits the outer hip in particular, as in our outer hip pain guide. Keep the standing hip level, as the move page says

Easier: Supine isometric hip abduction (belt press) · Harder: Lateral band walk

Glute bridge demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoGlute bridgeBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 sets of 10 · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial)

Easier: Pelvic tilt into bridge · Harder: Single-leg glute bridge

Clamshell demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoClamshellBeginner · No equipment

2 sets of 10 to 12, small range · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial). Leave it out while the outer hip hurts at night, as the move page says

Easier: Supine isometric hip abduction (belt press) · Harder: Lateral band walk

Hip windshield wipers demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoHip windshield wipersBeginner · No equipment

10 slow reps, stop before any pinch · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial)

Easier: Supine heel slide · Harder: 90/90 switch

Single-leg stand demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoSingle-leg standBeginner · A wall

3 holds of 20 to 30 s each leg, fingertips on a support · As in our labral tear guide (editorial); the lead leg takes your weight through impact

Easier: Tandem stance and heel-to-toe walk · Harder: Single-leg reach matrix

Treadmill walking demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoTreadmill walkingBeginner · Cardio machine

5 to 10 min, several times a day, on the flat · Editorial, as in our back pain guides; the move page gives no dose. Hills and 18 holes wait

Harder: Treadmill jogging

Move on when: Walking 20 to 30 minutes on the flat, putting and chipping are within the pain rule, and the hip is no worse the next morning (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.
Stage 2

Build: hip strength on one leg

About weeks 2 to 6, 2 or 3 sessions a week: the strength and single-leg control our hip impingement guide builds, with the hinge of your address position.

Lateral band walk demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoLateral band walkBeginner · A band

3 sets of 10 to 15 steps each way · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial)

Easier: Hip abduction machine · Harder: Lateral band walk, band at the feet

Step-up demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStep-upBeginner · A step

3 sets of 8 each side · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial)

Easier: Low step-up · Harder: Dumbbell step-up

Dumbbell goblet squat demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoDumbbell goblet squatIntermediate · A dumbbell

3 sets of 8 to 10, to a box set above pinch depth · As in our hip impingement guide (editorial)

Easier: Bodyweight squat · Harder: Barbell front squat

Single-leg Romanian deadlift demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoSingle-leg Romanian deadliftAdvanced · A dumbbell

3 sets of 6 to 8 each side, fingertips on a wall at first · As in our hip impingement and labral tear guides (editorial)

Easier: Dumbbell Romanian deadlift

Knee side plank demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoKnee side plankBeginner · No equipment

3 holds of 15 to 30 s each side · As in our outer hip pain guide (editorial); lie on the good side first

Harder: Side plank

Hip-hinge practice demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoHip-hinge practiceBeginner · No equipment

2 sets of 10 · As in our hip pain guide (editorial); a club along your spine, as in our golf warm-up

Harder: Kettlebell deadlift

Move on when: These are controlled and within the pain rule, half swings with a short iron are comfortable, and 9 holes with a trolley or a buggy leave the hip no worse the next morning (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.
Stage 3

Turn on one leg: control for the swing

About weeks 6 to 10, 2 or 3 sessions a week: turning the pelvis over a standing leg, as the lead hip does through impact, and pushing and turning from the trail leg, in the pinch-free range.

Hip airplane demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoHip airplaneAdvanced · No equipment

2 sets of 3 to 5 each side, holding a support, in the pinch-free range · As in our hip impingement and labral tear guides (editorial). With pain at the front of the standing hip, keep to the opening turn, as the move page says

Easier: Single-leg stand · Harder: Single-leg Romanian deadlift

Standing hip CARs demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding hip CARsBeginner · A wall

3 slow circles each way with each leg, 20 to 30 seconds a circle · The move page's dose (an editorial starting point). Stop short of a pinch, as the move page says

Easier: Hip circles on all fours · Harder: 90/90 hip lift-off

90/90 switch demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demo90/90 switchIntermediate · No equipment

10 slow switches, pause at the ends · The move page's dose. Only in the pinch-free range; leave it out if it pinches

Easier: Reclined figure four (eye of the needle, Sucirandhrasana) · Harder: 90/90 hip lift-off

