Golf is often considered a low-impact sport.

There is no running. No jumping. No repeated cutting like you see in tennis or pickleball.

So why does your knee hurt when you golf?

For many golfers—particularly active adults over 50—the answer has less to do with golf being “bad for your knees” and more to do with the combination of rotation, weight transfer, strength, mobility, walking, and repetition required during a round.

Research examining golf biomechanics has shown that the knees experience substantial forces and complex rotational movements during the golf swing, particularly during the downswing and follow-through.¹

The lead knee—the left knee for a right-handed golfer—is exposed to especially complex loading as the golfer transfers weight toward the target and rotates through impact.¹

That means knee pain during golf should not automatically be dismissed as:

“I’m just getting older.”

And it does not necessarily mean:

“I need to stop golfing.”

A more useful question may be:

“Why is my knee having difficulty handling the demands of my golf game?”

Understanding that difference can help you develop a better plan for staying on the course.

Is Golf Hard on Your Knees?

Golf is relatively low-impact compared with running and many court sports, but low-impact does not mean low-load.

A systematic review examining knee injuries and golf biomechanics found that knee injuries represented approximately 3–18% of golf-related injuries in the studies reviewed, with older golfers appearing to have greater injury prevalence.¹

Researchers have also measured substantial knee joint forces during the golf swing.

Studies involving golfers with instrumented knee replacements have reported tibiofemoral contact forces reaching approximately 3.2 to 4.4 times body weight in the lead knee during the swing.¹

These findings do not mean that swinging a golf club is inherently dangerous.

They demonstrate something important:

Your knees are doing considerably more during the golf swing than simply supporting your body weight.

The knee must simultaneously manage:

• Weight transfer
• Rotation
• Flexion and extension
• Muscle forces
• Ground-reaction forces
• Rapid changes in loading

And you may repeat that movement dozens of times during a round.

Why Does My Lead Knee Hurt When I Golf?

For a right-handed golfer, the lead knee is the left knee.

For a left-handed golfer, it is the right knee.

The lead knee plays a particularly important role during the downswing and follow-through.

As you transition toward impact, your weight moves toward the lead side while your pelvis and trunk continue rotating toward the target.

At the same time, the lead knee moves toward extension while rotational forces are occurring through the leg.

Research has shown that the lead knee experiences rapid extension and substantial tibial internal rotation during the golf swing.¹

Another biomechanical study found that certain swing characteristics—including stance width, weight shift, and shoulder movement toward the target—were associated with changes in loading at the lead knee.²

So if you consistently experience pain in your lead knee during or after golf, it may be worth evaluating more than the knee itself.

Your:

Hip mobility + Strength + Weight transfer + Foot position + Swing mechanics

may all influence what happens at the knee.

7 Common Reasons Your Knees May Hurt When You Golf

1. Your Hips May Not Be Rotating Well Enough

Golf requires significant rotation.

But ideally, that rotation is distributed through multiple areas of the body, including the:

• Hips
• Pelvis
• Thoracic spine
• Shoulders

What happens if your hips don’t rotate well?

Your body still needs to complete the swing.

So it finds movement somewhere else.

That may increase compensatory motion through the lumbar spine, feet, or knees.

This becomes particularly important during the follow-through, when the body is rotating toward the target while the lead foot remains in contact with the ground.

The knee is capable of some rotation, but it is not designed to provide the amount of rotational mobility available through the hip.

If your hip doesn’t provide adequate motion, the knee may be forced to deal with additional rotational stress.

2. Your Lead Leg May Not Be Strong Enough

Golf requires your lead leg to do more than simply hold you up.

During the downswing, weight shifts rapidly toward the lead side.

The muscles surrounding your:

• Hip
• Knee
• Ankle

must help accept and control those forces.

Research examining muscle activity during the golf swing has found substantial activation of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles surrounding the lead knee during the forward swing.¹

That muscle activity helps stabilize the knee while forces move through the leg.

If your quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, or calf muscles are weak or fatigue quickly, your ability to control the lead leg may decrease.

This may become particularly noticeable later in a round.

3. Your Golf Swing May Be Increasing Knee Stress

There is no single “perfect” golf swing for every golfer.

