Sportsbox AI, a leader in sports technology and performance analysis, and the CPG are collaborating to align its Member Countries and professionals across the CPG’s global network with solutions that can help to enhance their coaching activities, student engagement and ultimately their business and learning opportunities.

Sportsbox AI was founded by Jeehae Lee and Sam Menaker and has since been backed by some of the world’s top coaches and players, such as Sean Foley, Suzy Whaley, Mike Adams, Dana Dahlquist and Bryson Dechambeau.

The partnership features significant discounts on the Sportsbox 3D Pro App, a cutting-edge tool designed to elevate performance analysis in golf. The app uses advanced 3D technology to provide players with precise insights into their swings, allowing for tailored coaching and improved results on the course.

In addition to the app discount, individuals can also receive reduced rates on training certifications offered by Sportsbox AI, helping to equip golf professionals with the latest skills and knowledge needed to enhance their coaching and provide better guidance to their clients, all whilst enhancing their business opportunities.

Furthermore, individuals have access to valuable educational opportunities via the CPG’s Learning Institute Hub platform, including access to education content and exclusive online and in-person learning opportunities. This collaboration will ensure that golf professionals can continually develop their expertise, making the most of innovative technologies and methodologies in the sport.

“Sportsbox AI only partners with select organisations that align with our vision, and we are proud that CPG is one of them,” said Sportsbox AI European Sales Manager, Henrik Jentsch.

“We have a strong commitment to advancing golf technology and we are proud to be leaders in this space. Together, Sportsbox AI and CPG can drive innovation, shaping the future of golf and enhancing education for golf professionals.”

“We are excited to partner with Sportsbox AI, an organisation that shares our commitment to advancing golf education and performance,” said Ian Randell, Chief Executive of CPG. “This partnership opens up a wealth of resources and opportunities for our Member Countries and PGA Professionals, empowering them to enhance their skills and drive the sport forward.”

The CPG and Sportsbox AI collaboration reflects the organisations’ mutual dedication to fostering growth and innovation within the golf community. As technology continues to play a pivotal role in sports, this partnership will ensure that golf professionals are equipped with the tools they need to thrive in an ever-evolving landscape.

For more information about the partnership and to take advantage of the benefits offered, visit cp.golf/sportsboxai.

…………………………

Dr Mark Bull: The relationship between the physical possibilities and impossibilities and the swing

When: 17 October, 2022 – 09:00 – 17:00

Where: Houtrak Golf, Netherlands

Price: €200 excluding VAT for PGA and GPA* members; €300 euros excluding VAT for non PGA and GPA Members. (This amount includes lunch)

Delivery Language: English

Mark Bull will visit Amsterdam on the 17th of October and will share his knowledge about the golf swing in combination with possibilities and impossibilities. He will spend the entire day working at Houtrak Golf with interested golf professionals and physiotherapists. You will be able to immediately apply the information that Mark provides in practice.

Topics that will be discussed include:

• Anatomical imbalances and how they affect how we move/sway.
• Understanding why we move the way we do within the golf swing.
• How we learn movement within the golf swing.
• Movements that may be related to pain/injury
• Movements consistent with clubhead speed.
• Use of case studies around player development, both in terms of performance and well-being.
• Understanding 3D kinematic data in addition to club kinetics and ground reaction forces.
• Exploring the story behind the data, what did the player do to produce the values we see on the screen…
• It will be a practical day where theory will alternate with practice.

Program:

• 09:00 reception
• 09.30 start program part 1
• 13:00 Lunch
• 14.00 start program part 2
• 16.30-1700 end of program

Prices:

• 200 euros excluding VAT for PGA and GPA* members.
• 300 euros excluding VAT for non PGA and GPA Members.
• This amount includes lunch; *GPA – Golf Physiotherapist Organisation

Minimum number of participants 10
Maximum number of participants 24

To Register Contact jh@pgaholland.nl

The PGA of Finland’s latest Speed Production Seminar with Steve Furlonger and Lee Cox is open to all PGA Members.

…………………………

Golf’s Ground Reaction Forces and Speed Production practical seminar by Steve Furlonger and Lee Cox

When: 18th and 19th October, both days from 9AM to 4PM

Where: Golf indoor facility in Espoo, Finland (15km from Helsinki city center)

Price: PGA members 120€ (+VAT 24%)

Delivery Language: English

• Seminar for golf professionals about creating more speed in the golf swing and how to teach it to a golfer.
• First day morning session we’ll start with some theory behind the speed production and ground reaction forces.
• Then in the afternoon and Day two Steve and Lee will have work shops how to give lessons on speed production to a golfer. Participants will get hands on training on how to organise a productive lesson on speed.

Find out more at and register by contacting Teemu Laakso at teemu.laakso@pga.fi.

The event is a great way for any PGA representative or PGA Member that is interested in the area of golf and health and the wide array of benefits that it can bring, along with medical/scientific/research professionals, surgeons, doctors, sports medicine physicians, physiotherapists, sports scientists, researchers and students interested in golf, health and performance.

The 2022 edition will take place in Scotland, the Home of Golf, with the kind support of our platinum sponsor, Stryker, at a time where golf has been highlighted to have a wide range of health benefits. Major golf events will be held in Scotland in 2022 including The 150th Open, The AIG Women’s Open and many others. International consensus has recently been published on illness and injury in golf and there will be satellite events at each of the major Scottish tournaments this year highlighting the health benefits of golf.

ATTENDANCE

A range of fees are available to attend the event in person depending on which events individuals wish to join. A Virtual Conference Pass is also available for remote access.

Full information and booking process can be found at https://cp.golf/3QAAPmc.

PROGRAMME

A full programme of events for the two days can be downloaded from https://cp.golf/39DxoKO. Sessions will explore:

• Golf’s contribution to global health, and what is new in golf research
• Illness and injury in sport
• Analysing injuries in golf
• Rapid fire research updates in golf & health
• Mental health and well-being in sport
• Performance nutrition & sports science in golf
• Connecting primary care patients to golf for health
• Why the world should play golf

Please direct any questions you have to outreach@rcsed.ac.uk.

CLICK TO FIND OUT MORE & BOOK YOUR TICKET

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD FULL PROGRAMME [PDF – 0.6MB]

CLICK TO DOWNLOAD EVENT FLYER [PDF – 0.1MB]

Replicated across both cpg.golf and golfandhealth.org, the hubs aim to bring together various resources, documents, information, examples and case studies from organisations around the world that are working with their stakeholders/Members to get back to playing golf in a safe and secure way.

Resources from France, Spain, Sweden, New Zealand the United States of America, and the United Kingdom, as well as from international organisations such as the CPG and World Health Organisation [WHO] are available to view together, to provide an overview of the different actions and initiatives that golf is undertaking.

Click Here to Find Out More…

Golf is often cited as being a precise game, one in which a single degree can make a huge difference. Just a one-degree deviation of the clubface at the point of impact can result in the ball finding the trees rather than the fairway.

For Daphne van Houten, a single degree would have made little difference to the way her spine functioned. Daphne explained that for most people a spine that is positioned between 0º- 10º from vertical generally works fine, so when she found her spine was at 52º it was time to do something about it. 

Daphne, born in the University town of Utrecht in the Netherlands, had started to play golf when just six years of age with her parents Henk and Monique, but golf was not everything in her life. Handball was another sport that she excelled in and just a few years later she would have to make a decision, but in the meantime sport, of any kind, was fun.  Playing with her parents at Almkreek helped Daphne to develop enough skills to gain a golf handicap. 

All children around the age of twelve are required by law to attend a physical screening. It was at this screening day that she and her parents learned that her back wasn’t straight. “I went to the hospital, got it x-rayed and that is when they found out,” says Daphne. With those words from the doctor, Daphne knew that she couldn’t play handball anymore, “When you jump and land then your spine will compress, and I knew that because of that my back was getting worse.”

Daphne chose to play golf as she couldn’t find it in herself to give up both sports at the same time, “At first I didn’t notice that my back was getting worse…but when you practice one sport in one way, then it was not good.”  After only a few months it was clear that she needed to take action to stop the spine from getting even worse.

Together with her father Henk, they decided that she should not have an operation until she had finished growing and so she went into therapy in Germany. “It was an intern therapy where I did exercise from eight o’clock in the morning until six o’clock in the evening,” recalls Daphne.

She fully embraced the programme with Katharina Schroth, and reduced the Scoliosis of her spine from 50º to 37º which was an excellent return on her investment of time, but she realised, “I would have to repeat the exercises everyday for an hour… and I didn’t have the time… so when I got to the age of seventeen then I decided it was better to get an operation.”  

Life has a way of preparing people for the key moments. As we mature from infancy to childhood, adulthood to midlife and maturity to old age, we tend to learn vital lessons, emotionally, physically, spiritually and cognitively, so that when big decisions in life come along from time to time, as they inevitably will, we are prepared.

Daphne recalls the time around her operation she had to make such decisions, “I was thinking a lot about the negative things in my operation, but there are also a lot of positive things. I just needed to focus on those. If I didn’t have the operation I couldn’t even walk by the time I was thirty, because of the pain, maybe I could only lie in bed.” 

Above: Daphne Van Houten [Photo courtesy of Sue Bennett and EDGA]

With such a complicated operation there was plenty of opportunity for something to go wrong. Intuitively Daphne realised, “I knew that it was better to do the operation, because I was in a lot of pain before,” the operation lasted for almost eight hours during which time the surgeons built a scaffold for the spine that would support it by using pins, plates, bolts and screws. 

Daphne recalls the time around her operation, “I was told that I needed to stay in the hospital for one week, but I hated the hospital and so did everything I could to get out.”  The medical staff had told Daphne that she needed to climb the stairs before she would be free to go home. This was just the motivation that Daphne needed, and only four days later she went home. It seems that home healing was good for Daphne, as just two weeks later she was once again making a few half swings and hitting shots. 

The recovery was quick, even though she didn’t have a goal in golf, “I don’t have a goal, I just want to enjoy it…to have fun,” says Daphne who revealed that she has pain on a daily basis, “You just get used to it. It’s there…everyday. I don’t take painkillers anymore because I [would] have to take them always, and it’s not good for you. But it’s routine – you get used to it.” 

Today Daphne is the European Golf Association’s Champion Women Golfer with Disability, a title she won in June 2018 at her first attempt. “When I got home I got compliments from everyone, and that is when I started to notice what I did,” says a slightly surprised Daphne, who only the year before had taken a break from golf when she stopped enjoying the game. Daphne had felt like she needed to play even when she didn’t want to. Much to her amazement, after being out for just four months she realised that she was addicted to golf.

