13 Common Golf injuries (Prevention & Treatment)

The 13 most common golf injuries, from lower and upper back strain to golfer’s elbow, rotator cuff conditions, tennis elbow and wrist strain.

The swing also causes thumb pain from De Quervain’s tenosynovitis, knee, hip, foot and neck trouble, and every entry names the cause, the warning signs and how golfers lower the risk.

Injury Rates and Numbers

The figures below come from injury surveillance data and peer reviewed studies. Each row names the population it was measured in, because rates from elite athletes and from recreational players are not comparable.

Finding	Measured in	Source
A systematic review pooling seven studies found an overall golf injury incidence of 2.5 per 1,000 athlete exposures, with one exposure defined as a full 18 hole round.	pooled data from 7 observational studies of golfers (amateurs, professionals, and special athletes) in Europe, the USA, Asia, and Australia, underlying studies conducted 2000 to 2022 (approx.); review published 2024	Kuitunen and Ponkilainen, Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971-)
Professional golfers had a pooled injury incidence of 8.5 per 1,000 athlete exposures, more than six times the 1.3 rate seen in amateur golfers.	professional golfers (1 study) versus amateur golfers (5 studies), pooled in a systematic review, review published 2024	Kuitunen and Ponkilainen, Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971-)
Pooled data show a golf injury incidence of 2.6 per 1,000 athlete exposures in women versus 1.4 per 1,000 in men, with no clear sex difference overall.	female golfers (4 studies) versus male golfers (4 studies), pooled in a systematic review, review published 2024	Kuitunen and Ponkilainen, Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971-)
Among golfers tracked at a championship, the lumbar spine was the most commonly injured body region, accounting for 27 percent of all injuries.	140 competitive golfers aged 18 to 72, 95 percent male, at a golf championship in southern Portugal, 2024	Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Golf Athletes, IJERPH 2024
In the same golf championship study, muscle sprain or rupture was the most common injury type, making up 30.9 percent of all recorded injuries.	140 competitive golfers aged 18 to 72, 95 percent male, at a golf championship in southern Portugal, 2024	Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Golf Athletes, IJERPH 2024

Overview

Injury	Body area	Typical time out
Back Strains / Lower / Upper Back Strains and Pain	Lower back	Days to 3 weeks, longer with disc pain
Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)	Elbow	6 weeks to 6 months
Rotator Cuff Conditions	Shoulder	6 weeks to 4 months, 1 yr surgery
Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)	Elbow	6 weeks to 6 months
Wrist Strains	Hand and wrist	2 to 6 weeks, months if torn
General Tendonitis	Multiple tendons	2 weeks to 6 months by stage
Knee Injury	Knee	2 to 6 weeks, 9 months post surgery
De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (Thumb Pain)	Hand and wrist	4 to 12 weeks
Hip Injuries	Hip	2 weeks to 6 months by cause
Foot and Toes Injury	Foot	3 weeks to 3 months, longer for bone
Neck Injury	Neck	Days to 3 weeks, longer with arm pain
Sunburn	Skin	None to 2 weeks if blistered
Getting Hit by Golf Balls	Head and body	Days to 8 weeks by injury
Acromioclavicular Joint Injury and Wear	Shoulder	2 to 6 weeks, 3 to 4 months if surgical
Lateral Ankle Sprain	Ankle	1 to 3 weeks, up to 3 months grade 3
Hamstring Strain	Thigh	2 to 4 weeks, 3 to 6 months if torn off
Adductor Strain (Groin Strain)	Groin	2 to 4 weeks, up to 12 if severe
Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis)	Finger	4 to 12 weeks, 2 to 4 after surgery
Concussion	Head	2 to 4 weeks, longer if symptoms last
Scalp Laceration and Skull Contusion	Head	1 to 2 weeks, longer with concussion
Calf Strain	Calf	2 to 8 weeks, 3 months if complete
Rib Stress Fracture	Ribs	6 to 12 weeks
Hook of Hamate Fracture	Hand and wrist	6 to 12 weeks
Blunt Eye Injury	Eye	1 to 2 weeks, months if the eye is hurt
Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)	Shin	3 to 8 weeks, longer if stress fracture
Jaw Contusion and Temporomandibular Joint Sprain	Jaw	1 to 3 weeks, 4 to 6 if fractured

Back Strains / Lower / Upper Back Strains and Pain

The golf swing loads the lumbar spine with a fast rotation combined with side bending and compression, which strains the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles, the small facet joints between the vertebrae, and the discs. The trail side takes most of it during the downswing, and a swing that turns mainly through the lower back rather than the hips concentrates the load on a few segments. Pooled championship data list the lumbar spine as the most commonly injured region in golfers, at 27 percent of all injuries.

Symptoms

• A dull ache across the belt line that builds over a round and eases with rest.
• Stiffness getting out of the car or out of bed the morning after playing.
• A sharp catch at the top of the backswing or at impact on one side only.
• Pain that spreads into the buttock or down the back of the leg if a nerve root is irritated.
• Difficulty standing upright and bearing weight evenly after a heavy practice session.

How serious it is: Most golf back pain is a muscle or joint strain that settles within weeks and is graded by how much it limits movement rather than by tissue damage. A disc problem with nerve involvement, marked by leg pain, numbness or weakness, is the more serious form and needs assessment.

Typical time out: A few days to three weeks for a simple muscular strain, six to twelve weeks when a disc or facet joint is irritated, and longer if leg symptoms persist. The spread is wide because the same pain can come from a strained muscle or from an irritated nerve root, and only the second one takes months.

See a doctor if: See a doctor without waiting if you have numbness in the groin or saddle area, weakness in a leg or foot, loss of bladder or bowel control, or pain that wakes you at night in complete rest.

What helps

• Keep moving within a pain limit you can tolerate, since prolonged bed rest slows recovery of back pain.
• Rebuild rotation through the hips and thoracic spine so the lumbar segments stop absorbing the twist.
• Progressive loading of the trunk and hip extensors, starting with holds and hinges before adding speed.
• Cut swing volume for a period and use a shorter, slower swing before going back to full range and speed.
• Get physical therapy assessment if pain lasts beyond a few weeks, and imaging only if there are nerve signs or the pain does not follow a mechanical pattern.

