There’s a point in the round where many golfers start to notice it.
Maybe it’s on the back nine.
Maybe it’s after a few swings out of the rough.
It's when your lower back starts to feel tight... a little tired... maybe even uncomfortable.
It's when your swing feels shorter, less fluid, and harder to repeat.
At first, it’s easy to ignore…
But when it keeps showing up, round after round, it’s time to start paying attention to it.
Because in most cases, your lower back isn’t the problem.
It’s just doing more work than it was designed to handle.
Your Lower Back Isn’t Built for Rotation
The golf swing is a rotational movement.
But not every part of your body is meant to rotate the same way.
Your hips and upper back are built to rotate and create motion.
In contrast, your lower back is built for stability.
It can move a little… but its main job is to support and transfer force, not create it.
When everything is working well, rotation is shared across the body.
The hips and upper back do the work.
The lower back stays strong and stable in the middle.
But when something isn’t moving the way it should…
The lower back starts to pick up the slack.
Why Your Lower Back Starts Working Overtime
If your hips don’t rotate well…
Or your body can’t separate your upper and lower half…
Something has to compensate.
And most of the time, that “something” is your lower back.
Instead of rotation being spread out, it gets forced into one area.
Over time, that leads to:
- tightness
- fatigue
- discomfort during or after your round
You’ll usually feel it more as the round goes on.
Early on, your body can manage it.
But by holes 12–18, the areas doing extra work start to feel it.
That’s why your back feels fine on the first tee… and not so great by the end of the round.
What’s Actually Causing It?
When your lower back feels overworked, it’s usually picking up the slack for something else.
That could be:
- hips that don’t rotate well
- poor control of your pelvis during your swing
- limited upper back (thoracic) rotation
- a weak or underused posterior chain
Your golf swing is one connected dynamic movement.
When one area falls behind… another steps in.
That’s why we don’t just look at where it hurts.
We look at how your whole body moves.
Why It Keeps Coming Back
Most golfers try to fix this by:
- Stretching their lower back
- Resting it
- Trying to “loosen it up”
And sometimes that helps for a bit.
But once you get back out on the course, it shows up again...
Because the reason your lower back is overworking didn’t change.
Your body is still asking your lower back to do too much.
What Actually Fixes It
Instead of forcing your lower back to tolerate more…
You need to redisistribue the work it's taking on.
That means:
- improving thoracic and hip mobility so rotation happens there instead of your back
- learning to control your pelvis during your swing
- building strength in your posterior chain to support your posture
When these areas start working together, your lower back doesn’t have to do as much.
Conclusion
Lower back tightness during golf doesn’t always mean something is wrong with your back.
More often, it means your body isn’t sharing the workload the way it should.
Once you understand that, you stop chasing symptoms and start fixing the real problem.
That’s how we approach it at On Point.
We look at how your body moves as a system, so you can swing freely, play longer, and actually enjoy your rounds again.
Because when your body moves the way it’s designed to your swing feels better, your body holds up, and the game gets a whole lot more fun... from the first tee to the last putt.
Dr. Ryan A. DiPrimo
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