Once upon a time, Daphne had the goal of playing on Tour, but today she recognises this may now be out of her reach. Her thirst to be involved in the game, however, is far from being quenched and she is now in the second year of a sports marketing and management degree in Tilburg at the Johan Cruyff Academy, “This is my Plan B, you always have to have one,” says Daphne who has also given some golf lessons to little children and found that she really enjoyed doing so.  

Plan A, Plan B or Plan C, who knows what the future will hold for Daphne van Houten. A small adjustment in her current direction by just a degree or two could see Daphne taking a role in sports management, professional golf or something entirely different. In any case, Daphne will step confidently into the future with the knowledge that some of life’s big decisions are already behind her.

Article Source: www.edgagolf.com

The Rolex Series event, at The Renaissance Club, North Berwick has already gathered some of the world’s best golfers who will provide the entertainment on the course, and for those spectators following their favourite player there is also the added bonus that they can boost their health.

Spectators at the Aberdeen Standard Investment Scottish Open would likely not be confident of beating Rory McIlroy or the world’s best players assembling at The Renaissance Club for the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, but while they may not get close to beating Rory on the golf course, or win the event, they may get some of the same health benefits these leading players get, by racking up over 10,000 steps while out on the course. The European Tour’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Murray outlined just some of the benefits from attending golf tournaments;

• Spectators rate gaining physical activity, fresh air and time with family as important reasons to spectate
• Golf spectators in UK gained 11500 steps while spectating, 85% meeting daily physical activity guidance
• Spectators, when given information are keen to become more active in daily life (Legacy)

Dr Murray – whose PhD is in Golf and Health from the University of Edinburgh, explains: “The Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open players will take 11,000 steps on average while out on the course. We know from the 2018 International Consensus on Golf and Health, (presented at recent World Health Organisation affiliated meeting) that golfers live longer than non-golfers, and can get well-being and physical health benefits from playing the sport.

“Our research at European Tour events in Scotland shows that spectators take an average of 11,500 steps, getting out and watching the golf. So, while they may not win trophies, this is well in excess of the 10,000 steps per day advised to improve health.”

So how do spectators keep tabs on the distances they walk at this year’s event?

• Maps will be available for everyone which provide details of routes around the 18 holes and the distances covered.
• Huge deckchairs will be situated throughout the venue providing photo opportunities and important health statistics
• Walk to the 5th hole and post your selfie for the chance to win a signed pin flag

It’s not just health professionals who are aware of the benefits to spectators, the players from the European Tour acknowledge that watching golf is a great way to stay fit and healthy. Richie Ramsay, Scottish European Tour professional said: “When you come to a tournament and you play golf obviously you’re walking around the entire golf course and you’re probably not realising how far you’re going and how much energy you’re using up and maybe not realising how good an exercise it is.

“I remember playing when I was younger and playing 18 holes a day for 6 or 7 days. And you don’t realise it but you’re getting a huge amount of exercise from it. Because at that point you’re growing. It’s just good for you, it’s good to be out there socialising and obviously the main thing is to get the exercise.

“I buy into this completely. I practice what I preach so I go out, like I said I played when I was a junior, you know I go to the gym at the moment. Any kind of exercise just makes you feel so much better. It puts you in a positive mind frame, and it’s good for your body.

Many other Tour players acknowledge the health benefits from golf:

• “Despite the frustration of missed putts, golfers overall live longer. A study from Sweden showed golfers live 5 years longer, regardless of age or income.” Henrik Stenson
• “Golf can put a big smile on your face. Research shows that golf can help improve self-esteem and provide a range of mental health benefits.” Padraig Harrington, Golf and Health Ambassador
• “I owe a lot to the fact that I was encouraged to be active throughout my life from an early age. I hope to encourage generations to do the same.” Gary Player, Golf and Health Ambassador

The Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open will once again be followed by the Aberdeen Standard Investments Ladies Scottish Open, which will be played over the same course, from August 8-11, 2019.

Fans can buy tickets to see some of the world’s best golfers – including official Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open hospitality packages – at www.asiscottishopen.com.

EDGA, the body that supports golfers with physical, intellectual and sensorial disabilities, is keen to use the opportunity provided by the European Tour to raise awareness and grow participation in inclusive golf this week during the Aberdeen Standard Investments Scottish Open, at The Renaissance Club in North Berwick.

A number of leading EDGA players will also be present to encourage the spectators at the Inclusive Golf Stand in the championship village. EDGA is happy to work closely with Leuchie House, one of the tournament’s Official Charity Partners and Scotland’s only dedicated respite centre, which offers caring respite breaks to people with long term neurological conditions.

Scottish Golf has also got behind EDGA by ensuring the members from 11 golf clubs in the area have helped to promote the free golf lessons available during the tournament in the build-up to the event.

The European Tour and EDGA will also be conducting outreach programmes in the wider community. This will include a visit to Leuchie House in North Berwick on Friday to provide a modified golf session to patients and carers.

By encouraging people with a disability to try the game at The Renaissance Club and Leuchie House, EDGA is continuing to work towards its stated objective of introducing 500,000 people to golf.

Mark Taylor, Head of Development for EDGA and a qualified PGA Professional, said: “Thanks to all at the European Tour and EDGA’s partners, we have an excellent opportunity here to introduce many new people to golf, alongside our friends at Leuchie House, with Support from Scottish Golf.

“Golf is a wonderful sport for those of all abilities and we have seen so many people who have experienced disability, illness or injury, feeling better physically and mentally by playing golf, including finding new social and confidence-building opportunities, making new friends. We therefore look forward to saying hello to many new and established players with a disability this week, while family members or friends will also receive the warmest of welcomes.”

Find Out More @ www.edgagolf.com

You can find out more and meet the EDGA community across our social media platforms: Facebook: @EuropeanDisabledGolfAssociation, Twitter: @edgagolf, Instagram: @edga_golf

Physically, Andrea is an excellent athlete, having come through the US collegiate system. An experience which gave him a good strength base, as well as technical competency in a variety of lifts. As a result of Andrea’s prior training history, he was able to take to the programmes quickly, he required less supervision and coaching – allowing him to dedicate more time and effort to the work, and he was able to recover well from sessions, without excessive post-exercise soreness. For all these reasons, and more, we would encourage any young aspiring golfer to find a suitably qualified coach and to get in the gym and lifting as early as possible.

The ETPI have been supporting Andrea through the last 2 seasons, and during this time we have transitioned through a series of training focus’.

Andrea first approached us during the start of the 2018 season, and our initial focus was to develop good training habits, based upon programmes which would deliver improved strength during the in-season, but without causing excessive fatigue. Fortunately, due to his previous history, and his excellent consistency, we were able to quickly establish these habits, even despite his busy in-season schedule.

Over the course of the 2018 season and despite a busy competitive schedule, Andrea was able to increase his clubhead speed ~3mph, strength ~28% and explosive strength ~4%, following a largely strength focussed programme. We then continued to increase his strength over his short off-season.

At the ETPI, we typically measure explosive strength using countermovement jump net positive impulse and strength using isometric mid-thigh pull peak force. Andrea’s 2018 in-season improvements are shown below. We will put out a separate blog on our physical profiling approaches in the near future. However, these results clearly highlight the gains that are possible during a busy season of competitions.

2018 Progress

2019 Season

With a new year, came a new set of goals. Having established high levels of strength over our first season with Andrea, we began to move onto an explosive strength focus.

Explosive strength is of great importance in golf. Players are required to generate large forces through the ground, then transmit them through the kinetic chain, into the clubhead to generate speed. All within ~0.5 second window (the golf swing).

Clearly, being able to generate large peak forces is of great value, however if you cannot reach those peak forces within the imposed time-limit, they are not going to be of great use. This can be likened to a car in a drag race. You could be entering the 0.5 mile race with a car that has a top speed of 200mph, but with a 0-60 time of 10 seconds (this is the strong but slow golfer). You could also enter with a 100mph top speed and a 0-60 time of 3 seconds (the fast but weak golfer).

Developing a balance between these qualities is of high importance. In Andrea’s case, we had developed a high top speed over the 2018 season, and needed to shift the focus towards improving his 0-60 time.

The Programme

When working with golfers in-season, we usually use a daily undulating model. This means that we will typically change the training stimuli throughout the week, working towards different focus qualities (strength, explosive strength etc.) on different days. This is usually delivered as a 2-3 day per week programme, starting with more of a strength focus and developing into an explosive focus over the course of the week.

Volume is normally also reduced as the week goes on (especially in less well trained players). This method allows us to control for fatigue over the week, while still getting the hard work done.

Our approach also allows us to work around the lack of ‘out of competition’ time (something which is an inherent challenge in golf). At the highest level, with players competing year round, golf is not a sport which allows for a typical periodisation model, so blending all qualities together, but shifting the distribution and focus is how we work around this.

These points are exemplified in Andrea’s programmes [below] – the first programme shows a 2018 in-season week, with a strength focus. The second programme shows his current 2019 programme, with an explosive focus. It is clear that in both cases, strength and explosive strength exercises are included, but the percentage of time dedicated to each switches.

Andrea’s In-Season Training Programmes – 2018 Strength Focus:

Andrea’s In-Season Training Programmes – 2019 Explosive Strength Focus:

Twenty centimeters, depending on the context, can make an appreciable or insignificant difference. Twenty centimeters too much fabric will cause no real problem to a skilled tailor, whereas the same length short could cause an insurmountable challenge. The tailors perspective then makes an enormous difference. If she looks at a shortfall as an opportunity to redesign, or as a challenge to overcome then her attitude will be generally positive.

Johan Kammerstad views the twenty centimeters difference he had in leg length as being merely something that he had to deal with. Three leg lengthening operations, the last one when he was eighteen to gain an additional seven centimeters, have resulted in Johan doing away with the lifts that he had previously used under his right shoe. Born without some bones, and a lack of muscles in his right leg, there is a knock-on effect into the knee which moves differently than that in his other leg. “It did not grow at the same rate as the rest of my body,” says Johan with a matter of fact tone in his voice, “But it does not affect me, and it is all I have ever known.” Pragmatic perhaps, realistic certainly, it seems that Johan has found a comfortable place, one which is grounded in the realisation that golf is important to him and that he can play the game well regardless of his disability.

Above: Johan Kammerstad [Photo courtesy of Sue Bennett and EDGA]

It all started in his parent’s back garden when just eight years of age. Eva and Lars wanted the best for Johan and Lars who already played golf encouraged his son to take a few swings. According to Johan, he was bitten in the first moments. The various ball sports he had previously played started to fade away, and eventually, golf took centre stage in this youngsters’ heart and mind. One of the many things that Sweden is famous for is its junior sports, which are often operated by clubs, some professional support and with the help of volunteers. Johan joined the local golf club school at Eskilstuna Golfklubb where he found Scottish Professional Alastair Scott Robinson. It was this school and the trainers there that helped add salt to the already golf thirsty Johan. The development of his game is a testimony to the commitment he showed to training along with the technical support he received in those early days.