Golfer’s Elbow (Medial Epicondylitis)

The common flexor and pronator tendon, where the wrist flexors and pronator teres attach to the bony bump on the inner elbow, becomes painful and degenerative rather than simply inflamed. In golf it is loaded by gripping the club tightly, by wrist flexion through impact, and above all by fat shots where the club catches turf or a mat and the shock travels up the trail arm.

Symptoms

• Pain and tenderness on the bony point on the inside of the elbow.
• Pain when gripping the club, shaking hands or lifting a bag with the palm up.
• A weak grip that gives way when you carry a full carton or open a jar.
• Soreness that spreads down the inner forearm toward the wrist.
• Stiffness in the elbow first thing in the morning that loosens after a few minutes.

How serious it is: There is no standard grading. The mild form hurts only after play and settles overnight, the moderate form hurts during play, and the severe form hurts during everyday gripping and has been present for months, which predicts a slower recovery.

Typical time out: Six weeks to six months, depending mainly on how long the pain has been there before treatment starts. Tendon problems that have run for more than three months typically need a longer loading program than fresh ones, and a full return to competitive volume can take the better part of a season.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you have numbness or pins and needles in the ring and little finger, which points at the ulnar nerve rather than the tendon, or if the elbow gave way with a sudden pop and visible swelling.

What helps

• Progressive strength work for the wrist flexors and pronators, using slow controlled lowering, is the best supported treatment for this tendon.
• Keep playing at a reduced load if pain stays low and settles by the next day, rather than stopping completely.
• Check grip size and grip pressure, and check whether fat shots on a mat are the real cause.
• A counterforce brace on the forearm can reduce pain during play, but it does not treat the tendon.
• Corticosteroid injection gives short term pain relief but is associated with worse outcomes in tendinopathy over months, so it stays an exception rather than a first step.

Rotator Cuff Conditions

The four rotator cuff tendons, most often supraspinatus, run under the bony arch of the acromion and can become painful, degenerative or partly torn. In golf the lead shoulder is pulled across the body at the top of the backswing and again into follow through, which compresses the tendon, while the trail shoulder works hard through impact.

Symptoms

• Pain on the outer upper arm rather than on the point of the shoulder.
• Trouble reaching behind your back or across your body at the top of the backswing.
• Pain lying on that shoulder at night.
• A feeling of weakness when lifting the arm to shoulder height.
• Clicking or catching as the arm passes through the middle of the range.

How serious it is: Ranges from a painful but intact tendon, through a partial thickness tear, to a full thickness tear where the tendon is separated from the bone. Weakness that does not improve with pain relief, rather than pain alone, is what suggests a real tear.

Typical time out: Six weeks to four months for a painful tendon treated with exercise, and six months to a year after surgical repair, because a repaired tendon has to heal to bone before it can be loaded. Age and how much of the tendon is involved shift this a lot.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot lift your arm at all after a sudden strain, if the arm feels dead and weak rather than sore, or if pain wakes you every night for several weeks.

What helps

• A structured rotator cuff and scapular strengthening program, continued for at least three months, resolves most cases without surgery.
• Change the top of the backswing so the lead arm is not forced across the body, and shorten the swing while the shoulder is irritated.
• Load the tendon in the ranges that do not provoke sharp pain, and add overhead work as it settles.
• Referral for imaging if weakness persists after several weeks of good rehabilitation, since a real tear changes the plan.
• Injections may be used to make rehabilitation possible in a very painful shoulder, but they are not a treatment on their own.

Tennis Elbow (Lateral Epicondylitis)

The common extensor tendon on the outer elbow, mainly the attachment of extensor carpi radialis brevis, becomes degenerative and painful. Golfers get it in the lead elbow, where the wrist extensors resist the club twisting in the hands at impact and through divot and rough contact.

Symptoms

• Sharp tenderness on the bony point on the outside of the elbow.
• Pain when lifting a cup, using a screwdriver or straightening the wrist against resistance.
• Pain on the first few holes that eases and then returns worse afterward.
• A grip that feels unreliable, especially out of the rough.
• Aching down the back of the forearm at rest after play.

How serious it is: No formal grades. The difference between mild and severe is duration and how far the pain has spread into daily tasks, and cases lasting longer than three months are the ones that need a patient loading program.

Typical time out: Six weeks to six months, sometimes a year in long standing cases. The wide span reflects how long the tendon has been painful before loading started rather than how bad it felt on day one.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if there is numbness on the back of the hand or a clear loss of strength extending the fingers, which suggests nerve involvement rather than tendon pain.

What helps

• Slow, heavy wrist extensor strengthening, including the lowering phase, done most days over months.
• Reduce club head twisting at impact by checking grip size, shaft and strike quality on the mat or range.
• Cut back on the shots that hurt most, usually long irons out of rough, rather than stopping golf entirely.
• A forearm strap or taping for symptom relief while the strength work runs.
• Corticosteroid injection is a last resort here, since short term relief is followed by higher recurrence over the following year.

Wrist Strains

The lead wrist takes the impact force of the club, and the ligaments on the little finger side, including the triangular fibrocartilage complex, along with the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon, are the structures most often overstretched or torn. Divots, mats and shots from thick rough drive the wrist into forced ulnar deviation, which is where the strain happens.

Symptoms

• Pain on the little finger side of the lead wrist at impact.
• Swelling over the back of the wrist after a long practice session.
• A click or clunk when you turn the palm up and down.
• Weakness gripping the club and a reluctance to take a full divot.
• Aching that lingers for hours after play rather than settling immediately.

How serious it is: Graded like other ligament injuries, from a stretched ligament that stays stable, through a partial tear with more swelling, to a complete tear or a torn cartilage disc where the wrist feels unstable and clicks. Persistent little finger side pain deserves imaging because a missed cartilage or bone injury does not resolve on its own.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a mild strain, two to four months for a partial tear, and six months or more after surgical repair. The span is wide because a strain and a torn cartilage disc feel similar at first but heal very differently.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the wrist is visibly deformed, if you cannot turn the palm up and down, or if pinpoint bone tenderness and swelling persist beyond a week or two, since wrist fractures are commonly missed.