Reverse lunge with rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoReverse lunge with rotationIntermediate · No equipment

2 sets of 5 each side, turning over the front leg · Editorial, from our golf warm-up's 5 each side; the move page gives no dose

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Deficit reverse lunge (from a platform)

Cable press and rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoCable press and rotationIntermediate · A cable machine

2 to 3 sets of 8 to 10 each side, light and slow, pivoting on the back foot · As in our twisting guide (editorial); the move page gives no dose

Easier: Half-kneeling Pallof press · Harder: Cable wood chop

Move on when: These are within the pain rule, three-quarter swings with middle irons pass the rule for a week, and the hip is no worse the next morning (editorial).

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.
Stage 4

Back to golf: the golf warm-up, then the steps back

From about weeks 6 to 10, as the hip allows, then for good: the golf warm-up before every round and range session, and a step-by-step return from putts and chips to 18 holes walked, by the written steps below. The warm-up comes from a trial in teenagers for back pain and is untested for the hip, though it raised lead hip strength. How golf comes back for the hip is our suggestion.

Standing march demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding marchBeginner · No equipment

2 to 3 min, brisk · As in our golf warm-up (editorial); or walk briskly to the first tee

Easier: Seated march · Harder: Standing band hip flexion

Standing hip CARs demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding hip CARsBeginner · A wall

10 turns onto your lead leg, a hand on the club, stopping short of a pinch · As in our golf warm-up: the trial's lead-hip turn

Easier: Hip circles on all fours · Harder: 90/90 hip lift-off

Standing trunk twist demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoStanding trunk twistBeginner · No equipment

5 each way, a club across your back, feet wider than your shoulders · As in our golf warm-up: the trial's hip and trunk turn

Harder: Cobra pose (Bhujangasana)

Hip-hinge practice demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoHip-hinge practiceBeginner · No equipment

10, a club along your spine · As in our golf warm-up: the trial's hinge

Harder: Kettlebell deadlift

Overhead side bend demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoOverhead side bendBeginner · No equipment

5 each side, the club in both hands overhead · As in our golf warm-up: the trial's side bend

Easier: Seated overhead side bend · Harder: Overhead lat stretch at a bench (elbows on the bench)

Reverse lunge with rotation demonstrated on the 3D figure3D demoReverse lunge with rotationIntermediate · No equipment

5 each side, turning over the front leg · As in our golf warm-up. Leave out the warm-up's jump while the hip is sore

Easier: Reverse lunge · Harder: Deficit reverse lunge (from a platform)

Move on when: Our suggestion: 18 holes walked and your usual range sessions pass the pain rule for 2 weeks; then hilly courses, more rounds a week and competition, one at a time. Keep two strength days a week (the stage 2 and 3 moves, or our golf strength workout), and drop back a step for a few days after a flare.

Follow along: a timer, a cue and the next move, one step at a time.

What to change for now

Your golf for now (written steps)

Our 3D figure can't show the buggy, the stance or a lesson. These steps come from NHS and NHS trust pages, lab and survey studies of golfers and our hip guides; where a step is our suggestion, it says so. None has been tested for hip pain.

  • 1. Keep moving, without overdoing it, and don't carry anything heavy (the NHS). Putting and chipping can carry on within the pain rule (our suggestion).
  • 2. A buggy or a trolley, and fewer holes: riding roughly halves the steps of a round. Push a trolley rather than carry, and play 9 flat holes before 18 or a hilly course (our suggestion).
  • 3. The lead foot: if the front of the lead hip pinches at impact or in the finish, try turning the lead foot out a little more (our suggestion; untested at the hip, as the studies measured the knee or found no group change in pelvic turn).
  • 4. A shorter, easier swing: a three-quarter backswing and a smoother tempo, letting the trail heel come up in the finish (our suggestion). A shorter-turning swing cut lead hip loads in a lab study.
  • 5. The trail hip: if it aches at the top of the backswing, a shorter backswing and a little trail foot flare are worth trying (our suggestion; elite golfers' trail hips more often showed a cam shape and labral tears).
  • 6. Bending to the ball: avoid deep squats to tee up, read putts or fetch the ball while the front of the hip pinches; use a hinge or the golfer's lift our hip pain when bending guide describes (our suggestion).
  • 7. Lies and slopes: avoid steep slopes, deep bunkers and awkward stances while it's sore (our suggestion).
  • 8. Shoes and chairs: comfortable, shock-absorbing shoes with a soft sole, and no low chairs in the clubhouse or the car (the NHS).
  • 9. After a hip replacement: follow your team's timeline. One NHS trust lists golf at 3 to 6 months; start with putting and chipping and use a buggy at first.
  • 10. A lesson, once you're back: a coach can adjust your stance, foot flare and turn to suit your hips (our suggestion).