By 15 years of age, he was competing in local and regional mainstream events and further honing his skills to reach an impressive two handicap. But it was time to put his clubs away and to undertake the last of three major surgeries when he was just 18. It was almost two years before he picked up a club again in earnest. The upward trajectory in his performances was soon back on course, and it was not long before he reached the rare status of becoming a scratch golfer. Johan continued his development, reached +1 handicap and then took the decision to turn professional and join some events on the Swedish Golf Tour. Competing with players who have now gone on to become household names around the world such as Alex Noren, Johan enjoyed the experience but also realised that the competition level was very high. By the time he was 25 years old, he had taken, what in his own words was a “Real job,” golf then could revert to being a fun thing to do.

Competition is still important to Johan, and as a four-time European Champion 2000, 2006, 2008 and 2010, he is always one to watch when the big events come around. “Golf for the disabled has changed quite a lot, the competition has got harder, there are more good players now competing,… and we play better courses,” says Johan, whose major competitor for many years was Dane Stefan Morkhölt. New players coming into the golfers with disability tour and the Swedish Handi-team helps Johan keep on top of his game, as he realises that he has to keep performing to retain his place with the young pups snapping at his heels, “Everybody in the team treats each other as friends and there is no hierarchy amongst the guys.”

From Johan’s perspective, being involved in golf as a player in the Swedish team and working in golf as a purchaser in a golf store is great fun. He thinks that it would be great for Golf to get in the Paralympics and advises those who would like to play the game with words of encouragement, “Just play, get a PGA Professional [for lessons], and adapt your equipment, then recognise that everyone does it differently.” Good advise from a man who has seen the game change before his very eyes and understands that this process will continue on for years to come.

Article Source: www.edgagolf.com

Over the past 49 issues we have showcased people, programmes and promotion through celebrating PGA Professionals involved in all types of roles, profiling some of the world’s greatest golfers, shining a light on golf development activities and projects, delving into the work of the Ryder Cup European Development Trust, and sharing our fantastic Corporate Partners and Suppliers.

We have also provided a wide range of content to PGAs and their members in every type of subject area you can think of that is associated with golf – from human resources to sustainability, marketing to junior golf, and coaching philosophies to productivity hacks, we have provided this open-access content with the aim of engaging and improving those that we look after.

The legacy of IGPN is truly something we are proud of at the Confederation of Professional Golf and we hope it will continue for at least another 50 issues in the future as we continue our mission to develop golf, golfers and the profession.

Issue 50 is timed beautifully with a peak of interest in and out of golf – not long ago, Tiger Woods secured his 15th major, a feat which not only moves him to just three behind Jack Nicklaus’ record, but is something that many had thought was nothing short of impossible.

With an adjustment in timing for the final round, the 2019 Masters Tournament will go down in history as Tiger’s gritty and determined comeback for not only golfers, but also for the thousands of people who would have been able to see him win because of the timing change, or who were simply lured in by the now scientifically proven ‘Tiger Effect’.

And speaking of scientifically proven, there have also been plenty of reasons to celebrate golf right now as we were recently involved with the successful first Golf and Health Week!  Co-ordinated by The R&A with support from many organisations across the world, the week is aiming to highlight the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies, clubs, and PGA Professionals.

Through the Confederation of Professional Golf’s own channels, and our close relationship with the Golf & Health Projects, we supported the week by creating and curating content using the social media hashtag #GolfHealthWeek, and we thank all those who got involved as well.

I hope we can ride the positive wave that golf is currently on and truly show golf in the light that it deserves. And I can say this with authority, remember to get out and play, it really is great for your health.

Enjoy the read…(and the next 50)…

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

Find out more about the health benefits of golf at golfandhealth.org

Whether you’re a professional, a serious amateur, or a recreational golfer, you are sure to have heard the phrase ‘golf fitness’ and have more than likely been advised that you should have a gym routine to help your golf.

Given the somewhat vogue status of ‘golf fitness’ at present, there is a large body of information around the topic portraying a complexity which for some creates a barrier to getting started. If you are a professional you are sure to have a busy schedule, and the typical amateur doesn’t have the spare time to devote to over-elaborate routines, so it is important allotted gym-time is used wisely; abolishing components which are unlikely to offer much return.

Herein we present a probability of performance-impact model which underpins the S&C service provided at the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI). The aim herein is to add clarity to where a golf-impact will most readily be achieved, and reassure that gym programmes need not be complicated. The authors hope this will encourage players of all levels to make that behaviour change towards a healthier lifestyle and compliment their golf training with a no-frills gym routine.

Driving Distance

Sceptics of weight training for golfers will be quick to point out legends of the game who didn’t engage in such activities. Notwithstanding the evolution of the modern golf game (longer courses and more forgiving clubs), of course all this tells us is that it’s possible to be genetically blessed and get away with not engaging in additional physical work.

Despite this few golf coaches or analysts would contest the importance of CHS in modern day golf, research has shown that the faster you swing the club the lower your handicap (r=0.95) (Fradkin et al, 2004). Further, even subtle increases are associated with significantly lower scores on par 4 and 5 holes (Hellstrom, 2014).

Therefore, this is one avenue where a gym programme can have a direct performance impact. Indeed, from Mark Broadie’s (2014) revolutionary book ‘Every shot counts’, it is evidenced that a 20-yard increase in distance off the tee will incur 0.75 strokes gained per round.

As with most striking, hitting or throwing sports, the lower body is the engine (force generation) for the motion of the golf swing. This is why leg strength is a priority.

This is now supported by research indicating significant relationships between lower body strength, explosive strength and CHS (Wells et al, 2018a, Wells et al, 2018b). Most amateurs (and many professionals!) will benefit from increases in driving distance secondary to strength training due to their often ‘untapped’ strength potential. This is particularly true for females and more senior players who generally speaking are more likely to have lower pre-existing muscle mass and strength levels than their younger, male counterparts.

Once the force has been generated by the lower body, this then needs to be transmitted into the clubhead across the trunk and through the arms in a well-sequenced pattern. The trunk should therefore be developed to effectively transmit force, thus enhancing the efficiency of the engine (lower body). The latter is equally important, as otherwise the energy created by the lower body is leaked and not transferred into the clubhead.

Injury and Illness Risk-Reduction

Inherently as CHS increases so does injury risk, as the player has to sustain the increased forces associated with swinging faster. To counter this when we plan to upgrade the engine size we also need to build a well-balanced chassis. This means increasing the ability of the relevant tissues (i.e. muscles and tendons) and structures (i.e. bones) to tolerate load.

The force magnitude at the lumbar spine alone is worthy justification for the inclusion of strength training. Forces of ~7500N (equivalent to ~ 750 Kg) have been reported from elite players swinging with a driver (Hosea, 1990). It is therefore unsurprising that in a published injury audit from the PGA European Tour the lower back, along with the neck and wrist, were the most prevalent injury sites (Smith and Hillman, 2012).

The same report showed that 80% of these injuries were related to overuse, which according to a large meta-analysis and systematic review could be reduced substantially through engaging in strength training (Laursen et al 2014). Many injury resilience strength exercises may actually be the same as the performance enhancement solutions.

By way of example, the deadlift will not only increase leg strength to facilitate longer drives but it will also increase the tolerance of the back, trunk and wrist musculature, with particular supporting evidence that it is useful in the rehabilitation of lower back pain (Welch et al 2015). This is a real bonus as it makes for efficient programming.

Unfortunately, this is not the case for the neck which is insufficiently exposed in traditional compound strength exercises (i.e. deadlifts), so some additional, isolated neck specific conditioning is recommended.

Improving or maintaining mobility is another side effect of good quality strength training. Contrary to common belief, the lengthening phase of muscle activity in strength training exercises increase muscle length and overall mobility (O’Sullivan, McAuliffe, DeBurca, 2012).

Like cardio-respiratory and mobility development, strength training offer an array of health- related benefits which are well documented. Indeed, the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) now include (twice weekly) strength training as part of their recommendations for general health. Exercise is now often described as a vaccine to illness given its protective effects against an array of both acute and chronic conditions.

Injury or illness means time away from practice, and given that golf is a highly technical sport this is very likely to have a large negative impact on performance over time. Considering the significance of this, it becomes clear that perhaps the largest (albeit indirect) accumulative performance impact we can have is long-term injury avoidance.

Unlike with determinants of performance (CHS) where we can only suggest strength training may help, we are probably safe to insist that avoiding injury and illness will help performance. If we enable the player to take to the course, range or putting green as often as they like and miss very few practice days or tournaments, this is likely to accumulate into a large positive performance impact. This is a long process and not a sell that is likely to excite a player, but for the reasons discussed this is the primary goal of the S&C service we provide at the European Tour Performance Institute (ETPI) as reflected by our probability of performance-impact pyramid.

Transfer to Technical Ability

It is commonly accepted that a change in technique is a product of a particular activity, drill, practice design, or pedagogical strategy – this underpins the golf coaching process anyone who has had lessons will be familiar with. However, it is perhaps underappreciated how altering a physical capacity (i.e. strength, stability, mobility or control) can over time influence technique.

It is important for players and coaches alike to understand that although ‘golf fitness’ can certainly play an important part in helping a player make a swing change, the gym is not the place to rehearse the aspired movement pattern.

Rather, the gym should be used to drive changes in physical capacities (identified through a discussion with the swing coach) that may impact on the players ability to make the shapes their coach wants from them.

This is best achieved with de-contextualised exercises that don’t resemble the swing pattern, but carry the potential to remove physical barriers that are preventing a player from moving a certain way without loss of posture or compensations.

Changes in technique could then obviously have a whole host of secondary effects on CHS, injury risk, or consistency. For this reason transfer to technical ability shouldn’t be overlooked, but it is difficult to predict cause and effect within this training space due to the complexity of human movement variability and motor learning. The exercises used to impact technical ability will obviously be specific to the individual, but specialist input will be required to identify and implement this.

Even then, the true impact on technique is often unpredictable. It is therefore important that players don’t become perturbed by this area, and let this dominate their allotted-gym time. As a general rule of thumb, no more than 10-20% of the exercises in your gym programme should be designed with this in mind.

Conclusion

Prior to starting a gym programme, players are advised to seek the help of an accredited strength and conditioning coach (ASCC) or certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS). One or two coaching sessions under such qualified supervision would be sufficient to establish a gym programme which has a high probability of performance-impact through facilitating longer drives, promoting health and wellbeing, and increasing resilience to known injury sites. Many golfer’s lives are complicated, gym programmes don’t need to be.

References

Broadie, M. (2014) Every Shot Counts: Using the Revolutionary Strokes Gained Approach to Improve your Golf Performance and Strategy. USA: Penguin Random House.

