I Took Golf Lessons to Understand My Clients. Here's What Shocked Me.

I want to tell you about the moment I watched myself swing a golf club on video for the first time.

Around half of my clients are golfers. Serious club players, passionate amateurs, visitors to the Algarve who come for the golf and find their way to the studio in between rounds. After 13 years of teaching Pilates, I know that you cannot truly help a body unless you understand what you are asking it to do. So I decided to take golf lessons.

My only previous knowledge of golf was crazy golf!

What Happened in the Lesson

The instructor was patient. He worked on my grip, my stance, my swing. He gave me feedback. I listened carefully. I genuinely thought I was doing what he was asking.

Then he recorded me taking a swing and put the video up on a screen next to a video of a professional golfer.

I was not doing what he was asking!

I thought I was rotating. I was not rotating. I thought I was using the power of my whole body. I was not. My shoulder was doing something it absolutely should not have been doing. The difference between what I felt I was doing and what I was actually doing was genuinely shocking to me, and I say that as someone who has spent 13 years teaching people to understand their own bodies.

I felt it in my body too. All of the movements required for a golf swing. The demands on the thoracic spine, the hips, the shoulders, the core. I had completely underestimated golf. Completely. It gave me a new found respect for every golfer I have ever worked with, because it is genuinely challenging in ways that are not obvious from the outside.

What Golf Actually Demands From Your Body

Rotation is the foundation. The ability to rotate the thoracic spine, the mid and upper back, is one of the most important physical qualities a golfer can have. Without it, the body compensates by over-rotating the lower back, which is both less powerful and significantly more likely to cause injury. Most golfers I see in the studio have far less thoracic rotation than they need.

Hip mobility is the engine. The downswing is initiated from the hips, and the ability to dissociate the hips from the upper body, to rotate them independently with control, is what separates a powerful, consistent swing from one that leaks energy and puts stress on the wrong places.

Core stability is what holds it all together. Not the kind of core strength you build doing sit-ups. What the golf swing needs is deep, functional core stability: the ability to maintain a stable centre while the limbs move powerfully around it. This is, essentially, the entire premise of Pilates.

Shoulder stability and mobility matter more than most golfers realise. The follow-through places significant demands on the shoulder joint, and a shoulder that lacks both stability and range of motion will compensate in ways that reduce power and increase injury risk over time.

What Happens When Golfers Train on the Reformer

The results are consistent and, for many people, genuinely surprising. Rotation improves. The thoracic spine unlocks. The hips open. The swing becomes longer, freer, and more powerful, not because the golfer is trying harder, but because the body is finally able to do what the swing demands of it.

Back pain, which is almost epidemic among golfers, reduces or disappears. Not because we are treating the back directly, but because we are addressing the restrictions and imbalances that were causing the back to compensate and overwork in the first place.

I've had clients tell me their handicap dropped after starting Pilates. I've had others tell me they can finally play without pain for the first time in years. I've had golfers who came in completely sceptical leave as total converts. That never gets old.

Come and Try It

If you're a golfer in the Algarve and you haven't tried Reformer Pilates yet, come and give it one session. Tell me about your game, where you feel restricted, what hurts. Come with an open mind.

I think you'll be glad you did.

Victoria x

FAQ

Is Reformer Pilates good for golfers?

Yes, and significantly so. Reformer Pilates directly addresses the physical demands of golf: thoracic rotation, hip mobility, core stability, and shoulder function. Golfers who train consistently on the Reformer typically see improvements in swing rotation, distance, and consistency, alongside a reduction in the back pain that is common among regular players.

Can Pilates improve my golf swing?

Yes. The golf swing requires the ability to rotate the thoracic spine, dissociate the hips from the upper body, maintain a stable core, and control the shoulder joint through a full range of motion. Reformer Pilates trains all of these qualities directly. Many golfers notice improvements in their swing within a few weeks of regular sessions.

Where can golfers do Pilates near Quinta do Lago and Vale do Lobo?

Reformer Pilates Algarve is based in Almancil, approximately 10 minutes from Quinta do Lago and 12 minutes from Vale do Lobo. It is a boutique studio with small group classes and private 1:1 sessions, and a significant proportion of clients are golfers from the surrounding area.

Does Pilates help golf back pain?

Yes. Back pain in golfers is almost always caused by restrictions and imbalances in the thoracic spine, hips, and core that force the lower back to overwork and compensate. Reformer Pilates addresses these restrictions directly. Many golfers find that back pain reduces or disappears entirely after a period of consistent Reformer training, not because the back is being treated directly, but because the body is finally moving the way the swing demands.

Is Reformer Pilates good for golfers with injuries?

Reformer Pilates can be adapted for most injuries and physical limitations. If you have a specific injury or concern, mention it when you book or when you arrive. The Reformer is one of the most adaptable pieces of equipment in existence, and in 13 years of teaching, very few situations have required more than a simple modification.

How often should a golfer do Reformer Pilates?

Once a week is a good starting point and will produce noticeable results over time. Twice a week accelerates the process. Many golfers in the Algarve combine a weekly group class with an occasional private 1:1 session to work on specific aspects of their movement that relate directly to their game.