What helps

• Short term splinting during the painful phase, then a return to graded loading rather than long immobilization.
• Switch to shots off a tee and off short grass before returning to rough and full divots.
• Strengthen the forearm rotators and the muscles that control the wrist on the little finger side.
• Check whether a steep, digging angle of attack is driving the wrist into repeated forced positions.
• Imaging if pinpoint tenderness, clicking or instability persist, since ligament and cartilage tears need a specific diagnosis.

General Tendonitis

Repeated golf specific loading can irritate almost any tendon that transmits force from arm to club, most often in the forearm, shoulder and hip. The tissue change is usually degenerative rather than purely inflammatory, which is why the modern term is tendinopathy and why the treatment is loading rather than resting until it stops hurting.

Symptoms

• Pain that starts as a warm up ache, disappears during play, then returns worse afterward.
• Tenderness on a small, specific point rather than across a broad area.
• Stiffness in the first movements of the morning.
• A gradual onset over weeks with no single moment of injury.
• Pain that tracks your practice volume rather than your technique.

How serious it is: Described by stage rather than grade. Reactive tendon pain after a sudden jump in practice volume settles quickly, while a tendon that has been sore for months has structural change and needs a longer program.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks if caught in the first days after a spike in volume, three to six months once the pain has been present for a season. Tendons adapt slowly, which is why the later you start, the longer it takes.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the tendon felt like it snapped or popped, if there is a visible gap or deformity, or if you cannot use the joint at all afterward.

What helps

• Load the tendon progressively, with slow heavy resistance and controlled lowering, rather than avoiding it until it feels normal.
• Reduce total practice volume for a period instead of stopping all activity, then rebuild in steps.
• Track how the tendon feels the morning after, and use that rather than pain during play to decide the next session.
• Address the technique or equipment issue that caused the volume spike, otherwise it returns.
• Physical therapy if the pain persists past six weeks, since generic exercises rarely match the specific tendon.

Knee Injury

The lead knee rotates under load through the downswing while the foot is planted, which stresses the meniscus, the medial collateral ligament and the cartilage behind the kneecap. Golfers also cover several miles of uneven ground per round, which loads the knee independently of the swing.

Symptoms

• Pain on the inner side of the lead knee at or just after impact.
• Swelling that appears hours after play rather than immediately.
• Catching, locking or a feeling that the knee will give way when you turn.
• Difficulty squatting to read a putt or getting up from a crouch.
• Aching down the front of the knee after walking hilly courses.

How serious it is: Ligament injuries are graded one to three, from stretched but stable, through partial tear, to complete rupture with instability. A knee that locks or cannot be fully straightened suggests a mechanical meniscus problem rather than a simple strain.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a grade 1 ligament sprain, two to three months for a grade 2, and six to nine months after a cruciate ligament reconstruction. Meniscus injuries treated with exercise often return sooner than those treated with surgery.

See a doctor if: Get it looked at if the knee swelled within an hour of the injury, if it locks in a bent position, or if you cannot put weight on that leg.

What helps

• Restore full straightening early, since a knee that will not extend stays weak and painful.
• Progressive quadriceps, hamstring and hip abductor strengthening, including single leg work.
• Reduce lead foot friction by allowing the lead heel and foot to rotate, or use a shoe with less aggressive grip.
• Walk shorter or flatter courses while it settles, or use a cart for a period rather than stopping golf.
• Imaging and specialist review if it locks, gives way or stays swollen after several weeks.

De Quervain’s Tenosynovitis (Thumb Pain)

The sheath around two thumb tendons, abductor pollicis longus and extensor pollicis brevis, thickens where they pass over the bony ridge on the thumb side of the wrist, so the tendons no longer glide freely. In golf it is provoked by grip pressure, by the thumb of the lead hand being pressed along the shaft, and by impact forcing the wrist toward the little finger side.

Symptoms

• Pain on the thumb side of the wrist that runs up toward the base of the thumb.
• Sharp pain when you lift a kettle, turn a key or take the club back.
• Swelling or a thickened band you can feel over the thumb side of the wrist.
• A creaking or squeaking sensation as the thumb moves.
• Pain that spikes when you tuck the thumb into the fist and tilt the wrist down.

How serious it is: No formal grades. Mild cases hurt only with the provoking movement, severe cases hurt with any thumb use and can leave the tendons visibly swollen and triggering.

Typical time out: Four to twelve weeks with splinting and load management, longer if the pain has been present for months. Surgical release, which is rarely needed, allows a return over roughly six to ten weeks.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the thumb locks in a bent position, if you lose feeling in the thumb, or if the pain follows a fall on the outstretched hand, which can mean a scaphoid fracture instead.

What helps

• A thumb spica splint that includes the thumb, worn during aggravating activity for a few weeks.
• Loosen grip pressure and move the lead thumb off the top of the shaft, or change to a thicker grip.
• Graded tendon gliding and strengthening once the sharpest pain has settled, rather than indefinite rest.
• Cut range volume, since this condition responds strongly to how many balls you hit per week.
• A single corticosteroid injection into the sheath is reasonably effective here and is one of the few places it is a sensible option, but it is combined with load management rather than used alone.

Hip Injuries

The lead hip rotates hard into internal rotation during the downswing while the trail hip drives from external rotation, which loads the labrum, the gluteal tendons at the outer hip and the deep hip flexors. Where hip rotation is limited by joint shape, the pelvis and lumbar spine take up the difference and both areas start to hurt.

Symptoms

• Deep groin pain in the lead hip during or after the downswing.
• A pinching feeling when you bring the knee up toward the chest and rotate in.
• Clicking or catching deep in the joint when turning.
• Pain on the bony point of the outer hip, worse lying on that side at night.
• Loss of turn, so the swing shortens without you deciding to shorten it.

How serious it is: Ranges from a muscular strain that settles in weeks, through gluteal tendinopathy that runs for months, to a labral tear or hip impingement where the joint shape itself limits rotation. Groin pain with catching and reduced rotation points toward the joint rather than the muscle.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a muscle strain, three to six months for gluteal tendinopathy, and four to six months after hip arthroscopy for a labral tear. The joint problems take far longer than the muscular ones, which is why the range is so wide.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot bear weight on the leg, if the hip catches and locks, or if groin pain came on suddenly with a snap and bruising.