But swing mechanics can influence the forces experienced by your knees.⁶

Research has found that knee loading varies considerably among golfers and that factors such as stance width, weight transfer, shoulder sway, foot position, and individual technique can affect lead-knee mechanics.^1,2

For example, one study of professional golfers found that a narrower stance combined with greater weight shift and shoulder sway toward the target was associated with higher peak knee adduction moments in the lead leg.²

Another study of amateur golfers found that an open lead-foot stance reduced lead-knee rotation, compressive force, and rotational torque compared with a straight stance.³

That does not mean everyone with knee pain should immediately change their stance.

Changing golf mechanics without understanding your individual swing can create problems elsewhere.

But it does suggest that for some golfers, the solution may involve both:

Physical preparation + Appropriate swing modification

Ideally, a physical therapist and golf professional can work together when significant swing changes are being considered.

4. Your Knee May Be Arthritic

Knee osteoarthritis becomes increasingly common with age.

Symptoms can include:

• Stiffness after sitting
• Aching after activity
• Difficulty with stairs
• Reduced knee motion
• Swelling
• Pain during prolonged walking

Golf can expose an arthritic knee to both rotational forces during the swing and cumulative loading from walking the course.

But having knee arthritis does not automatically mean you should stop playing golf.

Exercise remains a cornerstone of evidence-based management for knee osteoarthritis.⁴

The better question is:

How can we improve your body’s ability to tolerate golf?

That may include improving:

• Strength
• Mobility
• Balance
• Walking endurance
• Swing mechanics
• Activity tolerance

An X-ray can show structural changes.

It cannot tell us everything about what you are physically capable of doing.

5. Walking 18 Holes May Be the Problem—not Your Swing

This distinction is frequently overlooked.

Perhaps your knee feels perfectly fine at the driving range.

You hit 60 balls without difficulty.

But after 12 holes on the course, your knee begins aching.

That tells us something important.

Your swing may not be the primary problem.

Walking 18 holes can involve several miles of:

• Walking
• Hills
• Uneven terrain
• Side slopes
• Bunkers
• Repeated stops and starts
• Getting in and out of a golf cart

A systematic review of golf-related knee injury specifically noted that walking the course and negotiating uneven terrain may contribute to fatigue, particularly in older golfers.¹

As the muscles surrounding your hips, knees, and ankles fatigue, your ability to control the forces generated during the swing may also change.

So when evaluating golf-related knee pain, we need to ask:

Does your knee hurt when you swing—or because of everything that happens during an entire round?

6. Your Ankle Mobility May Be Affecting Your Knee

Your feet and ankles also play an important role during the golf swing.

The body rotates from the ground up.

Your feet interact with the ground while the ankles, knees, hips, pelvis, and trunk transfer forces upward.

If your ankle mobility is limited, your body may compensate elsewhere.

That can influence:

• Weight transfer
• Balance
• Rotation
• Squatting mechanics
• Walking tolerance

This is another reason knee pain should not automatically be treated as an isolated knee problem.

Sometimes we need to examine the entire movement chain.

7. Your Body May Not Be Prepared for 18 Holes

Many recreational golfers spend hours working on their golf swing.

Far fewer spend enough time preparing their body to tolerate golf.

Think about what 18 holes may require.

Several hours on your feet.

Multiple miles of walking.

Dozens of full swings.

Practice swings.

Uneven lies.

Bunker shots.

Walking uphill and downhill.

Repeated bending to pick up balls.

Then perhaps another round the next day on a golf trip.

That’s a significant physical demand.

If your normal exercise consists primarily of occasional walking without strength or mobility training, there may be a large gap between your normal weekly activity and what you ask your body to do on the golf course.

Why Does My Knee Hurt During the Golf Swing?

The timing of your symptoms can provide useful information.

If your knee hurts specifically during the swing, consider when it occurs.

Pain During the Backswing

The trail knee helps support rotation and weight shift during the backswing.

Pain during this phase may warrant evaluation of:

• Hip rotation
• Knee mobility
• Foot position
• Weight distribution
• Previous knee injury

Pain During the Downswing

The downswing is one of the most demanding portions of the swing for the knees.

Research has identified the downswing as a particularly stressful phase for knee loading.¹

If pain occurs here, we may need to evaluate how quickly you transfer weight and how your lead leg accepts that load.

