The Best Exercises for Golfer’s Elbow – How To Get Rid of It for Good

Golfer’s elbow sucks. I had it three years ago, and it sidelined me for weeks—maybe even a couple of months. If you're going through it now, I feel your pain. The good news? I haven’t had it since. In this post, I’ll break down exactly what golfer’s elbow is, how you get it, and the exercises for golfer’s elbow that helped me recover and stay pain-free.

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What Is Golfer’s Elbow?

Golfer’s elbow is inflammation of one or more tendons on the inside of your elbow (the medical term is medial epicondylitis). It’s a form of tendonitis that typically flares up when you put too much stress on your arm—usually from swinging a club too often without enough strength and conditioning.

And it’s not just golfers. Anyone doing repetitive gripping or wrist flexion can end up with this nagging pain.

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When and Why It Happens

Most cases of golfer’s elbow show up in early spring—just when we’re getting back out after a long offseason. Your body isn’t ready for the sudden spike in swing counts, and the tendons protest. Or maybe it hits during peak season when you're playing the most golf you'll play of the entire year.

The core reason? Your swing count outweighs your strength level. Muscle strength alone doesn’t protect you—tendons need their own targeted training.

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Where It Hurts

Golfer’s elbow pain is located on the inside of the elbow. If your pain is on the outside, that’s usually tennis elbow—but either way, the same exercises can help both conditions.

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How to Fix It – Exercises for Golfer’s Elbow

Let’s get into the actual golfer’s elbow exercises that helped me recover—and have kept me injury-free for the past three years.

Step 1: Rest

First things first: rest. I hate to say it, but you’ll probably need to pause your golf swings for a couple of weeks. Every swing right now just irritates that tendon more.

Step 2: Blood Flow Is Your Friend

To recover faster, we want to increase blood flow to the injured tendon. Here are the 4 key exercises that work:

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1. Forearm Roller – Flexion and Extension

• Attach a light weight (2.5 lbs works great) to a string and bar.

• Roll the weight up by flexing the wrists, then down slowly.

• Flip the bar and roll the opposite direction to target both the top and bottom forearm muscles.

✅ Do 5–10 reps per direction, more if your fitness allows.

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2. Forearm Wheel – Radial and Ulnar Deviation

• Use a forearm wheel with the same light weight.

• Rotate the wheel upward to the top, then control it back down.

• Flip directions and repeat for balance.

✅ Again, 5–10 reps per direction. High reps, low weight = better blood flow.

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Long-Term Recovery and Prevention

Once the pain is gone, don’t stop—shift to strengthening.

• Swap out the light weights for something heavier.

• Repeat the same movements, now with the goal of building muscle & tendon strength/durability and long-term protection.

This program is exactly what I’ve used for 3 years, and I haven’t had golfer’s elbow since.

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Final Thoughts

Golfer’s elbow is brutal—but it’s beatable. With a little rest, consistency, and the right exercises for golfer’s elbow, you’ll get back to swinging pain-free. And if you stay on this program, you might never get it again.