What helps

• Strengthen the gluteals and deep hip rotators through the range the swing actually uses.
• Build hip internal rotation mobility so the lumbar spine stops compensating for a stiff lead hip.
• Adjust the swing so the trail hip and pelvis clear, rather than forcing rotation through a blocked joint.
• Avoid prolonged stretching into pinching positions, since that irritates an impinging hip further.
• Imaging and specialist review for persistent deep groin pain with mechanical catching, since a labral problem needs a specific plan.

Foot and Toes Injury

The plantar fascia, the sesamoid bones under the big toe joint and the metatarsals take repeated load as weight shifts from trail to lead foot in every swing, and again over several miles of walking per round. The big toe of the trail foot rolls into extension through follow through, which loads the joint at its base.

Symptoms

• Sharp heel pain with the first steps in the morning or after sitting.
• Pain under the ball of the foot that worsens through follow through.
• A burning ache across the forefoot late in a round.
• Localized bone tenderness on the top of the foot that gets worse each round, not better.
• Stiffness and pain bending the big toe upward.

How serious it is: Plantar fascia pain and forefoot overload are irritation problems that settle with load management. A stress fracture is the more serious form, marked by pinpoint bone tenderness that worsens with each round rather than easing after warm up, and it requires time off weight bearing loads.

Typical time out: Three weeks to three months for plantar fascia pain, six to twelve weeks for a metatarsal stress fracture, longer for a stress fracture in the navicular or the base of the fifth metatarsal because those heal poorly. The span depends on whether bone or soft tissue is involved.

See a doctor if: See a doctor for pinpoint bone tenderness that gets worse round by round, for the inability to bear weight, or for a foot that is hot, red and swollen with fever.

What helps

• Progressive calf and foot intrinsic strengthening, including heel raises with the toes elevated for plantar fascia pain.
• Reduce walking volume for a period, using a cart on some rounds instead of stopping golf.
• Golf shoes with adequate forefoot cushioning and a rocker that lets the trail toe roll through.
• Off the shelf or custom orthoses can offload a painful area while the tissue settles.
• Imaging if bone tenderness persists, since early stress fractures do not show on a first plain X ray.

Neck Injury

Holding the head still while the trunk rotates underneath it loads the cervical facet joints and the muscles along the side and back of the neck, particularly levator scapulae and the upper trapezius. Golfers who keep the head fixed rather than allowing it to rotate slightly at the top of the backswing put the most rotational strain on those segments.

Symptoms

• A one sided ache from the base of the skull into the top of the shoulder blade.
• Trouble turning the head to one side, so the backswing feels blocked.
• Headache starting at the back of the head after a round.
• Pain that spreads into the arm, with tingling in the fingers if a nerve root is irritated.
• Stiffness that is worst the morning after playing.

How serious it is: Most cases are joint and muscle irritation that settles in days to weeks. Arm pain with numbness or weakness points to nerve root irritation, which takes longer and needs assessment.

Typical time out: A few days to three weeks for a muscular strain, six to twelve weeks when a nerve root is involved. The longer end applies when the pain travels down the arm rather than staying in the neck.

See a doctor if: Seek care urgently for neck pain after a blow to the head, for weakness or numbness in an arm or hand, for problems with balance or speech, or for pain with fever.

What helps

• Keep the neck moving gently within a tolerable range rather than holding it still in a collar.
• Strengthen the deep neck flexors and the muscles between the shoulder blades.
• Allow the head to rotate a little with the shoulders at the top of the backswing instead of locking it on the ball.
• Build thoracic spine rotation so the neck is not the only segment turning.
• Physical therapy assessment if arm symptoms appear or the pain persists past a few weeks.

Sunburn

Ultraviolet radiation damages the DNA in the outer skin layers, producing a delayed inflammatory reaction that peaks many hours after exposure. A round of golf means several hours outdoors with little shade, often with reflection off water, sand and light colored fairways, so the exposed neck, ears, forearms and the back of the hands take a cumulative dose that also raises long term skin cancer risk.

Symptoms

• Red, hot, tender skin that appears several hours after play rather than during it.
• Tightness and stinging when clothing brushes the area.
• Swelling and blistering in more severe cases.
• Peeling skin a few days later.
• Chills, nausea or headache when a large area is affected.

How serious it is: A superficial burn is red and painful and heals without scarring. A deeper burn blisters, and blistering over a large area, or any burn with fever, faintness or confusion, is the severe form that needs medical care.

Typical time out: No time off for a mild burn beyond covering up, three to seven days of avoiding further exposure for a painful red burn, and one to two weeks if there is blistering. Play can usually continue with full sun protection.

See a doctor if: Seek medical care for widespread blistering, for fever, dizziness or confusion after sun exposure, or for any mole or patch on sun exposed skin that changes in size, shape or color.

What helps

• Cool the skin with a cool shower or damp cloth and drink extra fluids in the first hours.
• Plain fragrance free moisturizer or aloe gel for comfort, and leave blisters intact.
• Oral pain relief for the first day or two while the inflammation peaks.
• Broad spectrum sunscreen of factor 30 or higher applied before the round and reapplied at the turn, since one morning application does not last eighteen holes.
• A wide brim hat, a collared or long sleeved UV shirt and sunglasses, which protect the neck, ears and eyes better than sunscreen alone.

Getting Hit by Golf Balls

A struck golf ball carries enough energy to fracture facial and skull bones, rupture the eye, and cause a concussion by accelerating the brain inside the skull. Errant shots, ricochets off trees and cart paths, and standing inside the arc of another player’s swing are the usual mechanisms, and indoor simulator bays add ricochet off screens and walls at close range.

Symptoms

• Immediate severe pain and a rapidly rising lump or bruise at the point of impact.
• Headache, confusion, feeling dazed, or memory gaps around the moment of impact.
• Nausea, dizziness or blurred and double vision.
• A cut that bleeds heavily or a visible dent or deformity.
• Loss of vision, floaters or blood visible in the eye after a facial strike.