Sources 4, 14, 27, 33, 35, 36, 11, 38

How golf comes back (written steps)

No trial has tested a return to golf after hip pain. The order follows a hospital's interval golf programme written for the shoulder, which runs every other day and moves on only when the last session was pain-free with no soreness the next day; the amounts for the hip are our suggestion.

  • 1. Putting and short chips, every other day.
  • 2. Half swings with short irons, then three-quarter swings with middle irons.
  • 3. Long irons and woods, then the driver.
  • 4. 9 flat holes with a buggy or a trolley, then 9 walked, then 18.
  • 5. Hilly courses, more rounds a week and competition, one at a time.
  • 6. If a session flares the hip, drop back a step for a few days rather than stopping.

Source 42

Positions to swap, and why

Habit or positionWhy it mattersInstead
Turning through a pinch at the front of the lead hip at impactThe lead hip turns inward fast and further than its standing range; our impingement guide works up to the pinch, not through it.A shorter, smoother swing and a little more lead foot flare, with turning control on one leg.Try: Hip airplane
Walking 18 hilly holes while the hip is soreThe NHS says don't overdo things, and a round is 12,000 to 17,000 steps.9 flat holes, a buggy or a trolley, and walking on the flat at first.Try: Treadmill walking
Carrying the bagThe NHS says don't carry anything heavy with hip pain.A trolley or a buggy.
Deep squats to tee up or read puttsDeep bending pinches an impinging hip, as our hip impingement guide says.A hinge or the golfer's lift.Try: Hip-hinge practice
Long static hip stretches before you tee offLong static stretching slowed the swing, and stretching hasn't been shown to prevent golf injuries.Moving hip turns in the warm-up.Try: Standing hip CARs
Forcing a figure-four stretch into a pinchOur impingement and labral tear guides keep to the pinch-free range, and the move page says deep hip bending with the leg crossed over needs clearing with your surgeon after a hip replacement.The 90/90 switch within the pinch-free range.Try: 90/90 switch
Lying on the sore side after a round (outer hip pain)It presses on the gluteal tendons, as our outer hip guide says.Lie on the other side with a pillow between your knees.
Low chairs in the clubhouse or the carThe NHS says don't sit in low chairs with hip pain.A higher seat.
Asking for an MRI to find the tearLabral tears are common in golfers' hips that don't hurt.Exercise first; a scan if surgery is being considered.

Routines to follow

Golf warm-up

A 10-minute golf warm-up: brisk marching, then the hip and trunk turns, hinge, side bend, lunge and jump from the one trial of a golf warm-up, twice through.

10 minBeginner9 movesWall

Golf strength and power workout

A 45-minute golf gym session: jumps, a medicine-ball throw and kettlebell swings for power, then squats, hinges, rows, push-ups, fast rotation and carries.

45 minIntermediate14 movesMedicine ball, kettlebell

Hip mobility routine

A 15-minute hip opener: 90/90 switches, windshield wipers, CARs, Cossack squats, frog and pigeon.

15 minIntermediate8 movesWall

Hip strengthening workout: bridges, side hips, single-leg control and balance

A 30-minute session for hips that don't currently hurt: bridges, side-hip work, step-ups and single-leg control, an optional harder block, then balance.

30 minBeginner13 movesWall, band

Glute workout at home

A 25-minute glute workout with bodyweight and a mini band: bridges, clamshells, band walks, kickbacks and lunges.

25 minBeginner9 movesWall, band

Yoga for golfers: a 25-minute rotation, hip and balance class for non-golf days

A 25-minute yoga class for golfers: upper-back and hip rotation done evenly both ways, a hip hinge, one-leg balance, back endurance and forearm stretches.

