As the conversation around physical and mental wellbeing gains traction, golf’s health benefits are more than just an added bonus; they’re a strategic advantage.

Here’s how you, as a golf coach, can harness the power of Golf & Health messaging to support your business goals, generate new revenue, and connect with wider audiences.

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1. Reach New Audiences with Purposeful Health Messaging

Golf is no longer just for the seasoned swing enthusiast. Its combination of low-impact exercise, outdoor exposure, and social interaction makes it ideal for:

• Older adults seeking an active lifestyle that supports joint health and mobility
• Beginners who may find traditional gyms intimidating or repetitive
• Health-conscious individuals looking for new ways to stay active and mindful

By positioning your coaching services as a gateway to these benefits, you open the door to new customer segments – many of whom may not have previously considered golf.

🟢 Try this: Create a “Health & Golf Taster Session” aimed at beginners or older adults. Promote it through local wellbeing groups, walking clubs, or even local GP surgeries.

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2. Add Depth to Your Marketing and Communications

Yes, golf improves your swing – but it also improves your sleep, lowers stress, boosts brain function, and supports heart health. Those are benefits worth talking about.

Integrating these themes into your website, social media, and email campaigns can help:

• Tell a more holistic, values-driven story
• Differentiate your coaching business from others
• Encourage emotional connections with your audience

🟢 Try this: Share testimonials or short stories from clients who have experienced health benefits through golf, especially those who started for health reasons rather than competition.

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3. Align with Public Health Partners and Unlock New Funding Streams

Many local authorities and charities are looking for partners who can help deliver on community health and wellbeing targets. Golf – especially when led by qualified professionals – ticks a lot of boxes.

By aligning your programmes with these goals, you may unlock:

• New funding streams for health or physical activity initiatives
• Referrals from healthcare providers or local wellness campaigns
• Media opportunities showcasing your work within the community

🟢 Try this: Develop a short proposal outlining how your sessions support mental and physical wellbeing, and share it with local councils, Active Partnerships, or health charities.

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4. Position Yourself as a Wellness Professional, Not Just a Swing Coach

Incorporating Golf & Health messaging into your coaching doesn’t mean changing everything you do – it means reframing the value you already offer. You’re not just improving someone’s backswing; you’re supporting their overall quality of life.

That kind of impact builds stronger client relationships, long-term loyalty, and referrals that go far beyond the first tee.

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Final Thought

As a golf coach, you’re uniquely placed at the intersection of sport and wellbeing. By integrating Golf & Health messaging into your approach, you’re not just helping people play better – you’re helping them live better. And in doing so, you’re building a business that’s more resilient, more relevant, and more rewarding.

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Useful Links:

GOLF & HEALTH RESOURCE HUB

The RCEDT is dedicated to enhancing lives through golf and encouraging people to engage with the sport, including by promoting its health benefits. This challenge embodies those values by showcasing the physical and mental health benefits of golf.

The challenge takes place on June 20th at Little Aston Golf Club, UK, starting at first light at 4:30am, and will see Ian and Aston play over 5.5 rounds of golf over an approx. distance of 35 miles/56km!

We need your support! Here’s how you can help:

• Donate: Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference.
• Share: Spread the word about our challenge to your friends, family, and social networks.
• Participate: Consider taking on your own 100 Hole Challenge at your local course.

How Your Donation Helps:

Funds raised from the 100 Hole Challenge will support the RCEDT’s ‘health and wellbeing’ strategic pillar. Your contributions will go towards projects that not only promote the health benefits of golf but also enhance the sport itself. Every donation helps us make a significant impact on communities, promoting healthier lifestyles through golf.

Find out more and donate at rctru.st/100

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…

As part of its long-term education strategy and in response to the current challenging climate PGAs and their Members are facing, the Confederation of Professional Golf [CPG] have announced a new series of free online Masterclass webinars.

The ‘CPG Masterclass Series’ includes a range of online talks and presentations that cover a variety of subjects and topics, delivered by world-class, industry leading experts from their respective fields.