Fradkin, A.J., Sherman, C.A., & Finch, C.F. (2004) How well does club head speed correlate with golf handicaps, Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, 7(4) 465-472.

Hellstrom, J., Nilsson, J. & Isberg, L. (2014) Drive for dough. PGA Tour golfers’ tee shot functional accuracy, distance and hole score, Journal of Sports Science, 32(5) 462-469.

Hosea, TM., Gatt. C.J., Galli. K.M,, Langrana. N.A., & Zawadsky. J.P. (1990). Biomechanical analysis of the golfer’s back. In A.J. Cochran (Ed.), Science and Golf: Proceedings of the World Scientific Congress Of Golf (pp. 43-48). London: E&FN Spon

Lauersen JB, Bertelsen DM, Andersen L.B. (2014) The effectiveness of exercise interventions to prevent sports injuries: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 48(11) 871–877.

Smith, MF and Hillman R. (2012) A retrospective service audit of a mobile physiotherapy unit on the PGA European Golf Tour. Phys Ther Sport; 13:41–4.

Welch, N., Moran, K., Antony, J., Richter, C., Marshall, B., Coyle, J., Falvey, E. and Franklyn- Miller, A. (2015) The effects of a free-weight-based resistance training intervention on pain, squat biomechanics and MRI-defined lumbar fat infiltration and functional cross-sectional area in those with chronic low back. BMJ Open Sport and Exercise Medicine, 1(1).

Wells, JE, Mitchell, AC, Charalambous, LH,and Fletcher, IM. (2018a) Relationships between highly skilled golfers’ clubhead velocity and force producing capabilities during vertical jumps and an isometric mid-thigh pull. Journal of Sports Sciences, 36(16):1847-51.

Wells, JET., Charalambous, LH., Mitchell, ACS., Coughlan, D., Brearley, SL., Hawkes, RA., Murray, AD., Hillman, RG. and Fletcher, IM. (2018b). Relationships between Challenge Tour golfers’ clubhead velocity and force producing capabilities during a countermovement jump and isometric mid-thigh pull. Journal of Sports Sciences, 1-6.

O’Sullivan, KO., McAuliffe, S. DeBurca, N. (2012). The effects of eccentric training on lower limb flexibility: a systematic review. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 46(12): 838-845.

Find out more about the health benefits of golf at www.golfandhealth.org.

This special edition of the #ASK Podcast celebrates #GolfHealthWeek and its work to shine a light on the many benefits that golf can have.

We are joined by Dr Roger Hawkes and Dr Andrew Murray from the Golf & Health Project to get an overview of the Project’s progress so far, as well as a look into its future work, but also to discuss each of the #GolfHealthWeek themes looking at the research and activities behind them and what you can do to help spread the message:

• Day 01 – Fitness – 07:23
• Day 02 – Mental health – 11:16
• Day 03 – Disability Golf – 17:54
• Day 04 – Golf For Everyone – 23:23
• Day 05 – Club Level – 36:08
• The Future of Golf & Health – 44:06

Find out more about the health benefits of golf at www.golfandhealth.org.

Listen to the full interview and subscribe to more episodes from the Confederation of Professional Golf A.S.K. Podcast on Apple Podcasts, Anchor.fm, Podbean or Soundcloud.

The Confederation of Professional Golf is drawing the attention of its Member Country PGAs and their PGA Professionals to a fun and exciting campaign which is helping to raise awareness for golf as a sporting option for people with a disability.

As the first ever Golf and Health Week takes place from 15-19 April, EDGA is to show its support of golfers with disability through a unique and fun ‘pledge and PLAY’ day, completing some 2019 golf holes in 24 hours.

Golf and Health Week is a collaborative campaign, coordinated by The R&A, which will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies and clubs.

EDGA is an international not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to help people with impairment to play, succeed and enjoy golf. The 17th of April is dedicated to golf for those with disability and EDGA is backing the campaign to raise awareness of golf being a viable sporting option for all.

A new EDGA driven ‘pledge and PLAY’ initiative is aiming for players, staff, officials, coaches, volunteers, and friends of EDGA, anywhere in the world, to play a grand total of ‘2019 holes’ on the 17th of April. Look out for #EDGAPledgePlay, before, during and after the 17th April, on social media.

There is no cost to get involved in ‘pledge and PLAY’, simply visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay, pledge the number of holes that you intend to play, log your details, your name, the course you are going to play, the people you intend to play with, and if possible the starting time.

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA and former Director of Education for the Confederation of Professional Golf, said: “A huge thanks to the Confederation of Professional Golf for helping us to promote pledge and PLAY. Their team and members, like all at EDGA, want to see the sport becoming more inclusive. We hope all friends of EDGA will support our pledge and PLAY efforts to play 2019 holes together on the 17th of April, the day when we are marking the importance of the sport for existing and brand new golfers with a disability. Please help us to achieve our goal of 2019 holes – your support is crucial!”

EDGA will have a live ‘Hole Counter’ on the day and as holes are confirmed they will be added to the running total.

Focusing primarily on Great Britain and Ireland, Golf and Health Week will be co-ordinated by The R&A with the support of – along with EDGA – the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation, as well as national associations including England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union. A number of other organisations have also expressed interest in supporting the week.

For those who wish to support pledge and PLAY (which is totally free) please visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay now!

You can find #EDGAPledgePlay and meet the EDGA community across our social media platforms: Facebook: @EuropeanDisabledGolfAssociation, Twitter: @edgagolf, Instagram: @edga_golf

Professor Jenny Roe, environmental psychologist and Director of the Center for Design & Health, University of Virginia, says golf is one way of benefiting from a regular ‘dose’ of green space to boost psychological wellbeing and physical health.

“There’s a wealth of evidence, using robust, scientific methods, to show the benefits of ‘green exercise’ – exercise in the natural outdoors – compared to exercise indoors, including the gym,” says Prof. Roe [pictured].

“When you step into a green space, there’s a number of things that happen with both your physiology and your psychology. Your parasympathetic nervous system kicks in – the system that’s associated with relaxation – and your stress physiology actually changes. You literally manage stress more efficiently when you are in a green space.”

Prof. Roe’s insights appear in a new multimedia article titled ‘Golf Saved my Life’, published by the Syngenta Growing Golf campaign, highlighting golf and mental health issues and telling the story of young US golfer Sam Gerry, who reveals how playing golf saved him after depression left him suicidal at age 14.

Recent research from the USA and the UK demonstrate the widespread need for stress-reducing activities. A 2018 study* by the UK’s Mental Health Foundation revealed that in the previous 12 months, 74% of people had felt so stressed they had been overwhelmed or unable to cope. In the same study, almost 10% of respondents said they were stressed “all of the time”.

A Gallup poll** in the USA showed a similar trend, with only 17% of respondents saying that they rarely feel stressed.

Research also shows that women tend to report more stress than men, with one recent poll demonstrating a 78% to 66% difference***.

Syngenta’s worldwide research report, The Global Economic Value of Increased Female Participation in Golf, demonstrates that the very things that attract women to the game align with Professor Roe’s insights, as well as with general stress-relief advice from institutions such as the UK’s National Health Service and the USA’s American Heart Foundation.

In the report, five of the top factors that piqued women’s interest in golf were:

1. Being outdoors
2. Relaxation or stress relief
3. It presents a mental challenge
4. Spending time with family or friends
5. It presents a physical challenge

Download the report: www.growinggolf.com/register

The R&A, one of golf’s governing bodies, is also highlighting the issue, and will launch the first Golf & Health Week (April 15-19, 2019), a dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of golf for people of all ages and abilities. One day of the week will specifically concentrate on the game’s mental health benefits (April 16).

Prof. Jenny Roe adds: “I think to get out and play golf you are really helping manage your mental health in a very holistic way.

“Contact with nature allows us to recover from brain fatigue, reduces our stress levels and improves our mood. In turn, improved mood is linked to what’s called the ‘broaden and build’ hypothesis, with an increased capacity for creative thought and cognitive flexibility that can – potentially – lead to new thought-action repertoires on and off the golf course, and improved performance.”

For More Information Visit GrowingGolf.com

The first ever Golf and Health Week will take place from 15-19 April and will aim to encourage golfers, non-golfers and lapsed golfers into taking part in the sport.

A number of health-related themes will be promoted during the week of the campaign, including:

• Monday 15 April: Fitness – professionals and amateurs
• Tuesday 16 April: Mental health (including dementia)
• Wednesday 17 April: Disability golf
• Thursday 18 April: Golf for everyone – featuring various health projects (e.g. Parkinson’s, loneliness, stroke and other programmes that can benefit health)
• Friday 19 April: Club level – focus at golf clubs (e.g. fitness, food, drink, gym classes)

The collaborative campaign will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies and clubs.

Focusing primarily on Great Britain and Ireland, it will be co-ordinated by The R&A with the support of the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation, as well as national associations including England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union.

A number of other organisations have expressed interest in supporting the week, including EDGA (formerly the European Disabled Golf Association), the Confederation of Professional Golf and Golf Australia.

The campaign is also to be backed by professional golfers including Annika Sorenstam, Brooke Henderson, Padraig Harrington and Zach Johnson, who are ambassadors for the Golf and Health Project.

The dedicated week builds on the work of the Golf and Health Project, which since 2016 has studied the many and varied health and wellbeing benefits of golf, considered any risks and had research published regularly in international, peer-reviewed journals.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “It is important that we continue to promote golf as an activity that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and abilities and demonstrate that playing golf can provide significant benefits for the health and wellbeing of those who participate in the sport.

“We are working closely with our affiliated national associations and partners to produce an engaging and inspiring campaign which will drive interest in playing the sport and encourage people to take advantage of the health benefits that golf can bring.”

To drive interest and encourage activity in the days before the dedicated week, golfers will be asked to tweet their steps achieved and calories burned from any golf they play, again using #GolfHealthWeek. The week then finishes on Good Friday at club level, with golfers to be encouraged to head for the fairways over the Easter holiday weekend.

Last year, a global consensus amongst leaders in public health, public policy and sport backed golf in the race to tackle physical inactivity and the prevention of illnesses such as heart disease, stroke, diabetes and cancer of the breast and colon.

Evidence linking golf and health, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A, was presented at Westminster following research led by the University of Edinburgh and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Previous research has also highlighted that those that play golf live five years longer than those that don’t play, while the sport has been shown to have self-esteem and self-worth benefits.

Find out More @ RandA.org

Photo Credit: Getty Images

As the first ever Golf and Health Week takes place from 15-19 April, EDGA is to show its support of golfers with disability through a unique and fun ‘pledge and PLAY’ day, completing some 2019 golf holes in 24 hours. 