25 minBeginner18 movesWall, step

Rotation-focused Pilates for golfers: a 25-minute mat and standing class

A 25-minute Pilates class for golfers: upper-back and hip rotation, trunk control, side-hip strength and one-leg balance, done equally on both sides.

25 minBeginner19 movesWall

More moves for this area

Questions people ask

Why does my hip hurt after golf?

Usually a hip that has been turned, pushed and walked more than it's used to. A pinch at the front points to the hip joint (impingement or, from mid-life, arthritis), the bony point on the outside to the gluteal tendons after walking, and the inner thigh to a groin strain. A hot, swollen hip with a fever, or a hip you can't put weight on after a fall, needs help now.

Why does my lead hip hurt when I swing?

The lead hip turns inward fast as you swing through, and further than it can turn standing upright. A pinch at the front of the hip at impact or in the finish is typical of impingement. A shorter, smoother swing and a little more lead foot flare are worth trying, though neither has been tested for hip pain.

Why does my trail hip hurt?

The trail hip does the hard pushing in the swing, and elite golfers' trail hips more often had a cam shape and labral tears on MRI. A deep ache at the top of the backswing can be impingement. A shorter backswing usually helps while it settles.

Can golf cause hip problems?

Golf can bring on or flare hip pain, but no study shows that it wears out hips, and hip complaints in male golfers were at about general population levels. Golfers with osteoarthritis reported better general health than non-golfers with it, though that is an association.

Can I play golf with hip impingement or a labral tear?

Usually, within the pain rule: a smaller turn, a buggy and fewer holes while it's sore, and exercise for at least 3 months, as our hip impingement and labral tear guides say. If surgery is needed, about 95% of golfers returned in 4 small series.

Should I use a buggy or walk?

While the hip is sore, a buggy or a trolley helps: in one study a walked round was about 17,000 steps against about 6,300 riding, with no change in club or ball speed. Walk more holes as the hip settles, because walking the course is good exercise.

What exercises help hip pain from golf?

Hip strength first, such as bridges and standing and side-lying holds, then single-leg control such as step-ups and single-leg deadlifts, then turning on one leg with hip airplanes, with the golf warm-up before you play. Our hip impingement, labral tear and outer hip guides use the same moves. No trial has tested them in golfers.

Should I turn my lead foot out?

It may help if the front of the lead hip pinches at impact, but it hasn't been tested for the hip: the studies measured the knee, and in 5 student golfers a flared stance made no group difference to pelvic turn. Try a little more flare, keep it if the pinch eases, and ask a coach.

How soon can I play golf after a hip replacement?

Follow your team's plan: one NHS trust lists golf at 3 to 6 months. In a UK survey of 1,097 golfers, about a quarter were hitting irons at 6 weeks and 80% were in club competitions by 6 months, and a buggy helped. About 90% of golfers return.

When can I play golf after hip arthroscopy?

Your surgeon's plan comes first. In small series, professionals were back at a mean of 4.7 months and amateurs at 7.2 months, with about 95% returning in all.

When should I see a doctor about hip pain from golf?

Call 999 or go to A&E after a fall if you can't stand or put weight on the leg, and for chest pain on the course. Get an urgent GP appointment or NHS 111 for a hot, swollen hip with a high temperature, and help straight away for a child or teenager with hip pain or a limp. See a GP if it stops normal activities or hasn't improved after 2 weeks, or for a lump in the groin; in the US, call 911 where this page says 999.