CPG Chief Executive, Ian Randell, commented: “Like most organisations and individuals, PGAs and PGA Members are being affected in a number of ways by the COVID-19 virus. Whilst policies and guidelines differ across our member countries, we are taking a number of steps and introducing new initiatives to emphasise Togetherness and the sharing of knowledge and information, at a time when being part of a community is more important than ever.

“The CPG Masterclass Series is just one of these steps and we will contain to work with the leaders from across our Member PGAs to roll out others over the coming weeks and months – Stay Safe, Stay Learning”.

Through this increased sharing of knowledge and thought-provoking content, the Masterclass Series embodies the CPG’s guiding principles of Togetherness, Collaboration and Development, and aims to provide both new and supplementary golf education resources for the benefit of CPG Member Country PGAs and PGA Professionals alike.

The initial schedule of speakers includes a focus on the effects of the Coronavirus pandemic on golf with Dr Andrew Murray and Dr Roger Hawkes, Project Leaders for the Golf & Health initiative, communication science and its relation to golf coaching with Marie Jeffery, Marketing and student relationship for golf instructors with Jose Vicente Perez, structuring practice and lessons with Adam Young, social media for PGA Professionals with Emma Ballard, along with a variety of other content already scheduled.

Regular announcements of upcoming webinars will be released in due course, with an aim to provide frequent, accessible sessions to enable as many PGA representatives and PGA Professionals to attend.

Further details on the series including the full schedule, speaker line-up, and webinar access details can be found online at cp.golf/masterclass.

If you would like to take part and deliver a webinar then please contact tb@cpg.golf or use the form available on the Masterclass hub page.

CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT MORE

Despite the obvious and well-documented challenges this has posed to industries, in particular golf, PGA Professionals have adapted to an incredibly difficult situation admirably. You only have to spend a few minutes on social media to see their drive and determination across the world to maintain both their golf games and enthusiasm, conducted under a cloud of doubt and uncertainty as to when they will return to work and the course.

Your clients and customers will no doubt also be itching to get back onto the course, back to playing in weekly club competitions, back to hitting balls on the range and back to having lessons with you. So how, despite having limited ability to interact directly with them, can you continue to build and maintain a rapport? How can you use this time to increase your relevance and prepare your business for when the play button on society is hit?

Social Media

Social media is a powerful tool and something you or your employers will have been possibly engaging with or utilising in some form already. Established mainstream channels such as Facebook and Twitter provide solid bases to create exposure and generate valuable conversations with your existing clients and potential customers, providing it is done in the right way for you and your business.

Don’t stick to just Facebook and Twitter however. LinkedIn provides a professional platform to collaborate with other businesses. Instagram is a fantastic channel for golf clubs to visually present their business – clubs are utilising closed courses to generate fantastic on-the-ground and aerial drone footage, undisturbed, that can be uploaded across instagram, websites and for future content purposes.

There is no doubt other channels such as TikTok [a video streaming site that’s use has surged very recently] will continue to be popularised as tastes and trends change. Keeping an eye on these, learning how to use them and applying them correctly might help you to digitally converse with new audiences and develop your social reach.

Vlogging

At face value, vlogging [creating video content around topics and instructional areas] seems complex. This previous article helps to simplify and break down first of all what video blogging is, how to actually create a great vlog, and then how to effectively deliver it to your audience.

In essence, it requires a small space to be able to explain and demonstrate a shot [if it is a coaching vlog], a camera or smartphone to record yourself and ultimately, oodles of energy and enthusiasm. For sure, it can be daunting to even the most confident of people to film themselves talking but remember that it is you and your knowledge that customers come for week-in, week-out. The only difference is that you are creating that conversation with them through a screen now instead.

Email Marketing and Weekly Check-ups

Remaining relevant is a constant battle we as PGA Professionals face in even more certain trading conditions. Ever-growing competition from clubs, teaching academies and driving ranges keep each and every one of us on our toes to ensure we innovate and improve, so that our clients continue to demand the products and services we offer.

Therefore, in the absence of clubs, teaching academies and facilities, and in fact any form of consumer demand during this crisis, relevancy is ironically, almost irrelevant to a degree.