Golf and Health Week is a collaborative campaign, coordinated by The R&A, which will run across digital and social media channels using the hashtag #GolfHealthWeek and include content focused on highlighting the physical and mental health benefits of playing golf and projects being delivered by golf bodies and clubs.

EDGA, a supporter of #GolfHealthWeek, is an international not-for-profit organisation whose mission is to help people with impairment to play, succeed and enjoy golf. The 17th of April is dedicated to golf for those withdisability and EDGA is backing the campaign to raise awareness of golf being a viable sporting option for all.

A new EDGA driven ‘pledge and PLAY’ initiative is aiming for players, staff, officials, coaches, volunteers, and friends of EDGA, anywhere in the world, to play a grand total of ‘2019 holes’ on the 17th of April. Look out for #EDGAPledgePlay, before, during and after the 17th April, on social media.

There is no cost to get involved in ‘pledge and PLAY’, simply visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay, pledge the number of holes that you intend to play, log your details, your name, the course you are going to play, the people you intend to play with, and if possible the starting time.

On the 17th, all EDGA asks is that you enjoy your game, confirm the number of holes you played and send a photo/video of you and your partners as you play the course. If you like you can send a few words about your day (you will have the option to upload a photo, video or short story to the EDGA website). EDGA will have a live ‘Hole Counter’ on the day and as holes are confirmed they will be added to the running total.

Tony Bennett, President of EDGA, said: “We at EDGA are delighted to be supporting Golf and Health Week. This dedicated campaign to raise awareness of the health benefits of golf is a wonderful opportunity for golf to send a strong message that golf is good for you. We hope all friends of EDGA will support our pledge and PLAY efforts to play 2019 holes together on the 17th of April, the day when we are marking the importance of the sport for existing and brand new golfers with a disability. Please help us to achieve our goal of 2019 holes – your support is crucial!”

Focusing primarily on Great Britain and Ireland, Golf and Health Week will be co-ordinated by The R&A with the support of – along with EDGA – the European Tour, the Ladies European Tour, The Professional Golfers’ Association and the Golf Foundation, as well as national associations including England Golf, Scottish Golf, Wales Golf, the Golfing Union of Ireland and the Irish Ladies Golf Union. A number of other organisations have also expressed interest in supporting the week.

For those who wish to support pledge and PLAY (which is totally free) please visit www.edgagolf.com/pledgeplay now!

You can find #EDGAPledgePlay and meet the EDGA community across our social media platforms: Facebook: @EuropeanDisabledGolfAssociation, Twitter: @edgagolf, Instagram: @edga_golf

Launched last May in London, the Charter set out to inspire an industry-wide commitment to developing a more inclusive culture within golf globally. It is designed to encourage actions that enable more women and girls to flourish and maximise their potential within the golf industry at all levels.

Over 100 organisations have committed to the #WomenInGolfCharter since its launch last May🏌️‍♀️

Find out how you can help The R&A’s drive to increase the number of women and girls participating in our sport👉 https://t.co/v8fRCFZv4R ⛳️ pic.twitter.com/2l7E78yNhB

— The R&A (@RandA) February 13, 2019

To date, 107 organisations have given their commitment to the Charter, pledging to build on current initiatives and develop new projects to increase the number of women, girls and families playing golf and becoming members of clubs, as well as giving women wider opportunities to enjoy careers and volunteering in the sport.

These include national federations such as Golf Canada – which held its inaugural Women’s Leadership Summit last year linked to the staging of the CP Women’s Open – Golf Australia; New Zealand Golf; the Italian Golf Federation; England Golf; Scottish Golf; and Wales Golf.

Other organisations who have adopted the Charter include the PGA TOUR; the European Tour; the Ladies’ European Tour; the Professional Golfers’ Association; the Golf Foundation; the Confederation of Professional Golf; the European Disabled Golf Association; the ANNIKA Foundation; IMG; VisitScotland and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

Mastercard, the official card of The Open, is also the first R&A Patron to sign up. Various other organisations offering their support include the Association of Golf Writers and GOLFNOW.

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “We are encouraged by the number of organisations who have recognised the importance of the Charter for the sport and pledged their support.

“It is a positive start but we need an industry-wide commitment to the Charter and support for measures that will foster a more inclusive culture within the sport and enable women and girls to reach their full potential.”

While achieving the commitment of national federations and organisations was one of the first aims of the Charter, the process for clubs and regional bodies to sign up is also now gathering pace.

Conwy, which will stage the 2020 Curtis Cup in Wales, is the first golf club to sign up to the Charter.

Boldon, based in Tyne & Wear, is the first English club to sign, followed by commitments from Open venues Royal Portrush, St Andrews Links Trust and Carnoustie Golf Links.

Fulford, venue for the Girls Under 16 Amateur Championship, has also committed, along with The Royal & Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews, Blairgowrie, North Berwick and Royal Dornoch.

“Gaining the support of national associations and organisations was the first phase of our plan,” added Slumbers. “We have also worked closely with them to collectively agree a process to support individual clubs in adopting the Charter and gain real momentum.

“The national body is the point of contact and will directly liaise with clubs in determining commitments to the Charter should a club wish to become a signatory.

“We would like national associations, with the involvement of clubs, to set targets for participation and membership as we look to increase the number of women, girls and families playing the sport.”

Overview of Women and Girls developments in 2018

• In 2018, The R&A provided an initial three-year funding package of £375,000 to its affiliates in Australia, England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales to support the appointment of new development managers to work on increasing participation by women and girls
• The funding is part of The R&A’s plans to increase its overall investment in women’s, girls’ and mixed golf to £80 million over the next ten years, with the Charter underpinning this work
• In Ireland, junior girls’ membership was up nearly 1%, as was overall female membership – the first time the Irish Ladies’ Golf Union (ILGU) has seen an overall growth in membership since 2008. The Golfing Union of Ireland (GUI) and the ILGU recently agreed to form a new body, known as Golf Ireland
• Within England Golf, participation among women and girls increased from 15% to 17%, while the Girls Golf Rocks programme grew from 15 counties and 72 clubs in 2017 to 21 counties and 98 clubs for 2018
• Across Great Britain and Ireland, over 25,000 women and girls from over 1,100 clubs played in The R&A’s 2018 Coronation Foursomes
• In February 2018, Golf Australia’s plan to challenge female participation was launched – ‘Vision 2025: The future of women and girls in golf’
• New Zealand Golf has expanded investment into She Loves Golf – an initiative aimed at changing the perception of golf for women and inspiring participation
• Oman Golf launched a ‘Go Ladies’ beginner programme to illustrate the global appeal of the Charter in developing countries
• The British and International Golf Greenkeepers Association has launched a ‘Women in Turf Care’ programme to encourage more female greenkeepers
• The Professional Golfers’ Associations’ #WeLoveGolf campaign and TopGolf teamed up to drive women’s interest in trying out golf, with almost 100 women having the chance to hit their first golf ball in a fun and friendly environment
• Mastercard will partner with The R&A across various areas, including STEM Education to develop an evergreen golf version of their Girls4Tech proprietary curriculum that inspires girls to pursue careers in STEM
• Syngenta, one of the first organisations to sign up to the Charter, is taking actions centred around research, diversity and growing the game, particularly around boosting psychological well-being through golf
• A new and engaging golf campaign, aimed specifically at encouraging more women to travel to Scotland to play golf, was recently announced by VisitScotland. The #HerScotland campaign will be used to help raise awareness of The 2019 Solheim Cup
• On the European Tour, men and women competed side-by-side in 2018. The Trophée Hassan II and Lalla Meryem Cup were held simultaneously at the same venue in Morocco, while Georgia Hall, Charley Hull, Mel Reid, Carlota Ciganda and Catriona Matthew competed in the second edition of GolfSixes, the latter alongside Thomas Bjørn in a ‘Captains’ Team.’
• In addition, the men’s and women’s competitions ran side-by-side in the Vic Open in Australia last week. Furthermore, the European Tour is actively pursuing initiatives to enhance and promote diversity in their workforce.

Find out More @ RandA.org

Evidence linking golf and health, commissioned by the World Golf Foundation and supported by The R&A, was presented this week in London at the 7th Congress of the International Society for Physical Activity and Health (ISPAH). The biennial scientific meeting is widely regarded as the world’s flagship physical activity and public health event attended by more than 1,000 delegates from 60 countries.

Recognition that playing golf has significant physical health and wellness benefits and can provide moderate intensity physical activity to persons of all ages, comes just months after the World Health Organization (WHO) published its Global Action Plan for Physical Activity. The Global Action Plan targets one in four adults, and four out of five adolescents (11-17 years) who are insufficiently active and charts how countries can reduce physical inactivity in adults and adolescents by 15% through 2030.

The scientific consensus for golf is evidenced in research led by the University of Edinburgh and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. Findings reveal that playing golf is associated with a range of physical and mental health benefits, and further collaborative efforts to improve access for the sport are needed.

New studies are underway to discover if playing golf improves strength and balance, contributing to a key public health goal of fall prevention in healthy aging and into conditions such as dementia and Parkinson’s disease.

Marking the close of the ISPAH Congress, public health practitioners, policymakers and golf industry leaders were hosted at a satellite event in the Palace of Westminster by the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf.

Steve Brine MP, UK Minister for Public Health and Primary Care said, “Governments need active partners in sport to help reduce the levels of physical inactivity that are evident in society today and it gratifying to see that golf is using its global presence to make a difference.

“Golf has various health benefits for people of all ages and I look forward to working with golf, other sports and stakeholders to help get more people, more active, more often.”

Martin Slumbers, Chief Executive of The R&A, said, “Golf is working hard to encourage more people into the sport who will realise its many health benefits. With 60 million golfers spanning six continents, golf has found common purpose in working with public health practitioners and policymakers to optimise the health benefits of playing the sport.

“We recognise the importance of the WHO Global Action Plan for Physical Activity and we will work with our affiliates and partners around the world to help improve health and well-being through golf”.

Professor Fiona Bull, WHO Programme Manager, Non-Communicable Disease Prevention said, “NCD is responsible for nearly three quarters of all premature deaths globally, including 15 million deaths per year in people aged 30 to 70 years.

“The new WHO global action plan and the implementation toolkit ‘ACTIVE’ aims to help all countries improve the environments and the opportunities for all people to be more active. Golf is a popular sport for men and women and it is great to see golf’s global leadership recognising health priorities and identifying ways golf can be more accessible to more people. I took up golf in my 30’s but thought it was a very technical, expensive and elitist sport.

“Thankfully a 6 week ‘come and try course’ showed me how easy it was to enjoy golf as a beginner and how active playing 9 holes can be!” I am looking forward to seeing how golf can attract many more girls and women to enjoy the sport and be more active and healthy”.

