Improve Your Golf with Hot Tub Therapy
Can using a hot tub improve your golf game? Golfers are always on the lookout for ways to improve their game, whether through better equipment, refined techniques, or enhanced physical conditioning.
But what if the answer to better performance, injury prevention, and quicker recovery was as simple as soaking in a hot tub?
While this may sound too good to be true, scientific evidence and expert opinions suggest that hot tubs could play a surprising role in enhancing your golf experience.
In this article, we’ll explore how hot tubs can benefit golfers both before and after a round of golf. We have looked into this as we get many golfers asking us at our Hot Tub Showroom in Surrey.
Hot Tubs Have The Warm-Up Advantage For Golf
A proper warm-up is essential for any golfer aiming to play their best and avoid injury.
Using a hot tub before heading to the course can help loosen tight muscles and increase joint mobility, both of which are critical for an effective swing.
Warm water immersion raises your body temperature, improving blood flow to your muscles and joints, which enhances flexibility and reduces stiffness.
For golfers, this translates into better posture, a smoother swing, and a decreased risk of strains or tears.
The British Medical Journal highlights that effective warm-ups—including activities like stretching and muscle relaxation—significantly lower the risk of golf-related injuries.
Combining this with a hot tub session creates the optimal conditions for a powerful and precise swing.
Hydrotherapy Jets for Targeted Relief
Golf involves repetitive movements that place strain on specific body parts, particularly the back, shoulders, and wrists.
Before a game, using the hydrotherapy jets in a hot tub to massage these areas can provide localised relief. We have many quality hot tub models on demo at Pools & Spas Windelsham, and look forward to showing you.
By loosening key muscle groups, golfers can approach their game with increased confidence and reduced discomfort.
Golfers Post-Round Recovery with a Hot Tub
The trend of ice baths for muscle recovery has gained traction in recent years, but research suggests that hot water immersion may be the better option for most golfers.
According to Men’s Health (July 2024), a recent study found that hot water immersion significantly improves explosive strength and reduces muscle soreness.
Unlike ice baths, which primarily numb pain, hot tubs promote active recovery by improving circulation and relaxing muscles
Golfers often experience soreness in the days following an intense 18 or 36 hole game, a phenomenon known as Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS).
Research published in Swimming World Magazine reveals that hot tub therapy accelerates the flow of nutrients and oxygen to stressed muscles, speeding up the healing process and reducing stiffness.
For golfers aiming to return to the course quickly, a post-round soak in a 32Amp Hot Tub can be a game-changer.
Common Golf Injuries and How Hot Tubs Help
According to the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy, common golf injuries include lower back strains, shoulder impingements, and wrist tendinitis.
The twisting motion of a golf swing places significant stress on the spine, while repetitive swings can strain the shoulders and wrists.
Low back injuries account for 15.2% to 34% of all golf injuries, followed by injuries to the elbow (7% to 27%) and shoulder (4% to 19%), and it was found that injury to the wrist accounts for 10% of all golf injuries
Using a hot tub before playing can help prevent these injuries by ensuring muscles are warm and joints are lubricated. Post-game, a soak can alleviate pain and aid in recovery.
The Cleveland Clinic also emphasises that the buoyancy of water in a hot tub reduces joint pressure, while heat loosens tense muscles and lowers blood pressure.
Together, these effects create the ideal conditions for injury prevention and rehabilitation.
Hot Tubs Target Golfers Specific Pain Points
Hydrotherapy jets can be used to target areas most prone to golf injuries. For example:
- Lower Back: Relieves stiffness caused by rotational movements during swings.
- Shoulders: Reduces tension from repeated overhead motions.
- Wrists: Alleviates inflammation from gripping and swinging the club.
The Science Behind the Benefits of Hot Tubs for Golfers
A study from Coventry University, reported in the New Zealand Herald, found that soaking in a hot tub replicates some health benefits of aerobic exercise, such as improved cardiovascular health and reduced inflammation.