Front page headlines, news articles and press conferences around the world thoroughly document the challenges and threats of COVID-19, and are obsessively occupying the front of everybody’s minds right now – for good and obvious reasons. So how do you replace, or at the very least, remind people that there is light at the end of the tunnel when it comes to their golf games, their golf club and their favourite past time?

First, you need a client database to be able to activate and engage with.

Second, you need an hour or two each week to set aside and create some engaging forms of online communication. This can be as basic as a generic text message such as the one below, or a multispread newsletter that covers what you, a PGA Professional who is eager to maintain their own golf games has been up to, simple step-by-step coaching tips or generic thoughts on the game’s current trends, and why you are looking forward to making this summer the best yet for everyone. You will find people have more time on their hands right now, so engaging them with longer pieces of content should be really useful and effective!

…”Hi [first name]!

How are you? Have you managed to get any form of golf practice in on the garden? 

If you are limited for space and time, try setting up some simple putting drills in your front living room, or a chipping net with some foam balls to keep the your game ticking over. It won’t be long before we are through these current difficulties and back out onto the golf course and I am really looking forward to seeing you back!

If you would like some more tips and drills to practice at home, or anything else, I am here to help.

[Your name]”…

Thirdly, you need to deliver the content. If you have a large database of text messages to send, you could generalise the message to apply to a large group. You could then create a themed WhatsApp group that includes various sections of your client base, such as parents of respective golf classes to send info through and maintain their engagement.

However you do it and whatever you write, if you maintain the thought of ‘I am here and available for when we return to normal life’ at the front of your mind, your message will remain relevant, be well received and at the very least, replace a negative with a positive for your clients.

Final Thoughts

We are all involved in a current national and international effort to defeat this virus, and I first and foremost wish you all and your loved ones good health throughout this challenging period.

Right now we have a duty to follow and enact upon the strict social measures delivered by our respective governing authorities. The quicker we do this, the quicker we get through it and the quicker we can walk back out onto the golf course.

However, I urge you to use this enforced downtime to engage and re-engage with your customers and clients as much as possible. The optimist in me believes a booming feel-good factor of festivities and consumer spending is an inevitability once our lives and liberties are re-instilled. By using this time effectively, you can position yourselves effectively to take advantage of expected surges in demand and make up for any bump your business is currently experiencing.

Any players with any symptoms of COVID-19, should not play.

Any players from a household with someone with any symptoms of COVID-19 should not play,

Any players without symptoms of COVID-19 is currently free to play following these measures, in order to reduce the risk of transferring the virus to others:

• Book online, so reducing contacts in and around the Clubhouse
• Change shoes in the car park and avoid the Clubhouse, or changing areas, whenever possible
• Use social distancing (2metre rule) on the putting green
• Meet on the first tee with modified greetings at a distance
• Insist on social distancing (2 metres rule) on tees, greens and throughout the rounds
• Golf buggies should only be used by single individuals and cleaned afterwards
• Golfers should only pick their own ball up
• Handle your own scorecard only
• Do not use public drinking fonts and ball cleaners, bring own refreshments, towels and ball cleaners if needed.
• Leave the flag in place while putting
• Sort out the sand in the bunker with a club (or your own rake!)
• Do not use airlines for cleaning shoes or equipment following the round
• Players should use hand sanitiser on the way round and at the end
• No handshakes on 18th green (do not hand over money either??)
• Avoid the Clubhouse, whenever possible
• Finish and go home!

Of course, for all those who are self-isolating as a result of contact with an infected person or in families who are self-isolating, it would not be appropriate to visit a club and play golf at this time.

Nevertheless, playing shots in your own garden and putting in the living room will encourage people to reduce the sitting time which we know is an independent risk factor and needs addressing.