Annika Sorenstam, Major Champion and a global ambassador for golf and health said, “As the recent international consensus statement highlighted, golf is great for your health for people of all ages – playing the sport and even spectating. Given the health benefits, we must work together to make golf more accessible if we are to achieve our sport’s full potential.”

The 2018 International Consensus Statement on Golf and Healthto guide action by people, policymakers and the golf industry was published last month in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

A further Golf and Health Scientific Meeting will be held at Mytime Active, High Elms Golf Course, Bromley on Thursday 18 October 2018, a club promoting healthy lifestyles. Researchers from Asia, Australia, Europe and the USA will discuss their respective projects and the future direction of research on golf and health.

Find out More @ www.golfandhealth.org

Base Training Phase 1

After an athlete’s summer you should always start with Base Training Phase 1. The first six weeks is time dedicated taking care of the flexibility, balance, stability and core issues they may have.

Starting with the basics, even if the athlete has trained for many years, is important – compare it to building a foundation for your future house or a pyramid (see my creative drawing!). All the future work you do is based on how well you have done your foundations and that needs to be solid as a rock!

Circuit training of 15 repetitions is common format and your program should include lots of flexibility and stability exercises! During this time take care of the technical issues of their swing and do basic training on the short game and putting, so if you’re an athlete and you haven’t already, go and book session with your golf coach and go to work!

Base Training Phase 2

Base Training Phase 2 [that usually starts ideally before January time] involves more strength work (and core) and repetitions go down. ‘How many is ideal?’ I hear you ask – this obviously depends on various things; their training (and injury) history and what the athlete’s goals are. You should concentrate on a few areas and get them super strong! With your golf training switch your focus more towards short game and their creating different shots.

Pre-Season

Pre-season (March-April time) is all about developing further your strength and slowly getting into the power training. Training from the previous Phases should be so solid that power exercises that involve lots of medicine ball throws, should be relatively easy to perform and the athlete should feel pretty fresh after their workouts. Their golf training should be all about getting better at scoring so lot’s of playing and loads more short game!

Mid-Season

During the golf season the athlete will probably tend to play a lot, so this training phase mainly involves maintaining the strength and power that they build over the winter months, getting those low scores onto the scoreboard and winning tournaments!!!

Good luck with planning your athlete’s next season and if you need help with it we are happy to help!

Riikka

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

This forces us as practitioners to extrapolate ideas from other areas of research and trial them with the players we work with as we refine and optimise our strategies and learn from the players, coaches and caddies until the research catches up.

I’m pretty fortunate to have a younger brother on the European Tour who has fast tracked my practitioner learning curve in golf and helped build up some practice based evidence which hopefully over the next few years can be trialled and tested to eventually translate into evidenced based practice.

Until such a time, I hope the following provides an insight into some considerations when working with golfers or even some food for thought (apologies for the pun) for Tour Professionals themselves.

Pre Round Fuelling

Golfers are faced with three different fuelling scenarios on a day to day basis. They are either out early (which often means a 5am start!), mid morning, or in the early afternoon.

Despite these timings changing, which may impact on meal timings and portion size, the underlying principles of how to fuel the round don’t.

Ok so what are we looking for? Well when we look at the demands of golf a round generally takes approximately 4 hours, top this up with 60-120 minutes of prep time (warm up, range, putting green, conversations with caddy, etc) and we are looking at about a 5-6 hour shift.

During this 5-6 hour shift mental focus, stable energy levels and adequate hydration are going to be key, as one poor decision or energy dip can ruin your card and separate the winners from the also-rans.

As a result the pre round meal should be finished approximately 90 minutes before the round to give the body time to digest the food and the player time to prepare. The meal itself should contain some high fibre low GI carbohydrates, such as oats, to provide a sustained release of energy over the coming hours.

This portion of carbohydrates should be complemented with a source of high quality protein, such as greek yoghurt or eggs, to not only supply the muscles with amino acids to support muscle maintenance and function but also to aid the production of neuro-transmitters to improve mental focus and induce satiety.

This base of protein and carbs should then be finished off with some high quality dietary sources of fat to provide some low intensity fuel, e.g. nuts, seeds, avocado, etc as well as some fruits and/or vegetables to bump up the micronutrient content of the meal.

A simple example of this for a 9am tee time would be a bowl of nutty muesli topped with banana and fresh berries coupled with a 3 egg omelette and a large glass of water at 6.45am. For a 2pm tee time, a baked salmon fillet with a sweet potato and feta salad would also be a good example.

On Course Nutrition

The goal on the course is exactly the same, optimise mental focus, keep stable energy levels and remain hydrated. As a result on course snacks will follow a similar trend aiming to provide some low GI carbs, a moderate amount of protein and some high quality fats.

To ensure a steady supply of energy as well as reducing symptoms of hunger it is best to spread 3-4 snacks out evenly over the round. Depending on the length of the course players may wish to eat on holes 5, 10 and 15 (particularly if it’s a shorter course) or on holes 4, 8, 12 and 16 (better suited to longer and/or slower rounds). These snacks can be prepared (in an ideal world) ahead of time by the player or one of their team or purchased for convenience.

Some great examples of on course snacks that players/their team can prepare would be homemade protein bars, nut and seed “energy” balls, oat based banana bread.

Speaking from experience, some of these snacks can be prepared with no more equipment than a mixing bowl so could be an easy way to kill 10 minutes on a Monday and set you up for the week. However, preparing your own snacks is not always possible so picking up some nuts and seed tubes/bars, bananas, beef jerky and protein bars is also a good call.

What does need to stay more regular than the eating on course is the drinking! The best way to stay on top of this is to not only consume a few mouthfuls of fluid along with each snack, but also on each hole either as you are walking down the fairway or walking to the next tee box. You might find on hot days that you may need to do both!

As for what’s in the bottle, it is best to drink water with additional electrolytes (a simple effervescent tablet will do – sugary sports drinks should be avoided). As a result the player should be equipped with 3-4 agreed on snacks before leaving the locker room and 2 bottles of water and a tube of electrolytes to top up when needed during the round. The only time this may differ is on a Sunday, in which case you always bring more and are fully prepared to go down 19 if required!

Nutrition for Recovery/Sleep

Post-round the shift focuses to recover for the following day’s play. Again this meal should contain some quality protein to aid muscle repair and maintenance however, unlike most sports there is no need to feed high volumes of carbohydrates to refuel, a moderate potion accompanied with some tasty vegetables will do.

For example, a nice lean steak with some mash potato and pan fried vegetables would fit nicely, as would a tasty teriyaki chicken stir-fry with some additional vegetables. This meal is generally the easiest for most players to get right.

This meal should be followed up with a nighttime snack, again to support recovery but also to enhance sleep, e.g. greek yoghurt with tart cherry mixed through.

Nutrition for Travel

As the competition draws to a close on Sunday, most players make their way straight from the locker room to the airport as they head on to the next event. For Tour Professionals, the schedule can be relentless and this high volume of flights, temporary time zones and often new/foreign cuisines all increase the risk of illness for the players and caddies.

These at-risk periods and shifting circadian rhythms should all be supported with appropriate performance planning to not only ensure the player and caddy acclimatise as soon as possible for the next tournament but also minimise the volume of days a player and his caddy may lose to illness.

I hope this gives some insight and sparks some thoughts about how nutrition may impact on a golfer’s performance. With the lack of current evidence available it seems the next step is for the tours to continue to innovate in performance nutrition research – then we can see how well the worlds best can really play.

————————–

This article appears courtesy of the Undergraduate Sports and Exercise Medicine Society – www.basem.co.uk/usems

The pair will run in excess of a marathon for seven days, while taking on various golfing challenges each day in their rest breaks, including the British Speedgolf Open, and a GolfSixes, culminating in a final round of 18 holes at Le Golf National’s famous course upon reaching their final destination.

The run coincides with the Year to Go celebrations as Europe and USA prepare to lock horns in the 42^nd Ryder Cup, one of the world’s greatest sporting contests, and will raise money for “Golf In Society”, enabling people with dementia to continue to play the game.

Dr Murray, a brand ambassador for Merrell UK is no stranger to long distance challenges having famously once ran 4300km from far north Scotland to the Sahara desert. However the 36 year old who also works as a Sports and Exercise Medicine consultant with the University of Edinburgh, and the European Tour Golf is recovering from a recent hospital admission with viral meningitis in mid August, and knows it won’t be easy.

“We will be racking up about 50,000 to 60,000 steps per day, eating about 5000 calories and will be on the move golfing and running most of each day,” Dr Murray said.

“We want to highlight that exercise in the great outdoors is the best thing you can do for your health. Going from being a couch potato to walking, running, or playing golf regularly can add seven years to life, it can improve health and on average make you happier. We’re urging everyone to get outside and get walking, running, golfing, or any other activity you enjoy.”

Paul Dunstan, Ryder Cup Operations Director with the European Tour added, “I’m not entirely sure what I’ve let myself in for, I enjoy running as well as golf but ask me at the end of the seven days how I feel about them! However, the main aim of the challenge is to promote the many benefits of not just golf and running, but exercise in general and having an active lifestyle, as well as funding for Golf In Society, if we can achieve these two objectives the sore legs we’ll have at the end will be worth it.“

The pair hope to raise £5000 for Golf In Society, improving the lives of persons with Dementia and Parkinson’s disease by supporting them to continue playing golf, offering additional benefits to their carers. They can be supported at this link www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/GolfAndMentalHealth.

Golf In Society are pioneering dementia friendly golf, aimed at improving the lives of people living with dementia by introducing/ reacquainting them to golf. golfinsociety.com/2015/11/10/uks-first-dementia-friendly-golf-club-launches-in-lincon/

(ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla., USA) – World Golf Foundation (WGF) – the non-profit organization developing and supporting initiatives that positively impact lives through the game of golf and its traditional values – announces the launch of the Golf & Health Project, academically researching and highlighting how the game can benefit peoples’ lives.

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh in Scotland, led by Dr. Andrew Murray and under the supervision of leading international academics, Professor Nanette Mutrie and Professor Liz Grant, have conducted the largest, most comprehensive study of golf and health, with the results shown in a Scoping Review published in the world’s leading sports medicine and science journal, The British Journal of Sports Medicine. In total, 5,000 papers were reviewed to provide a comprehensive view on the impact of the game on health, illness prevention (and management) and associated injuries (infographic).

Key benefits include improvements in life expectancy and quality of life, as well as physical and mental health benefits. Golf is expected to decrease the risk of more than 40 major chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, heart attacks, colon and breast cancer. Current research shows that golf has positive impacts on cholesterol, body composition, metabolism, and longevity.

