Your shoulder strength and flexibility are essential to producing an optimal swing off the tee. Adequate shoulder rotation is responsible for keeping the club in the desirable swing plane. Tightness of your external right shoulder rotation limits your follow through while tightness of your external left shoulder rotation creates restrictions in your backswing.

One of the ways you can make sure that your shoulders are up to the task is to include shoulder exercises in your fitness routine. Fitness is crucial to being a good golfer, so anybody who wants to improve in the sport should be including fitness in their weekly routine.

When adding shoulder exercises, you are focusing on the rotator cuff, which is the set of muscles of your shoulders that allows circular motion. Here is an example of a good pre- round rotator cuff stretch you can do to be sure they are ready for play. Hold your club in the middle of the shaft with one arm extended straight out. Rotate the club to the right, and then to the left. When youve done this, switch to the other arm and repeat the exercise.

If youre in a gym, you can use a cable system to work your rotator cuff muscles through a few simple exercises. Position the cable machine at chest level. Grab the handle with your furthest hand and position your elbow so it is bent and next to your side. Pull the cable across your body, keeping your elbow in the same position. Repeat this with the other arm.

Still using the cable machine, you can perform another exercise to work your rotator cuff muscles. Leave the cable machine positioned at chest level, but grab the handle with your closest hand and position your elbow so it is bent next to your side. Pull the cable across your body, keeping your elbow in the same position. Repeat this with the other arm.

Be sure that when you work your shoulders you try to balance the strength in each shoulder. Having equal strength and flexibility in each shoulder will help you maintain balance and produce a more fluid, consistent golf swing.