How serious it is: Ranges from a simple contusion that resolves in days, through fractures of the hand, forearm or face, to a concussion or eye injury that has lasting consequences. Any strike to the head, face or eye is treated as serious regardless of how the person feels immediately afterward.

Typical time out: Days to two weeks for a simple bruise, six to eight weeks for most fractures, and one to four weeks for a concussion following a graded return protocol, with longer if symptoms persist. The wide span is because the same event can leave a bruise or a skull fracture depending on where the ball landed.

See a doctor if: Get emergency care for loss of consciousness, repeated vomiting, worsening headache, seizure, clear fluid from the nose or ear, any change in vision, or a visibly deformed limb.

What helps

• Stop play immediately after any head strike and do not return the same day, even if symptoms seem mild.
• Medical assessment for any impact to the head, face or eye, and for pinpoint bone pain anywhere.
• Short cooling and a compressive dressing for a limb contusion in the first hours, then gentle movement as pain allows.
• A stepwise return through walking, chipping, half swings and full play for concussion, only advancing while symptom free.
• Prevent it structurally: keep clear of the swing arc, wait until the group ahead is out of range, and call fore immediately.

Acromioclavicular Joint Injury and Wear

The acromioclavicular joint sits at the top of the shoulder where the collarbone meets the shoulder blade. In golf the lead shoulder is driven across the body at the top of the backswing, compressing this small joint, and it can also be injured directly by a fall onto the point of the shoulder on wet ground or from a cart.

Symptoms

• Pain on the bony point at the top of the shoulder that you can put a finger on.
• Pain reaching across the body, which is exactly the top of the lead backswing.
• A visible step or bump on the top of the shoulder after a fall.
• Pain lying directly on that shoulder.
• Aching after a round that is worse in the lead shoulder than the trail one.

How serious it is: Traumatic separations are classified type I to type VI, with types I and II stable and treated without surgery, type III debated, and higher types usually surgical. The non traumatic form is joint wear, which is not graded but is diagnosed by the pinpoint location of the pain.

Typical time out: Two to six weeks for a type I or II separation, three to four months for surgically treated higher grades, and ongoing management with intermittent flares for degenerative wear. The type of injury drives the range far more than the initial pain does.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if there is a visible step or deformity at the top of the shoulder after a fall, or if you cannot lift the arm away from your side at all.

What helps

• A sling for comfort only in the first days after a separation, then early movement.
• Strengthen the scapular stabilizers and deltoid once pain allows.
• Shorten the backswing and avoid forcing the lead arm across the chest while it is irritated.
• Avoid heavy pressing and deep cross body stretching during the painful phase.
• X ray after any fall onto the point of the shoulder, since the treatment depends on the grade.

Lateral Ankle Sprain

The ligaments on the outside of the ankle, mainly the anterior talofibular ligament, are overstretched or torn when the foot rolls inward. Golfers get this walking on sloped lies, in bunkers, on uneven rough or when stepping off a cart path rather than during the swing itself.

Symptoms

• Immediate pain on the outside of the ankle after the foot rolled over.
• Swelling around the ankle bone within a few hours.
• Bruising spreading into the foot over the following days.
• A limp and difficulty pushing off on sloped lies.
• A feeling that the ankle might give way on uneven ground.

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3: grade 1 is a stretched ligament with mild swelling and normal stability, grade 2 is a partial tear with more swelling and some laxity, grade 3 is a complete tear with marked instability.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a grade 1, three to six weeks for a grade 2, and two to three months for a grade 3. The longer end reflects the time needed to restore balance control, not just to settle the swelling.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot take four steps on it, if there is bone tenderness at the back edge or tip of either ankle bone, or if the ankle looks deformed, since those point to fracture.

What helps

• Start weight bearing as pain allows within the first days, since early movement produces better outcomes than immobilization.
• Balance and proprioception training, which is the single best measure against repeat sprains.
• Calf and peroneal strengthening before returning to sloped lies and bunkers.
• A brace or taping for the first months back, which measurably reduces recurrence.
• Assessment if instability or pain persists beyond six weeks, since a missed fracture or cartilage lesion behaves differently.

Hamstring Strain

The hamstring muscles at the back of the thigh tear at the junction between muscle and tendon when they are lengthened under load. In golf this happens most often in the lead leg, which straightens forcefully through impact while the pelvis rotates over it, and also when hurrying up a slope or lunging for a ball on uneven ground.

Symptoms

• A sudden grabbing pain at the back of the thigh during a hard swing or a stride.
• Tenderness along a line at the back of the thigh you can trace with a finger.
• Bruising down the back of the thigh appearing over the next days.
• Pain lengthening the leg, for example bending forward to place a tee.
• Weakness pushing off that leg walking uphill.

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3, from a minor tear with full strength retained, through a partial tear with clear weakness, to a complete tear or a tendon pulled off the sitting bone, which may need surgery.

Typical time out: Two to four weeks for a grade 1, six to ten weeks for a grade 2, and three to six months for a complete tear or a tendon avulsion. Injuries close to the sitting bone take considerably longer than those in the muscle belly.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you felt a pop with immediate inability to walk, if there is extensive bruising with a palpable gap, or if pain sits directly on the sitting bone rather than in the muscle.

What helps

• Begin gentle pain free movement within the first days rather than immobilizing the leg.
• Progressive lengthening strength work, such as slow eccentric hamstring exercises, which lowers reinjury rate.
• Return in stages: walking the course, then chipping and putting, then half and full swings.
• Include hip extension and trunk control work, since the hamstring rarely fails in isolation.
• Imaging or specialist assessment for suspected high tendon injuries, which are the ones that need a different plan.

Adductor Strain (Groin Strain)

The adductor muscles on the inside of the thigh, most often adductor longus at its tendon near the pubic bone, tear when the leg is forced outward under load. The golf swing loads the trail groin as the hips separate at the start of the downswing and the lead groin as it decelerates the pelvis, and a wide stance in a bunker or on a slope adds to it.