The Project launches with support from all of golf’s major organisations, along with an initial eight ambassadors from around the world with more than 30 majors and 350 wins between them – Aaron Baddeley (Australia), Annika Sorenstam (Sweden), Brooke Henderson (Canada), Gary Player (South Africa), Padraig Harrington (Ireland), Ryann O’Toole (USA), So Yeon Ryu (South Korea), and Zach Johnson (USA).

“I am delighted to be an Ambassador for the Golf & Health Project and wholeheartedly support the work they are doing to prove the health and wellbeing benefits of golf,” explained Gary Player, nine-time Major champion and World Golf Hall of Fame member. “The systematic and academic confirmation of the physical and mental benefits golf gives people will be of great use to us all to spread the word to institutions, governments and the entire world!”

Current information from the Scoping Review and future research findings will continue to be available through the Golf & Health website – www.golfandhealth.org. This information is designed to be practical and usable by golf’s stakeholders to help develop the sport around the world.

The project also aims to show existing and future benefits that are identified are applicable to individuals of all ages throughout society, not just a specific sub-section of the population.

The WGF and the major golf organizations represented on its Board of Directors, along with partners such as the Confederation of Professional Golf and the University of Edinburgh, academic collaborators and supporters from the University of California at San Francisco, and various other organizations, are working together on the Project with a view to sharing its work around the globe.

“The importance of the Golf & Health Project in the development of the sport is vital, not just for the WGF’s partners, but everyone involved with golf around the world,” said Steve Mona, CEO of the World Golf Foundation. “This Project is something we can all get behind, as it is universally agreed that golf is good for you. It is going to provide real, tangible resources that can be used by governments and politicians, professional tours, governing bodies, golf businesses, PGA Professionals and more – all to the sport’s benefit.”

The Project is planning various research-led activities to further prove areas of interest and also expand into currently under-researched areas such as the mental health benefits of golf, physical benefits in older players and the positive effects of spectating.

“For a number of years we’ve felt we’ve underplayed the likely benefits of golf on peoples’ health,” added Golf & Health Project Executive Director and European Tour Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Roger Hawkes. “Over the last two or three years, there seems to be an interest from various bodies and we’ve been able to bring together that interest to actually study this area.”

Further information, news and features on the Golf & Health Project: www.golfandhealth.org, @GolfAndHealth on Twitter and ‘Golf and Health’ on Facebook.

For queries relating to the Project, contact info@golfandhealth.org and for media queries contact media@golfandhealth.org.

The Scoping Review was carried out together with the University of Edinburgh and published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine.

Right-click the infographic to save your copy to use at your club, facility, or business.

Further information, news and features on the Golf & Health Project: www.golfandhealth.org, @GolfAndHealth on Twitter and ‘Golf and Health’ on Facebook.

For queries relating to the Project, contact info@golfandhealth.org and for media queries contact media@golfandhealth.org.

Myth #1 – Fitness pros are out to steal your client.

A client doesn’t have to choose golf instruction or fitness. In fact Lance uses the term “pit crew” quite a few times to suggest the idea of a team effort.

Myth #2 – It takes 6 weeks to make a change.

“I’ve never built the same program twice”

Myth #3 – We’re going to ruin your golfer.

It’s all about making a plan getting closer to goals. Not just bulking up. Golf fitness and beach fitness are TOTALLY different.

There is no ONE result from starting a fitness program.

One thing Lance asks of instructors is to become educated in his world. Meaning that by understanding the body you’ll be able to better understand the role and needs of fitness in a training program. Fitness professionals are learning about the golf swing shouldn’t instructors be doing the same?

The biggest issues with certifications and continuing education is how are you going to make your money back. Lance covers a FANTASTIC concept you can easily implement. Who you should market it to. How you should run it. And what you can expect. (this is about 15 minutes in).

If you’re a golf instructors Lance believe you should go get help for you and your game from a TPI professional.

We also got some great questions from the Young Teaching Professionals group on Facebook. (great group by the way hosted by past guest Andrew Rice)

Some of the questions we cover

• Do students get longer when working out?
• How effective is transfer training when hitting a golf ball well?
• How often is injury and pain due to physical issues rather than technical?

—————————-

Lance Gil is the Co-Director of the Titleist Performance Institute Fitness Advisory Board and the Lead Instructor for TPI Level 1 and Level 2 Fitness Seminars globally. He has personally taught over 10,000 experts in the fields of; Golf Fitness, Golf Instruction, Medicine, Junior and Biomechanical proficiencies.

He is the President of LG Performance, a private Golf Performance based company specializing in the betterment of golfers (from tour professionals to junior development) in the areas of; Fitness, Screening, Biomechanics, Instruction, Mental, Nutritional, Programming, and Life Coaching. Find out more at www.lgperformance.com.

Think about it for a moment and it starts to make sense! We are so worried about the take away, the top of the backswing, not to mention downswing…

…So the follow through is often the last thing to worry about and often “just happens”!

But it all makes perfect sense: if you have any balance, flexibility, posture, core stability or strength issues while swinging a golf club  – you will end up compensating and often these patterns show loud and clear at your follow through.

Losing balance, funky-looking and often massive efforts from wrist, elbows or legs to force the club back into plane are the most common telltale signs.

Your facial expressions after the shot will also be worth a thousand words on how repetitive your swing is and how comfortable your body feels doing it. Have you ever smiled while hitting a shot or even at your follow through? It’s well worth trying, if it doesn’t work for you try something else – a “cool” or “neutral face”, as long as you don’t repetitively grind your teeth and look miserable!

Also next time you watch golf (ether live or on TV), pay attention how professional golfers look after they have hit the ball or a putt and it will tell you a lot about what is going on in his/her mind.

Your feet are amazing feel transmitters to your brain – they provide your body the essential information concerning where your body is in space.

Swinging with bare feet often gives you whole new sensation of balance and in fact you are able to feel more what’s going on within your body! When I played on Ladies European Tour I had a habit to do a monthly check up with my swing basics (aiming, ball positioning, etc.) and I often started the day swinging without golf shoes, as this gave me so much information on my weight distribution before the swing as well as the weight transfer during the golf swing. It only takes few minutes so it’s well worth a try!

You can improve the body’s ability to send sensory feedback by very simple trick of massaging the feet with tennis ball. Start standing and placing a tennis ball under your foot. Apply firm pressure (but not agony!) to the ball and try covering all areas of your foot for at least 2 minutes.

Massaging your foot also relaxes your Myofaschial Superficial Back line and therefore helps your overall flexibility.

Have fun swinging barefoot!

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

The sport has physical and mental health benefits for people of all ages, genders and backgrounds, a study in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows.

Researchers reviewed 5000 studies into golf and wellbeing to build a comprehensive picture of the sport’s health benefits, as well as its potential drawbacks.

Findings show that golf is likely to improve cardiovascular, respiratory and metabolic health.

Playing golf could also help those who suffer chronic diseases including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, colon and breast cancer and stroke, the study found.

The physical benefits of golf increase with age, researchers from the University of Edinburgh said.

Balance and muscle endurance in older people are improved by playing the sport, the review also found.

A regular game of golf can help players meet and exceed minimum government recommendations for moderate to vigorous physical activity.

The study found that golfers typically burn a minimum of 500 calories over 18 holes.

Golfers walking 18 holes can cover four to eight miles, while those using an electric golf cart typically chalk up four miles.

Increased exposure to sunshine and fresh air were found to be additional benefits.

The physical aspects of golf could also help reduce the risk of anxiety, depression and dementia, the researchers say.

The study is part of the Golf & Health Project, which is led by the World Golf Foundation. The initiative aims to increase the understanding of golf in health and wellbeing.

Future research will include the effects of golf on mental health, muscle strengthening and balance.

Lead researcher Dr Andrew Murray, from the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre at the University of Edinburgh, said: “We know that the moderate physical activity that golf provides increases life expectancy, has mental health benefits, and can help prevent and treat more than 40 major chronic diseases such as heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, breast and colon cancer.”

“Evidence suggests golfers live longer than non-golfers, enjoying improvements in cholesterol levels, body composition, wellness, self-esteem and self-worth. Given that the sport can be played by the very young to the very old, this demonstrates a wide variety of health benefits for people of all ages.”

Padraig Harrington, a vice-captain at the 2016 Ryder Cup, three-time major champion and Golf & Health Ambassador, said: “The Golf & Health Project is clearly taking an important step forward to shine a light on the benefits of our sport. I have seen how impactful golf can be on peoples’ wellbeing – now it’s time to get this message out there.”

Fellow ambassador Annika Sorenstam, a 12-time major champion, said: “Healthy living is a subject that’s very close to my heart, especially when it comes to educating the next generation. I strongly believe playing golf helps people stay fit, active and healthy. The Golf & Health Project will help all of us better promote the sport’s physical and mental benefits.”

For further information, video footage and images please contact:

Andrew Moffat, Press and PR Office; Tel +44 131 650 9836; Email andrew.moffat@ed.ac.uk

Among the best golfers in the world playing on the European Tour, the standard and depth of quality is exceptionally high. For them, the difference between winning and coming second or making their tour card versus missing out can come down to the smallest of margins.

From week to week, a huge number of variables place demands on them, their bodies and their performance. These all need to be accounted for and fully understood. For most people (and particularly athletes) the body responds well to and likes routines, structure and balance. As a professional golfer travelling the world with the modern international schedule of golf, this can sometimes be very hard to achieve.

Over the next couple of articles we will be talking about the importance of sleep, diet, hydration and travel for the professional and recreational golfer alike. In this blog article we will be discussing sleep and air travel.

Sleep patterns among professional golfers can be hugely variable due to time zone changes, jet lag, very early or very late tee times, media requirements and travel delays to name a few. We know that sleep is a crucial factor in human physical and mental health and performance.

The recommended amount of sleep varies between people depending on age, sex and activity, but generally 8 hours a night is a guideline figure. It has been shown that sports people require more sleep than the general public and performance factors are increased with an extra hour of sleep a night on top of the average.

Sleep deprivation can have several effects on people and athletes/golfers performance including:

• Hormone changes – reduced duration of sleep has been linked with increased levels of cortisol. This is also known as a stress hormone and has been linked with reduced healing, increased risk of injuries and reduced memory. It is also linked with reduced levels of the body’s natural growth hormone, which helps the body repair.
• Reduced energy – sleep deprivation reduces your body’s ability to store glycogen. Although often seen as an energy source needed during endurance events, it is still a key component of the energy requirements in sports such as golf.
• Reduced decision making and reflexes – evidence shows that sports people who don’t get enough sleep are worse at making split second decisions and are less accurate in their performance (these are also similar effects of dehydration which we will discuss in another piece)

As I write this article I am 35,000 ft in the air on a plane travelling 3 hrs 45 minutes to Morocco for the Trophee Hassan II, with the entire journey today taking 9 hours from door to door. Many of the golfers playing in this tournament have travelled much further and crossed many more time zones.