Related exercise guides

Other pain guides

Sources

  1. Robinson 2024 · Injuries and illnesses in 910 amateur golfers over a season (cohort study, BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med)
  2. Murray 2023 · Musculoskeletal complaints in 1,170 male golfers (cross-sectional study, BMJ Open Sport Exerc Med)
  3. Dickenson 2016 · Hip pain in 109 professional golfers at a European Tour event (cross-sectional study, BJSM)
  4. NHS · Hip pain in adults
  5. Gulgin 2009 · Hip rotation speeds in the swing in 15 college golfers (lab study, J Sports Sci Med)
  6. Gulgin 2010 · Standing hip rotation and hip rotation in the swing in 15 college golfers (lab study, N Am J Sports Phys Ther)
  7. Foxworth 2013 · Hip joint loads in the swing of 20 young and senior golfers (lab study, JOSPT)
  8. Barnes 2019 · Lead and trail leg loads in the swing of 17 older golfers (lab study, conference abstract, Orthop Proc)
  9. Harada 2023 · Hip loads in the golf swing in 10 people with a hip replacement (modelling study, Sci Rep)
  10. Kim 2015 · Lower back and pelvis movement in 30 professional golfers with limited hip rotation (lab study, Am J Sports Med)
  11. Dickenson 2016 · Hip shape on MRI in 55 elite golfers: lead and trail hips (cross-sectional study, BJSM)
  12. Kobriger 2006 · Steps in a round of golf in 42 golfers (observational study, Mayo Clin Proc)
  13. Murray 2017 · The relationships between golf and health: 301 studies (scoping review, BJSM)
  14. O'Donnell 2026 · Riding a buggy or walking in 16 tournament golfers (randomised crossover study, Eur J Sport Sci)
  15. Zunzer 2013 · Energy use of 66 golfers on hilly and flat courses (observational study, J Sports Sci)
  16. Luscombe 2017 · Physical activity while playing golf: 19 studies (rapid review, BMJ Open)
  17. NHS · Hernia
  18. NHS · Femoral hernia
  19. NHS · Hip pain in children (irritable hip)
  20. NHS · Septic arthritis
  21. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo · Femoroacetabular impingement
  22. Checketts 2025 · Return to golf after hip arthroscopy: 4 studies, 95 golfers (systematic review, Sports Health)
  23. Newman 2016 · Return to tour golf after hip arthroscopy in 20 professionals (case series, Orthop J Sports Med)
  24. Waterman 2018 · Return to golf after hip arthroscopy for impingement in 29 golfers (case series, Arthroscopy)
  25. Ortiz-Declet 2018 · Return to golf after hip arthroscopy in 40 recreational golfers (case series, Orthopedics)
  26. Robinson 2023 · Returning to golf after hip, knee or shoulder replacement: 23 studies (systematic review and meta-analysis, Am J Sports Med)
  27. Hoggett 2022 · Golf after hip and knee replacement in 2,198 UK golfers (survey with handicap records, Bone Jt Open)
  28. Gorbaty 2021 · Golf after joint replacement in 120 golfers' handicap records (cross-sectional study, J Am Acad Orthop Surg)
  29. NHS inform · Exercises for hip problems
  30. Lephart 2007 · An 8-week golf exercise programme in 15 recreational golfers (study without a control group, J Strength Cond Res)
  31. Hamada 2025 · The golf warm-up, physical function and golf performance in the same 45 golfers (randomised trial, BMC Sports Sci Med Rehabil)
  32. Hamada 2024 · Foam rolling and dynamic stretching of the lead hip in 22 golfers (randomised crossover study, J Strength Cond Res)
  33. Stokes 2023 · An open lead foot and lead knee loads in 16 golfers (lab study, J Appl Biomech)
  34. List 2025 · Lead foot turn-out and knee twisting in 11 golfers with knee replacements (lab study, J Exp Orthop)
  35. Engelmann 2026 · A flared stance and pelvic turn in 5 student golfers (lab study, student research journal, Aquila)
  36. Kanwar 2024 · Lower back and hip loads in two golf swing styles in 15 golfers (lab study, Sports Biomech)
  37. Murray 2018 · International consensus statement on golf and health (Delphi consensus of 25 experts, BJSM)
  38. Royal Berkshire NHS Foundation Trust · Advice and exercises after a total hip replacement (physiotherapy leaflet, 2025)
  39. American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, OrthoInfo · Activities after hip replacement
  40. Mallon 1992 · Hip replacement in active golfers (surgeon survey and case series, J Arthroplasty)
  41. Stenner 2023 · Golf, osteoarthritis and general health in 459 Australian golfers (cross-sectional study, J Sci Med Sport)
  42. Massachusetts General Hospital · Interval golf programme (patient handout)

Exercise education, not a diagnosis or treatment plan. It is written from the guidelines and studies listed above; review by a clinician is pending. If your pain follows an injury, is severe, is getting worse, or comes with any warning sign listed on this page, get it assessed. Health disclaimer.