Symptoms

• Pain in the inner thigh or groin that is worse squeezing the knees together.
• A pulling sensation at the start of the downswing.
• Tenderness along the inner thigh close to the pubic bone.
• Difficulty getting in and out of a cart or crossing the legs.
• Pain that eases with warm up and returns after the round.

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3 like other muscle strains. Groin pain that has built gradually over weeks, sits right at the pubic bone and does not settle is a different problem from an acute tear and needs assessment, since hip joint and abdominal wall issues present the same way.

Typical time out: Two to four weeks for a grade 1, six to twelve weeks for a grade 2 or a tendon injury near the bone, and longer for chronic groin pain. Chronic cases take longer because more than one structure is usually involved.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the pain came with a pop and you cannot lift the leg, if there is a bulge or cough impulse in the groin, or if deep groin pain persists with restricted hip rotation.

What helps

• Progressive adductor strengthening, including the Copenhagen adduction exercise, which has good evidence for both treatment and prevention.
• Return through narrower stances and reduced swing speed before going back to full effort from awkward lies.
• Address hip mobility and gluteal strength, since a stiff hip pushes load onto the adductors.
• Early gentle activity within a pain limit rather than complete rest.
• Specialist assessment for groin pain lasting beyond six weeks, since hip joint, abdominal wall and adductor problems overlap.

Trigger Finger (Stenosing Tenosynovitis)

The flexor tendon of a finger thickens where it passes through the first pulley at the base of the finger in the palm, so it no longer glides smoothly and instead catches. Repeated forceful gripping of the club, especially with thin or worn grips and high grip pressure, is a typical provoking load in golfers.

Symptoms

• A click or snap as the finger straightens.
• A tender lump in the palm at the base of the affected finger.
• Stiffness worst in the morning, easing after the hand is used.
• The finger locking in a bent position and needing the other hand to release it.
• Aching in the palm after a long practice session.

How serious it is: Commonly staged from mild pain and a nodule without catching, through catching that the finger can self correct, to a finger that locks and must be released by hand, and finally a finger fixed in flexion. The later stages respond less well to conservative treatment.

Typical time out: Golf can often continue throughout. Symptoms typically improve over four to twelve weeks with splinting and load reduction, and a return within two to four weeks after a surgical release.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if the finger becomes stuck in a bent position that you cannot straighten, or if the palm is red, hot and swollen, which suggests infection rather than a tendon problem.

What helps

• A small night splint holding the finger straight, which resolves a good share of early cases.
• Reduce grip pressure and fit thicker or softer grips so the fingers do not have to squeeze as hard.
• Tendon gliding exercises to maintain smooth movement.
• Cut range volume for a few weeks, since this responds directly to how much gripping the hand does.
• Corticosteroid injection into the pulley works well in this specific condition, and surgical release is a reliable option when locking persists.

Concussion

A concussion is a functional disturbance of the brain caused by an impact that accelerates the head, without visible structural damage on standard scans. In golf it comes from being struck by a ball or a club, from a cart accident, or from a fall, and the club head in particular reaches speeds high enough to cause serious injury at close range.

Symptoms

• Headache, pressure in the head, or feeling dazed and slowed down.
• Nausea, dizziness or unsteadiness on your feet.
• Sensitivity to light and noise.
• Difficulty concentrating, or gaps in memory around the event.
• Feeling more emotional, irritable or unusually tired in the days afterward.

How serious it is: Grading systems are no longer used, because early symptoms do not predict recovery well. What matters is whether symptoms are present at all, whether they persist beyond a couple of weeks, and whether there are warning signs of a more serious brain injury.

Typical time out: Most adults recover within two to four weeks, with a stepwise return to golf beginning after the first day or two of relative rest. Recovery takes longer with previous concussions, and symptoms lasting beyond four weeks need specialist assessment.

See a doctor if: Get emergency care for loss of consciousness, a seizure, repeated vomiting, a headache that keeps worsening, unequal pupils, weakness or numbness, slurred speech, or increasing drowsiness.

What helps

• Stop playing immediately and do not return to the course the same day.
• Relative rest for the first day or two, then light activity such as walking, since prolonged complete rest delays recovery.
• A graded return: walking, putting, chipping, half swings, full swings, then a full round, advancing only while symptom free.
• Reduce screen time and cognitive load in the first days if it makes symptoms worse.
• Medical assessment for every suspected concussion, and specialist referral if symptoms last beyond four weeks.

Scalp Laceration and Skull Contusion

A direct hit from a ball or club can split the scalp, which is richly supplied with blood and bleeds heavily, and can bruise or fracture the underlying skull. The scalp wound is the visible part, but the force needed to cause it is also enough to injure the brain beneath.

Symptoms

• Heavy bleeding from a small wound on the head.
• A rapidly rising, tender swelling at the point of impact.
• Headache and tenderness over the bone rather than only the skin.
• Feeling dazed, nauseous or confused, which points to a concussion alongside the wound.
• A soft or boggy area under the swelling, or a visible dent.

How serious it is: A clean scalp cut without any brain symptoms is the minor form. A wound over a boggy or depressed area of skull, or one accompanied by confusion, vomiting or drowsiness, is the serious form and is a hospital matter.

Typical time out: One to two weeks for a simple laceration until the wound is healed and stitches are out, and longer if a concussion or a fracture is also present, in which case the head injury dictates the timeline.

See a doctor if: Go to emergency care for a wound that will not stop bleeding with firm pressure, a visible dent in the skull, clear fluid or blood from the nose or ear, or any confusion, vomiting or drowsiness.

What helps

• Firm direct pressure with a clean cloth to control bleeding, then medical assessment.
• Wound closure within hours, since scalp wounds close best when treated early.
• Assessment for concussion at the same visit, because the two occur together and the wound is the more obvious of the pair.
• Someone should stay with the injured person for the first 24 hours to watch for worsening symptoms.
• Wait for medical clearance before returning to the course, and follow a graded return if a concussion was diagnosed.

Calf Strain

The medial head of the gastrocnemius tears where it meets the tendon in the upper inner calf, usually when the knee straightens while the ankle is pushed into dorsiflexion. Golfers get it pushing off a slope, hurrying between shots, or driving off the trail leg on an uphill lie, and the classic description is a feeling of being kicked in the back of the leg.