Message to Golf Clubs and Management

• Organise online booking to reduce congregation around the Clubhouse
• Allow shoes to be changed in the car park
• Follow general hygiene advice and e.g. make hand sanitisers available in the clubhouse
• Golf buggies should be used by single individuals and cleaned afterwards
• Take drinking fonts and ball cleaners out of play.
• Close air pressure cleaners for cleaning shoes following the round

Message to Players

• Book online so less congregation around the Clubhouse
• Change shoes in the car park and avoid the Clubhouse, whenever possible
• Meet on the first tee with modified greetings at a distance
• Insist on social distancing (2 metres rule) on tees, greens and throughout the rounds
• Golf buggies should be used by single individuals and cleaned afterwards
• Golfers should only pick their own ball up
• Handle your own scorecard only
• Leave the flag in place while putting
• Sort out the sand in the bunker with clubs or own rake
• Do not use air pressure cleaners for cleaning shoes following the round
• Hand sanitise on the way round and at the end
• Avoid the Clubhouse, whenever possible
• Finish and go home!

Message to Policy Makers

• Golf is a health enhancing physical activity, especially in the older population
• Golf facilities can provide a safe environment for players and staff
• Clubhouse use can be avoided

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Up to date information can be received from:

World Health Organization, Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) – who.int/emergencies/diseases/novel-coronavirus-2019/events-as-they-happen

EU ADVICE:

• European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control National information resources for the public by EU Country – ecdc.europa.eu/en/novel-coronavirus-china/sources-updated

UK ADVICE:

• NHS advice – nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/
• Guidance for employers and businesses – gov.uk/government/publications/guidance-to-employers-and-businesses-about-covid-19

US ADVICE:

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention – cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html

For more information in countries not listed above then more information will be available on your government’s own Coronavirus COVID-19 guideline websites.

Thank you to the Senior Public Health Advisors in the UK and Golf & Health Project Director, Dr Roger Hawkes, for their assistance in preparing this guidance.

A crowd of almost 100,000 people flocked to Perthshire in September for the biennial Europe v USA contest, with eventual winners, Team Europe, captained by Solheim Cup stalwart and Scottish golfing legend, Catriona Matthew.

The Golf and Health Project features leading studies undertaken by University of Edinburgh in partnership with The World Golf Foundation and The R&A. Led by the European Tour Chief Medical Officer, Dr Andrew Murray, the research analysed the health of wellbeing associated with golf, both from a playing and spectating perspective.

Playing regularly was associated with improved physical health, wellbeing and length of life. Studies of golf spectators in Scotland also suggest that fans following the action round Gleneagles for one round may:

• Walk five to six miles on average
• Burn more than 1000 calories
• Take more than 11,500 steps

Based on scientific knowledge of the average steps taken by spectators in Scotland, and an attendance of 100,000, spectators collectively walked the equivalent of 20 times around the 25,000-mile circumference of the Earth.

The research also showed that spectators not only value watching world-class golf at close quarters, but also enjoy the benefits of fresh air, time with friends and family, and health enhancing physical activity which is further enhanced by green space and connection with nature.

Most spectators at the Solheim Cup are expected to walk significantly farther than the recommended 7500 to 10,000 steps and indeed further study showed that when spectators hear about the health benefits of walking with their favourite golfers, it can inspire them to be more active after the event, potentially providing a health legacy. Indeed 40% of spectators reported being more active three months after receiving health promoting messages at a European Tour event.

This could be extremely important as physical inactivity is responsible for more than 3m deaths worldwide – and a lack of activity kills six Scots every day. In recent events, more than 82% attendees met or exceeded their recommended physical activity while spectating; with 60% of those interested in becoming more physically active post-event.

Dr Andrew Murray believes the 2019 Solheim Cup will re-emphasise the unique benefits of spectating.

“The 2019 Solheim Cup is another world-class sporting event to celebrate in Scotland and while the spectators can’t win the trophy they can certainly celebrate their own health and fitness success,” said Dr Murray, who will be on-hand at the event as medical director.

“We know from the 2018 International Consensus on Golf and Health that golfers live longer than non-golfers but the benefits of golf spectating can be significant: following your favourite player or pairing around Gleneagles, even for one day, will exceed many of the government recommendations for physical activity, whether it’s number of steps, miles walked or calories burned.