Pain Through Impact

At impact, substantial forces are moving through the lower extremities while the pelvis and trunk rotate rapidly.

Pain at this point may be influenced by:

• Lead-knee mechanics
• Weight transfer
• Hip mobility
• Strength
• Foot position
• Swing speed

Pain During the Follow-Through

The lead leg must manage rotation as your body finishes toward the target.

If your hip doesn’t rotate adequately or your lead foot restricts movement, the knee may experience greater rotational demand.

Could My Golf Shoes Be Causing Knee Pain?

Possibly, although footwear is unlikely to explain every case of golf-related knee pain.

Traditional golf shoes provide traction so the feet can interact effectively with the ground.

But there is a balance.

You need enough traction to produce a stable golf swing.

At the same time, the entire lower extremity needs to accommodate rotation.

Earlier biomechanical research comparing spiked and spikeless footwear did not find significant differences in peak knee loads attributable to shoe type alone.⁵

That means switching shoes is unlikely to be a universal solution.

However, comfort, fit, traction, course conditions, and your individual movement pattern still matter.

Can Changing My Foot Position Reduce Knee Stress?

Potentially.

This is one of the more interesting areas of golf biomechanics research.

A 2023 study examined straight versus open foot positions in amateur golfers and found that an open stance reduced several measures of lead-knee loading.

Compared with a straight stance, the open position reduced:

Lead-knee rotational movement by approximately 28%

Compressive force by approximately 5%

Rotational torque by approximately 9%³

Earlier research has also suggested that externally rotating the lead foot may reduce certain knee moments.¹

This could potentially matter for golfers with lead-knee symptoms.

However:

Do not interpret this as a universal prescription to change your golf swing.

Your ideal setup depends on your:

• Knee condition
• Hip mobility
• Golf mechanics
• Balance
• Previous injuries
• Performance goals

For some golfers, a modest adjustment may reduce stress.

For others, changing the setup could negatively affect performance or create compensation elsewhere.

Individual assessment matters.

Why Does My Knee Hurt After Golf but Not While I’m Playing?

This is common.

You may finish 18 holes without much difficulty.

Then you drive home.

You get out of the car and suddenly:

Your knee feels stiff.

Later that evening:

It aches.

The next morning:

Stairs are uncomfortable.

This delayed response can provide useful information about your current activity tolerance.

When evaluating your knee, don’t look only at what happens during the round.

Pay attention to:

During golf → Immediately afterward → Later that day → The following morning

If symptoms consistently remain substantially worse the next day, the total dose of golf may currently exceed your body’s capacity.

That doesn’t automatically mean you should stop.

You may need to modify the dose while improving capacity.

Should I Walk or Ride When My Knee Hurts?

This depends on your situation.

Walking the course provides valuable physical activity.

But if walking 18 holes significantly aggravates your knee, temporarily using a cart may allow you to reduce cumulative walking stress while continuing to play.

You might also consider:

• Riding part of the round
• Walking nine holes
• Playing nine instead of 18
• Avoiding consecutive golf days temporarily
• Using a cart on particularly hilly courses

Think of these strategies as temporary load-management tools, not necessarily permanent restrictions.

Meanwhile, you can work on building the strength and endurance required to walk more comfortably.

Five Ways to Prepare Your Knees for Golf

1. Strengthen Your Legs

Golfers need strong legs.

Important muscle groups include:

• Quadriceps
• Hamstrings
• Gluteals
• Calves

Exercises might include:

• Sit-to-stands
• Squats
• Step-ups
• Split squats
• Calf raises
• Progressive resistance exercises

The goal is not bodybuilding.

It is developing enough strength to control the forces required during your swing and throughout a round.

2. Improve Hip Mobility

Hip rotation is critical for golf.

A mobility program may address:

• Hip internal rotation
• Hip external rotation
• Hip extension
• Thoracic rotation

If your body can distribute rotation more effectively through the hips and trunk, the knee may not need to compensate as much.

3. Improve Single-Leg Control

Golf involves significant weight transfer.

During the downswing and follow-through, the lead leg must accept and control substantial load.

Single-leg exercises may help develop:

• Balance
• Hip control
• Knee control
• Proprioception

A progression might include:

Supported single-leg balance → Unsupported balance → Reaching → Step-ups → Split squats → Golf-specific weight transfer

4. Build Walking Endurance

If your goal is walking 18 holes, train for walking 18 holes.

