Why Weekend Golfers Should Train Like the Pros: The Power of Periodization

If you’re a weekend golfer or amateur who plays in local leagues, charity scrambles or just loves getting out with friends, chances are your golf training plan looks something like this: play when you can, hit the range a bit where you work through your bag, maybe do some stretching or cardio here and there. Sound familiar?

The problem with this approach is that it leads to inconsistent performance, nagging injuries and missed opportunities to improve. That’s where the concept of periodization comes in.

So, What Is Periodization?

Periodization is just a fancy way of saying: train with a plan that changes throughout the year.

Rather than doing the same practice sessions and workouts (or no workouts) all year long, you divide your year into seasons, each with a specific focus. This way, you can improve faster, stay healthier, ensure that your practice time is leading you to play your best golf when it matters most - like your club championship, your annual buddies’ trip or the big charity scramble.

You don’t need to be a pro to benefit from periodized training. In fact, it’s even more important for busy amateur golfers who have limited time. When every hour counts, having the right focus at the right time makes all the difference.

Let’s break the golf year down into four simple phases and what you should focus on in each:

1. Off-Season: Your Secret Weapon

Most golfers don’t use the off-season wisely - if at all. It’s easy to hang up the clubs when the weather gets cold or the schedule gets tight. But this is actually the best time of year to make real improvements.

You don’t have the pressure of upcoming rounds or tournaments, which means you can focus on building strength and speed but most importantly this is the time of year to make those mechanical swing changes so they are fine tuned and ready to go before next season.

Key areas to focus on:

• Swing work - Learning new concepts and heavy block practice to build trust in the swing

• Strength training 2-3x per week to build muscle, joint stability and speed

• Mobility work to improve rotation and reduce pain (especially in the back and hips)

• Active recovery - take some time away from intense golf to recharge mentally

⛳ Pro Tip: Building even a little strength in the off-season pays off big-time when the season starts - you’ll hit the ball farther, with less effort.

2. Pre-Season: Sharpening the Tools

As spring approaches and the golf season looms, it’s time to ramp things back up. The pre-season is about transitioning from general fitness to golf-specific movements, while slowly increasing your time on the course and range.

Focus On:

• Speed and power training - use medicine balls, jump work or speed swings to prep your body for more explosive movement

• Dialing in your swing - start bringing your off-season changes into real ball flights with more game-like training.

• Structured competitive practice - set goals and measure progress (e.g., improve putting drills, hit a certain number of greens per round)

• Rebuilding routines - whether it’s your warm-up, your mental game or your course strategy, now’s the time to refine it to incorporate the new swing changes.

⛳ Pro Tip: Don’t try to do everything at once. Focus on 1–2 key areas in the pre-season so you can hit the ground running without overwhelm.

In-Season: Maintain Your Game Without Burning Out

This is the part of the year when you’re playing the most—maybe a couple of rounds a week, some tournaments or just regular weekend play. During this time, the goal isn’t to make big changes or crush yourself in the gym. It’s about maintaining what you’ve built and staying sharp.

Focus On:

• Short and efficient workouts (1–2x/week) to maintain strength and mobility

• Tracking stats - even just fairways hit or number of putts per round can help identify where to focus your limited practice time

• Targeted practice - focus on scoring areas like putting, chipping and approach shots based on what your stats are showing.

• Recovery - don’t overlook sleep, hydration and basic stretching to avoid injuries

⛳ Pro Tip: 30-minute practice sessions 2–3 times a week are more effective than one big range session with no plan.

4. Peaking: Play Your Best When It Counts

Got a big event on your calendar? Maybe it’s your member-guest tournament, a weekend golf trip or your annual club championship. Peaking means being at your best physically and mentally when it really matters.

Focus On:

• Back off volume: Don’t over-practice or overtrain right before a big event. Keep your swing and body feeling fresh.

• Game-like practice: Do pressure drills, play more on the course and simulate scoring situations.

• Mental prep: Build confidence by visualizing great shots, reviewing what’s working and sticking to your routine.

⛳ Pro Tip: Two weeks before your big event, shorten your workouts, focus on feel over fixes and play more rounds rather than grinding at the range.

Why Periodization Works for Amateurs

You’re not training for the PGA Tour - but you are training for your own version of “major tournaments”: maybe it’s beating your personal best, winning your league or just playing pain-free on the weekends.

Here’s what periodization helps you do:

• Avoid injuries and burnout

• Train smarter in less time

• Make meaningful improvements during the right time of year

• Play your best when it counts

The best part? It doesn’t require hours in the gym or endless range sessions. Just a little structure and intention.

Wrapping It Up: Train Like a Golfer

You don’t need to train like a tour pro - but you can think like one.

By breaking your golf year into phases (off-season, pre-season, in-season and peaking), you give yourself a smarter, more efficient path to improvement—without sacrificing your weekends, your job or your body.

So next time you’re thinking about how to lower your handicap or finally win that club championship, don’t just swing harder - train smarter.

Want Help Getting Started?

If you’re not sure how to build a simple year-round plan that fits your schedule, it all starts by booking a New Student Assessment where we can see where you are and where you want to go and help you develop a long term plan to hit your goals!