This is a common necessity for players and staff on the European Tour every week, with the 2014 schedule featuring 48 tournaments in 26 countries worldwide. Air travel has many effects on the body of which ‘jet lag’ is one.

Jet lag is linked with a de-synchronisation of circadian rhythms and its impact depends on a number of factors e.g. the duration and direction of the flight, crossing multiple time zones, repeated and regular journeys with little time for acclimatisation and individual differences between people.

Some simple tips for trying to combat the effects of time zone changes and jet lag are:-

• If over 3 hrs time difference, try and arrive 24hrs prior to your first day practice/training.
• If you want to sleep later in the morning when you arrive, close the curtains and black out the room as much as possible.
• If you want to wake earlier, keep the curtains open when you go to bed, which will accustom you naturally to the morning light.
• Change your watch to the new time zone before you get on the flight, and then start eating/sleeping to the new time zone immediately (if a time change of longer than 4-6 hours try and do this the day before you leave to start your bodies acclimatisation to the new time zone.
• Avoid drinking alcohol/caffeine the day before, during the flight and the day after.- Maintain adequate levels of fluid intake (preferably 2-3L of water/day).
• Wear compression socks during flights

The effects of prolonged periods of inactivity and long haul travel are well documented. As well as professional golfers, it is as important for the general population to ensure that they follow guidance and have regular breaks from sitting on a plane. They should carry out simple, regular exercises to promote blood flow and prevent the effects of prolonged inactivity and static postures on a flight.

In the fiercely competitive world of modern professional golf, it is vital that every aspect of a golfer’s preparation is optimised and good health is maintained as much as possible. The above tips can help to reduce the affects of air travel and maximize the benefits of sleep.

Nigel Tilley is a Consultant Physiotherapist on the European Tour Physio Unit and ETPI.

REFERENCES

Lemmer, B., Kern, R.I., Nold, G., & Lohrer, H. (2002). Jet lag inathletes after eastward and westward time-zone transition.Chronobiology International , 19, 743_764.

Waterhouse, J., Reilly, T., & Edwards, B. (2004). The stress oftravel. Journal of Sports Sciences , 22, 946_966.

Beaumont, M., Bate´jat, D., Pie´rard, C., Van Beers, P., Denis,J. B., Coste, O., et al. (2004). Caffeine or melatonin effects onsleep and sleepiness after rapid eastward transmeridian travel.Journal of Applied Physiology, 96, 50_58.

Drust, B., Waterhouse, J., Atkinson, G., Edwards, B., & Reilly, T.(2005). Circadian rhythms in sports performance: An update.Chronobiology International , 22, 21_44.

Reilly T., Atkinson G., Edwards B., Waterhouse J., Akerstedt T., Davenne D., Lemmer B. and Wirz-Justice A. (2007) Coping with Jet-lag: A position statement for the European College of Sports Science. European Journal of Sports Science, 7, 1, -7

This article originally featured in International Golf Pro News. Visit the IGPN Page to find out more and subscribe for free.

Clock Graphic Designed by Freepik

In the past few years the area of strength training has been a bone of contention in the golf world with many players attributing improved performance and increased successes to this type of training, whilst others have been critical about the impact it may have on their game.

We ask experts Dr Ben Langdown and Jack Wells from the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland some key questions about fitness for golfers, specifically when it comes to strength training.

How can strength training help a golfer improve performance?

BL – There are various ways – strength, stability, mobility, the clubhead speed is probably the obvious one and therefore distance and that’s potentially what most golfers are looking for when they come and do some strength and conditioning work.

Although others are just looking for – can they get into certain positions within the swing that their coach is trying to work on, and therefore we’re looking at the specific restrictions or limitations that they’ve got in their body and using strength and conditioning to aid that and improve their mobility and their stability.

Who should be taking part in strength training and how does a coach determine if a student should start strength training?

BL – Anybody can take part strength training – and the best way to find out as a PGA Professional if your client actually wants to, or needs to, take part is to ask him or her.

Do they want to see quicker benefits from the training that they’re doing, so not just practicing on the range but also can they reap the rewards of doing strength training in the gym? Basically anybody can do strength training as long as there’s no underlying health issues or injuries currently in place.

JW – This has to be guided by them [the athlete] really, and it might be a conversation that you bring in. If they’re looking to increase their driving distance and you feel that technically you’ve done quite a lot but actually they probably need to increase their clubhead speed through different areas, then engaging in strength & conditioning might be something that you approach with them. If that is something they want to do you can seek out an individual that will help them with that.

What strength training should people be doing?

BL – Strength training should be targeted to each individual. People can go and do a generic programme but they’re not necessarily going to get the maximum benefit from doing that. If you can target that strength training programme or strength & conditioning to that individual then you can hit the needs of that golfer and therefore they’re going to get maximum reward.

Does strength training limit a golfer’s ability to be flexible and mobile?

BL – No, is the short answer. There’s research out there that demonstrates that golfers who do strength training correctly can actually increase their flexibility and their mobility through doing their training.

There was this myth in the past that golfers should stay away from all sorts of strength training because it would of limited their movements in the swing, but actually that is a myth and there’s evidence out there now that shows flexibility can be increased.

How can coaches incorporate strength training into their teaching remit?

BL – The best way to do this is to work with a team – PGA Professionals, unless they’ve got themselves an additional qualification, they’re not insured to provide fitness or strength & conditioning advice. Therefore if they have done an additional qualification and they’ve got insurance on the back of that, then that’s fine, they can deliver the whole package themselves if they wish to.

Otherwise PGA Professionals can do some basic physiological or musculoskeletal screening that are looking for any restrictions in the movements that they want a golfer to do but in terms of providing correct exercises or strength & conditioning advice, that’s where they need to refer out to a specialist.

JW – Golf coaches who actually want to get into this field need to start to seek out professionals. But what a coach can perhaps do is start to incorporate things like warm-ups…and that will hopefully help them be suitably potentiated to hit the golf ball but also to bring in some movement patterns that will help them going forwards.

Who should a PGA Professional work with to carry out strength training with athletes and how can they incorporate them into an athlete’s performance mix?

BL – There’s always this, again, maybe a myth that the strength & conditioning coach or the physiotherapist is going to try and pinch [steal] the golfer. But PGA Professionals shouldn’t be afraid of working alongside a fitness team. So they’re the people that should be doing the full assessment.

There’s no reason why a PGA Professional can’t look at certain movements and positions. But then it should be the strength & conditioning coach or the physiotherapist who actually puts a programme together to develop that golfer as an athlete.

JW – So if they work with someone who has a good understanding of the fundamental movements that are involved with the swing then actually that is a good grounding for working with a specialist.

BL – Maybe give them some free golf lessons in exchange for some free fitness advice or physiotherapy sessions in order to up-skill the team that they’re working with.

Are there concerns with injuries in strength training? What are the warning signs and what should a PGA Professional do?

JW – I think with any sport there is always a risk and a concern of injury. If we look within golf we see that the in the amateur side there’s a lot of lower back injuries whereas at the top end of the spectrum it’s wrist and elbow injuries.

Actually engaging in strength training might help these individuals – so amateurs could be a little bit more robust to cope with the dynamic patterns of the swing. But also in terms of the elite end of the spectrum, a lot of the injuries involved with the wrists and elbows are potentially through overuse.

BL – Done in the right way, there shouldn’t be any concerns with injuries. Under supervision from a strength & conditioning coach or physiotherapist then actually we should be building athletes that are robust to injuries.

If people are going off into the gym doing there own thing and using incorrect techniques, maybe using too much load when their body isn’t ready for that load, then potentially there could be an increased risk of injury.

JW – If they [the PGA Professional] start to see a really bad ball flight and the player then says they’re struggling with this shot because they’re feeling pain in their left should or hands…then these are warning signs that perhaps hitting a number of golf shots is not going to help in the long run, and actually might potentially make that injury worse.

So it may just be discussing with them [the athlete] verbally or it might be something that occurs through performance. Sometimes it might involve a little bit of digging and learning a little more about the person in-front of you and trying to find out what’s going on.

BL – If the PGA Professionals spots any signs of over-training [or injury], first of all sit down with the golfer and just get them to outline what they’ve done in the past few weeks. If the PGA Professional doesn’t know how to deal with this then seek advice from maybe a sports scientist, strength & conditioning coach or physiotherapist.

Is it safe for juniors to engage with strength training?

JW – Absolutely – There’s so much research supporting the notion of actually getting juniors to engage in strength & conditioning. The golf swing has more force going through it than any form of lifting really so actually swinging a golf club is potentially, you could argue, more injurious than engaging in strength training.

BL – Again this is another myth that has been out there that juniors shouldn’t be doing any strength & conditioning work, lifting any weights, should stay away from the gym because it’s going to cause them injuries or cause them long-term problems.

Juniors should be in the gym if they want to be and if they need to be in terms of their goals and their development. Even things like fundamental movement skills can be done within a golf environment or they can be done within a gym. So developing those movements that are going to be able to create them as an athlete rather than just a golfer. Things like hopping, skipping, throwing, catching, running, dodging, or jumping – all of those fundamental movement skills that eventually lead to them becoming a robust athlete, and therefore cope with the demands of the sport a lot better.

JW – Other things that juniors will do naturally like climbing trees, learning how to walk, picking up their bike out of the garage, jumping over walls – these are effectively strength training. Engaging in that sort of activity naturally is the same almost applying a bespoke strength & conditioning programme.

Why are there golfers winning majors that do not engage in any form of fitness training?

BL – So this doesn’t help our cause as sports scientists or strength & conditioning coaches, but there’s always exceptions to the rule. There are going to be players out there that potentially aren’t engaging in strength & conditioning work currently, but you’ve got to ask what have they done in their youth, in their development period. They may have engaged in a lot of different sports as they were growing up and therefore they’ve developed these fundamental movement skills to become a golfer.

JW – Strength training is just one vehicle to successful performance, obviously the strongest golfer doesn’t necessarily win every tournament because there are other important parameters such as what’s going on at impact, to the mental side of the game.

BL – Occasionally you’re getting someone winning a major or a tournament that hasn’t engaged in strength & conditioning, but the ones at the top week-in, week-out are the ones that are athletes that are training. Putting in the hours in terms of not just practice but in the gym as well and working with that team around them.

Dr Ben Langdown is the Training Executive for Sports Science at the PGA National Training Academy at The Belfry. Alongside this Ben also works with many elite amateur and professional golfers providing strength and conditioning support. Ben has a PhD in the field of golf biomechanics, studying strength and conditioning for golf and movement variability in the swing.  Follow Ben at @BenLangdown.

Jack Wells is Education Officer (Golf Coaching & Sports Science) for the PGA of Great Britain & Ireland. You can follow Jack on Twitter at @Jackwells009.