A golfer who normally walks 20 minutes at a time should not expect several miles of golf-course walking to feel effortless.

Gradually increase:

• Walking duration
• Distance
• Hills
• Uneven terrain

before demanding that capacity during a full round.

5. Practice Golf-Specific Movement

Eventually, your exercise program should look somewhat like the sport you’re preparing to play.

That may include:

• Rotational movements
• Weight shifting
• Balance
• Hip mobility
• Lower-extremity strength
• Controlled golf swings
• Progressive swing speed

General exercise builds the foundation.

Sport-specific exercise helps connect that foundation to golf.

Warm Up Before You Tee Off

Driving to the course, getting out of the car, and immediately hitting a driver is not ideal preparation.

A golf warm-up should gradually prepare the entire body.

Consider:

• Brisk walking
• Calf raises
• Shallow squats
• Hip rotation
• Thoracic rotation
• Weight shifting
• Progressive practice swings
• Short irons before longer clubs

Start gradually.

Then build toward full-speed swings.

What About Golf After Knee Replacement?

Many golfers successfully return to golf after knee replacement.

However, return-to-sport decisions should be individualized.

Golf is generally considered a lower-impact recreational activity, but research demonstrates that meaningful forces and rotational movements still occur through the knee during the swing.¹

The lead knee deserves particular attention because it may experience greater rotational demands and substantial loading.

Your surgeon and rehabilitation team should guide your return based on:

• Healing
• Strength
• Mobility
• Balance
• Surgical factors
• Symptoms
• Overall medical status

Simply being able to walk without pain does not necessarily mean you’re ready for a full-speed golf swing.

When Should Golf-Related Knee Pain Be Evaluated?

Seek appropriate medical evaluation if you experience:

• Significant swelling
• Inability to bear weight
• True locking of the knee
• Repeated giving way
• Significant loss of motion
• Severe pain following a twist
• Redness or warmth
• Fever or other systemic symptoms
• Persistent or progressively worsening pain

You should also consider an evaluation if knee pain repeatedly interferes with golf despite reasonable activity modifications.

What Should a Golf-Specific Knee Evaluation Include?

If your goal is returning to golf, simply examining the painful knee may not provide enough information.

A comprehensive evaluation may examine:

Knee Mobility: Can the knee comfortably bend and straighten?

Quadriceps Strength: Can your lead leg accept and control load?

Hip Strength: Can your hips stabilize your pelvis during the swing?

Hip Rotation: Do you have adequate internal and external rotation?

Ankle Mobility: Can your lower leg and foot accommodate movement appropriately?

Balance: Can you control your body as weight transfers between your legs?

Single-Leg Control: Can your lead leg stabilize your body?

Thoracic Rotation: Can your upper body contribute adequately to the rotation required for the swing?

Walking Capacity: Can you tolerate the physical demands of the course?

Golf Swing: How are you transferring weight and rotating during the actual movement that produces your symptoms?

For golfers, this final piece is important.

If your knee hurts while golfing, eventually someone needs to look at how you golf.

The Goal Isn’t Just to Make Your Knee Feel Better

Suppose you stop golfing for six weeks.

Your knee feels much better.

Are you ready for 18 holes?

Maybe.

Maybe not.

Rest can reduce irritation.

But rest alone doesn’t necessarily improve:

• Strength
• Hip mobility
• Balance
• Walking endurance
• Rotational control
• Golf-specific capacity

If nothing changes except the pain temporarily disappearing, returning immediately to the same amount of golf may recreate the same problem.

A more complete progression may look like:

↓ Reduce irritation

↓ Restore mobility

↓ Build strength

↓ Improve balance

↓ Improve rotational control

↓ Build walking endurance

↓ Practice golf-specific movement

↓ Progress swing speed

↓ Return to full rounds

The goal isn’t simply to calm down your knee.

It is to prepare your body for golf.

Frequently Asked Questions About Golf and Knee Pain

Is golf bad for your knees?

Not inherently. However, golf places meaningful rotational and compressive forces through the knees, particularly during the downswing and follow-through.¹ The lead knee may experience particularly complex loading.

