I asked pro golfers how much they can bench—here's what I learned
Bench pressing hasn't been a traditional part of golf exercise plans—but it's changing
There's a pretty direct correlation between what I'm currently interested in in my own game, and what I end up asking pros about. Right now, it's bench pressing — and strength training in general. Which is why I spent a few days at a tour event asking pro golfers how much they can bench.
These are the four biggest one-rep maxes of the golfers I've asked—Brooks wasn't in the field at Bay Hill so sadly, I wasn't able to ask him. Ryan Fox: 297 lbs Jake Knapp: 280 lbs Alex Noren: 275 lbs Chris Gotterup: 265 lbs Jake Knapp 280lb max Safely in 2nd but Ryan Fox remains the leader. Knapp on Fox:“That’s a lot of weight.
I bet 85% of the tour couldn’t lift that on a squat. ” https://t. co/ZKUUhkAImx — LKD (@LukeKerrDineen) March 4, 2026 Now, a few golfers (like Rory McIlroy) only use dumbbells, so they don't count.
Others don't really test themselves lifting heavy, so in theory those players could be on this list — but we'd never know. But the truth is that golf just doesn't have a culture of lifting heavy. It would be absurd to hear that a professional baseball player doesn't squat or bench, yet it's strangely the norm in golf.