These effects make hot tubs particularly beneficial for golfers seeking to maintain their fitness levels and recover between games
Additionally, findings from the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences reveal that golfers who experience fewer injuries are those who prioritise muscle conditioning and warm-up routines—both of which are supported by hot tub therapy.
Hot Tubs Help Adapt to a Changing Golf Swing
The golfing website ‘The Left Rough’ promises ‘easy to understand solutions to your golf problems’.
One particular article published on the site deals with the topic of what they call ‘senior golf’.
This is a reference to the fact that golf is one of the few sports that can be played and enjoyed pretty much regardless of age.
Indeed, many people don’t actually come to the sport to any serious degree until they are in their 50’s and 60’s.
Bearing this in mind, any advice on adapting to the changes in your swing which will almost inevitably come with age are to be valued.
Encouragingly, for those of us in the relevant age bracket, the article points out that the length of your drive may decline with age but your accuracy will increase.
The advice given by the site on the topic of ensuring your swing remains optimally effective even as it changes place a great emphasis on feeling loose and relaxed when approaching the first tee.
The tips include going for a light walk before the round, developing your own stretching routine and, crucially, warming up in a hot tub prior to leaving for the golf course.
As well as the aforementioned benefits of warm water in general, the article suggests using the jets of the hot tub to target those spots you’re most likely to feel when playing golf.
While this particular advice is aimed at ‘senior’ golfers, it’s surely never too early to start looking after your body and ensuring that the muscles in places like your back and shoulders are as loose and limber as possible when the time comes to strike your first ball of the round.
Golf's Mental Game: Relaxation and Focus with Hot Tubs
Golf is as much a mental game as a physical one.
Pre-game nerves can affect concentration and decision-making.
A hot tub session before your round can help you relax, lowering cortisol levels and promoting a focused mindset.
Entering the course feeling calm and confident can make all the difference in achieving your best score
Beyond physical benefits, hot tubs provide a perfect setting for post-round relaxation and camaraderie.
Whether celebrating a great game or decompressing after a challenging round, a hot tub offers a social and therapeutic space for golfers to unwind.
Golfers Tips for Maximising Hot Tub Benefits
- Pre-Game Use: Spend 10-15 minutes warming up in the hot tub, focusing jets on tight areas like the back and shoulders.
- Post-Game Recovery: Soak for 20 minutes to promote muscle relaxation and recovery.
- Stretching Combination: Pair hot tub sessions with dynamic stretching for optimal results.
- Stay Hydrated: Hot tubs can dehydrate you, so drink plenty of water before and after use.
A Golf Pro’s Perspective
Kyle Dobbs is a former professional and University of Michigan golfer, who went on to be founder and owner of the Compound Performance personal training platform.
It’s safe to say that he knows a thing or two about exercise regimes and as long ago as 2013 he was highlighting the positive benefits of a session in a hot tub before a round of golf.
In this article he highlights the common phenomenon of golfers starting a round feeling somewhat on the stiff side, and the impact this can have on their confidence and therefore their game.
Citing the example of someone like Tiger Woods who – in his prime – was likely to have been up since the early hours working out in preparation for a round – he suggests a more practical option for ensuring you arrive at the first tee warmed up and ready is a pre-game hot tub session.
In doing so he offers the example of PGA Tour pro Tom Gillis, who proffered up the hot tub tip during a round on the Professional Golf Tour on a freezing cold morning, during which he was swinging freely and actually taking layers off while everyone else was shivering. Career winnings of $5,229,210 would tend to suggest that – especially when compared to us amateur enthusiasts – Tom knows what he’s doing when it comes to hitting the first tee loose and ready to swing.
The Secret Weapon for Golfers is a Hot Tub
Whether you’re an amateur enthusiast or a seasoned golf pro, integrating hot tub therapy into your golfing routine can enhance your performance, prevent injuries, and speed up recovery.
With benefits backed by science and endorsed by experts, a hot tub might just be the secret weapon your game has been missing. So why not take the plunge and elevate your golf experience today?