Why does my left knee hurt when I golf?

If you’re a right-handed golfer, your left knee is your lead knee. During the downswing and follow-through, it accepts weight while your body rotates toward the target. Research has shown substantial rotational and loading demands in the lead knee during this portion of the swing.^1,2

Why does my right knee hurt when I golf?

For a right-handed golfer, the right knee is the trail knee. Symptoms may relate to loading during the backswing, hip mobility, knee mobility, foot position, previous injury, or other factors. For a left-handed golfer, the right knee is the lead knee and experiences different swing demands.

Can I play golf with knee arthritis?

Many people with knee osteoarthritis continue playing golf. Exercise is an important component of knee osteoarthritis management.⁴ Your symptoms, physical capacity, medical history, course demands, and goals should help determine appropriate modifications.

Should I use a golf cart if my knee hurts?

Temporarily using a cart can reduce the cumulative walking demands of a round. This may allow some golfers to continue playing while they work on strength and endurance. The appropriate strategy depends on what is provoking your symptoms.

Can opening my lead foot reduce knee stress?

Research suggests that an open lead-foot position can reduce certain measures of rotation, compression, and rotational torque at the lead knee.³ However, stance changes should be individualized rather than used as a universal solution.

What exercises are best for golfers with knee pain?

There is no single best exercise. A golf-specific program may need to address quadriceps and hip strength, calf strength, hip and ankle mobility, balance, rotational control, walking endurance, and golf-specific weight transfer.

Want to Keep Golfing After 50? Train for Golf.

If golf is something you want to continue enjoying in your 60s, 70s, and beyond, your exercise program should help prepare your body for golf.

That means developing more than a good swing.

Your body needs:

• Strength.
• Hip mobility.
• Balance.
• Rotation.
• Walking endurance.
• Weight-transfer ability.
• Lower-extremity control.

And enough physical capacity to repeat those demands for an entire round.

Instead of asking:

“Am I getting too old to golf?”

Ask:

“What does my body need so I can keep golfing?”

Maybe you need more hip rotation.

Maybe your lead leg needs to become stronger.

Maybe you need better balance.

Maybe your walking endurance has declined.

Maybe your swing mechanics are placing unnecessary stress on your lead knee.

Or maybe you’re simply asking your body to tolerate more golf than it is currently prepared to handle.

Those are very different problems from simply being “too old.”

And many of them can be addressed.

At Kriz Mobility and Vitality in Bonita Springs, Florida, we work with active adults who want to continue golfing, playing tennis and pickleball, traveling, exercising, and participating in the activities that matter to them.

For golfers with knee pain, that means looking beyond the painful joint and examining the strength, mobility, balance, walking capacity, and movement mechanics required to play the game.

Because the goal isn’t simply to make your knee feel better while you’re resting.

The goal is helping you build a body that allows you to stay Active for Life.

Move better. Live better. Stay Active for Life.

References

1. Baker ML, Epari DR, Lorenzetti S, Sayers M, Boutellier U, Taylor WR. Risk factors for knee injury in golf: a systematic review. Sports Med. 2017;47(12):2621–2639. doi:10.1007/s40279-017-0780-5.

2. Kim SE, Pham NS, Park JH, Ladd A, Lee J. Potential biomechanical risk factors on developing lead knee osteoarthritis in the golf swing. Sci Rep. 2022;12:22653. doi:10.1038/s41598-022-27160-4.

3. Lee J, et al. Open foot stance reduces lead knee joint loading during golf swing. J Appl Biomech. 2023;39(6):395–402. doi:10.1123/jab.2022-0309.

4. Kolasinski SL, Neogi T, Hochberg MC, et al. 2019 American College of Rheumatology/Arthritis Foundation guideline for the management of osteoarthritis of the hand, hip, and knee. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2020;72(2):149–162. doi:10.1002/acr.24131.

5. Gatt CJ Jr, Pavol MJ, Parker RD, Grabiner MD. Three-dimensional knee joint kinetics during a golf swing: influences of skill level and footwear. Am J Sports Med. 1998;26(2):285–294.

6. Marshall RN, McNair PJ. Biomechanical risk factors and mechanisms of knee injury in golfers. Sports Biomech. 2013;12(3):221–230. doi:10.1080/14763141.2013.767371.