Symptoms

• A sudden sharp pain in the back of the lower leg, often described as a hit or a pop.
• Tenderness in a specific spot in the upper inner calf.
• Difficulty pushing off and going up on the toes.
• Bruising tracking down toward the ankle over the following days.
• Tightness and cramping in the calf when walking the course.

How serious it is: Graded 1 to 3 like other muscle strains, from a minor tear with full strength, through a partial tear with a clear defect and limp, to a complete tear. A separate concern is Achilles tendon rupture, which feels similar but leaves you unable to push off at all.

Typical time out: Two to four weeks for a grade 1, six to eight weeks for a grade 2, and three months or more for a complete tear. An Achilles rupture, which can be mistaken for a calf strain, takes six months or more.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if you cannot rise onto your toes at all, if the calf is hot, swollen and painful without an injury, which can indicate a blood clot, or if the pain came with an audible snap at the heel.

What helps

• Early gentle weight bearing within a pain limit, with a heel raise in the shoe for the first days if needed.
• Progressive calf raise loading, starting with both legs and moving to single leg.
• Return to walking the full course before returning to full swings from sloped lies.
• Use a cart for a period rather than stopping golf entirely.
• Urgent assessment if you cannot push off, since an Achilles rupture needs a different treatment path.

Rib Stress Fracture

Repeated pull from the serratus anterior and the external oblique on the lead side of the chest causes a stress reaction and then a crack in a rib, most often in the lateral part of ribs four to six. It is a known injury in golfers who sharply increase practice volume, and it builds over weeks rather than happening in one swing.

Symptoms

• A localized ache on the side of the chest that started vaguely and got sharper over weeks.
• Pain on deep breathing, coughing, sneezing or laughing.
• Pain rolling over in bed at night.
• A point of pinpoint tenderness you can press on the rib.
• Pain at the top of the backswing and through impact that is worse each session.

How serious it is: There is no everyday grading. The distinction that matters is between a stress reaction, where the bone is irritated but not cracked and settles faster, and a completed stress fracture, which needs a full period without loading.

Typical time out: Six to twelve weeks off full swings, sometimes longer if it was played through for months before diagnosis. Return is staged with putting and chipping first, and going back too early is the main reason these recur.

See a doctor if: Seek care for shortness of breath, chest pain that spreads, coughing blood, or a rib injury after a fall or blow rather than gradual onset.

What helps

• Stop full swings for the period needed for bone healing, since this is one of the injuries you genuinely cannot train through.
• Keep breathing deeply and stay active with walking, so the lung bases stay clear.
• Rebuild trunk and shoulder blade strength before returning to full speed.
• Return in stages: putting, chipping, half swings, then full swings, over several weeks.
• Review practice volume and check bone health and nutrition if it happens more than once, since stress fractures are a load and recovery problem.

Hook of Hamate Fracture

The hamate is a small wrist bone with a hook that sticks into the palm on the little finger side, right where the butt of the club sits in the lead hand. A fat shot into hard ground or a mat drives the club handle into the hook and snaps it, and it is one of the classic golf specific fractures.

Symptoms

• Pain deep in the palm on the little finger side, worst gripping the club.
• Tenderness when you press into the base of the palm below the little finger.
• A weak grip, especially on the lead hand.
• Numbness or tingling in the ring and little finger.
• Pain that persists for weeks after a single heavy ground strike and does not improve.

How serious it is: No grading system. The clinically important split is between a fracture caught early, which may heal with immobilization, and one that is missed for months and goes on to non union, which usually means surgical removal of the fragment.

Typical time out: Six to ten weeks in a cast if caught early, and roughly six to twelve weeks after surgical excision of the hook, which is the more common route in golfers because the diagnosis is often delayed.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if palm pain persists more than two weeks after a heavy ground strike, or if the ring and little finger become numb or weak, since the ulnar nerve runs beside this bone.

What helps

• Get imaging early, and specifically ask about this bone, since it is easily missed on standard wrist X rays and often needs a CT scan.
• Immobilization for a fresh fracture, or surgical excision when it has not healed.
• Grip and forearm strengthening once healed, before returning to full shots.
• Fix the strike pattern that caused it, since repeated heavy ground contact is the mechanism.
• Return through short shots and tee shots before playing out of hard ground or thick rough.

Blunt Eye Injury

A golf ball fits almost exactly into the bony eye socket, so it transfers its force directly to the eyeball rather than being stopped by the rim. This can bruise the retina, cause bleeding in the front chamber of the eye, tear the iris, detach the retina, or fracture the thin floor of the socket.

Symptoms

• Immediate pain and watering after a strike near the eye.
• Blurred vision, double vision or a shadow across part of the visual field.
• A sudden increase in floaters or flashes of light.
• Visible blood in the front of the eye, or a pupil that looks misshapen.
• Pain or restriction looking upward, and numbness of the cheek, which suggest a socket fracture.

How serious it is: Ranges from a simple bruise of the surrounding tissue, through a hyphema, which is bleeding in the front chamber and needs urgent care, to retinal detachment or globe rupture, which are sight threatening emergencies.

Typical time out: A week or two for surrounding bruising alone. Any injury to the eyeball itself is followed for weeks and needs ophthalmology clearance before returning to a course, and retinal or socket surgery means months.

See a doctor if: Any change in vision, blood inside the eye, flashes and floaters, double vision, or an irregular pupil after an impact is an emergency. Do not press on the eye and go straight to urgent care.

What helps

• Get an ophthalmology assessment after any impact near the eye, even if vision seems normal at the time.
• Do not rub or apply pressure to the eye, and shield it rather than padding it if the globe may be open.
• Follow the eye specialist’s restrictions exactly, since some injuries need weeks of limited activity to avoid rebleeding.
• Wear impact rated eye protection on simulator bays and when standing near others practicing.
• Prevent it by controlling positions on the course: never stand ahead of or beside a player’s swing arc.

Medial Tibial Stress Syndrome (Shin Splints)

Pain develops along the inner border of the shin bone where the deep calf muscles and the covering of the bone attach, as a response to repeated impact loading. Golfers pick it up from the walking side of the game rather than the swing: several miles per round over uneven and often soft ground, especially after a sudden increase in rounds per week.

Symptoms

• A diffuse ache along the inner edge of the shin, spread over a hand width rather than one point.
• Pain at the start of a walk that eases, then returns worse afterward.
• Tenderness when you run a finger along the inner shin border.
• Mild swelling along the shin after long rounds.
• Pain that appears earlier in each successive round.

How serious it is: Not formally graded. The key distinction is from a tibial stress fracture, which produces sharp pain on one small point rather than a diffuse ache, hurts at rest and needs time off weight bearing.

Typical time out: Three to eight weeks with reduced walking volume, longer if it has run for months. A tibial stress fracture is a different matter and takes six to twelve weeks with a controlled return.

See a doctor if: See a doctor if pain narrows to a single pinpoint spot on the bone, if it hurts at rest or at night, or if the lower leg becomes tight, numb and painful during walking and eases only when you stop.

What helps

• Reduce walking volume for a few weeks, using a cart for part of the round, rather than stopping entirely.
• Progressive calf and foot strengthening, especially heel raises and single leg balance.
• Cushioned, supportive golf shoes and replacing worn out pairs.
• Rebuild walking volume gradually rather than jumping straight back to daily rounds.
• Imaging if pain becomes pinpoint or persists, since an early stress fracture can be invisible on a first plain X ray.

Jaw Contusion and Temporomandibular Joint Sprain

A ball or a swinging club that strikes the side or point of the chin bruises the jaw bone and drives the head of the mandible into the temporomandibular joint in front of the ear, straining its ligaments and disc. A blow to the chin also transmits force into the skull base, so it carries concussion risk in the same event.

Symptoms

• Pain in front of the ear when opening the mouth or chewing.
• Difficulty opening the mouth fully, or a jaw that deviates to one side as it opens.
• Clicking or grating in the joint that was not there before.
• Teeth that no longer meet the way they did.
• Numbness of the lower lip or chin, or a loose or chipped tooth.

How serious it is: A simple contusion with a full range of jaw opening and a normal bite is the minor form. A changed bite, an inability to open the mouth, or numbness of the lip suggests a mandible fracture, which is a hospital matter.

Typical time out: One to three weeks for a contusion or mild joint sprain, and four to six weeks for a jaw fracture, often with dietary restrictions during healing. If a concussion occurred at the same time, that timeline takes precedence.

See a doctor if: See a doctor or dentist urgently if your bite has changed, if you cannot open or close your mouth fully, if the lower lip is numb, or if a tooth is loose or knocked out.

What helps

• Short cooling over the joint in the first hours and a soft diet for a few days.
• Gentle, pain limited jaw opening exercises rather than holding the jaw completely still.
• Assessment for concussion at the same time, since a blow to the chin transmits force to the brain.
• Dental or maxillofacial review for any change in bite or damaged tooth.
• Prevent it by keeping well clear of other players’ swing arcs, which is the mechanism for almost all jaw injuries in golf.

First Aid for Soft Tissue Injuries: PEACE and LOVE

Sports medicine has moved on from RICE. The current guidance, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine in 2019, splits care into the first days after the injury and everything that follows.

PEACE, the first two to three days

• Protect: unload the area and limit movement that hurts, but only briefly.
• Elevate: keep the limb above heart level when you can.
• Avoid anti-inflammatories: they may blunt the healing you need.
• Compress: a bandage or taping limits swelling.
• Educate: your body heals this on its own; passive treatments rarely speed it up.

LOVE, from day three onward

• Load: return to movement as pain allows, early loading builds tissue.
• Optimism: expectations shape recovery more than most people assume.
• Vascularization: easy cardio that does not hurt brings blood to the area.
• Exercise: restore strength, mobility and balance before returning to play.

Ice still helps with pain in the first hours. What changed is the evidence that long icing and routine anti-inflammatory drugs slow tissue repair.

How to Lower Your Risk in Golf

• Increase practice volume in steps rather than jumps. Golf injuries are dominated by load, and the pooled injury rate for professionals is 8.5 per 1,000 rounds against 1.3 for amateurs, with practice volume as the main difference between the groups.
• Build hip internal rotation and thoracic spine rotation. If the hips and mid back cannot supply the turn, the lumbar spine does it instead, and the lumbar spine is already the most commonly injured region in golfers.
• Strength train through the season for the trunk, hips, shoulders and grip, since muscle sprain or rupture is the single most common injury type recorded in golfers, at 30.9 percent of injuries in one championship study.
• Limit long sessions on hard mats and check strike quality. Repeated heavy ground contact sends shock into the lead wrist and the trail elbow, and it causes both golfer’s elbow and hook of hamate fractures.
• Fit grips to your hand size and stop squeezing the club. High grip pressure is the common factor behind forearm tendon pain, thumb tendon pain and trigger finger.
• Warm up with trunk rotations and progressively longer clubs before the first full swing, and on the course keep clear of other players’ swing arcs and wait until the group ahead is out of range.

When to Stop and Get Medical Help

Most of the injuries on this page are treated at home. These signs are not.

• Any strike to the head, face or eye, or any period of confusion, memory gap or loss of consciousness. Stop for the day and get assessed, regardless of how well you feel afterward.
• Numbness, tingling or weakness in an arm or leg, which points at a nerve rather than a muscle and changes the whole plan.
• A joint that will not move, that locks, that gives way, or that looks deformed or out of position.
• The inability to bear weight on a leg, or pinpoint bone tenderness after a fall or blow, both of which suggest a fracture.
• Any change in vision, blood inside the eye, or a sudden shower of floaters and flashes after an impact.
• Chest pain with shortness of breath, or a calf that becomes hot, swollen and painful without an injury.

Sources

• Kuitunen and Ponkilainen, Irish Journal of Medical Science (1971-)
• Epidemiology of Musculoskeletal Injuries in Golf Athletes, IJERPH 2024

This article is general information, not medical advice. If you are hurt, a doctor or physiotherapist who can examine you is worth more than any web page. Last reviewed: August 2026.

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