“There are no comparable sports where the benefits of going along to watch can have such a positive impact – especially to those friends and families who attended for the duration and walked up to five miles per day for every day of competition.

“The message from the spectators who went is simple: enjoying the best of women’s golf makes you healthier, not just physically but the benefits of walking outdoors, getting all that fresh air, is also known to improve people’s mental wellbeing. Try to maintain regular exercise after the event too – 30 minutes of walking five times per week decreases risk of early death by 30% and can help prevent and treat over 40 diseases such as heart attacks, type 2 diabetes and depression.”

Joe FitzPatrick, Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing, echoed Dr Murray’s message that the 2019 Solheim Cup will positively impact the health and wellbeing of everyone who took part in the event.

He said: “I warmly welcome this research from the Golf and Health Project which emphasises the health benefits of attending the 2019 Solheim Cup at iconic Gleneagles. The findings prove that spectating at a golf event is an active pursuit.

“While the primary factor for fans will be seeing up close the best of USA and Europe battle it out for the greatest prize in women’s golf, the supplementary benefits are almost as compelling. The more spectators explore the beautiful golf course, the greater the impact on their physical and mental wellbeing.”

In October 2015, proud Welshman Mike Jones, an electrical engineer and single figure golfer, climbed astride his Yamaha MT09 Sports Tourer motorbike for the trip across the Severn Bridge from Cwmbran into England for a shift in Bristol. With a toot of his horn he said goodbye to wife Beth without a care in the world.

Four days later he would wake up in hospital in Swansea in severe pain and confusion. Mike has been told he nearly died at the scene of the accident and lost a lot of blood. A leg was badly crushed, his thighbone was rammed through his pelvis by the crash. These bones could be rebuilt in complicated operations but his lower left leg had to be amputated three days after the accident; the start of a long road that would include 22 hours on the surgeon’s table, six months of regular out-patient visits and a hip replacement as recently as last November. And even then it could have been far worse. His biker’s protective clothing may have saved his life as such was the injury, more exposure of the wound could easily have led to a fatal infection.

The super-keen sportsman, former footballer, a golfer who had been close to scratch (a 2 handicap), would later learn that he was still very much “just Mike” but right then, in a room on his own and desperate for sleep, all he could consider was his new identity as “Mike with a lost leg”.

He explains: “It was so traumatic. Your mind is whizzing at 100mph. I’m feeling my leg but it’s not there, a phantom sensation. I struggled with this so badly. They tried all different drugs with it. Nothing helped. I came very close in hospital to a breakdown. I remember one evening banging my fists on a tray, holding the buzzer and the nurse came in and said ‘What’s going on Mike?’ I don’t like asking anyone for anything and I was trying, but I lost it. I was screaming at the top of my voice, you either have to get me out of this room or give me something to put me to sleep… I thought I was going mad.”

A move to a ward with other guys in a similar condition helped, as they could talk and support each other with a bit of banter. The second telling element of his initial recovery came because Mike was holding on to his love of golf as a focus in this most difficult time. Could he ever play again?

He watched golf videos in his hospital bed and found clips from one golfer in particular, Manuel De Los Santos. De Los Santos hails from the Dominican Republic and lost his left leg in a traffic accident to destroy his dream of playing professional baseball in the US. He would not only later discover a new sport in golf but he would excel in it, as a fine striker of the ball which has seen him win trophies on the European Disabled Golf Association (EDGA) Tournament Series and become something of an emblem for EDGA and its players as to just what can be achieved.

Mike said: “I was obsessed with playing again. It saved my life. I really don’t know what I would have done if I hadn’t had golf as a focus, God knows what, I would have ended up in not a very nice place I think, so it literally saved my life.

“I watched videos of Manuel and heard him speak with such enthusiasm. You don’t often get the chance to reset your life but that was my opportunity there. That’s the attitude I want, I thought – I want the can-do attitude. Saying it and doing it is another thing, so when I am feeling a bit low or sorry for myself or ‘woe is me I’ve lost my leg’, I watch the video and it’s ‘right, just get on with it Mike, stop moaning about it’.”

Fast forward less than 18 months to February 2017 and Mike Jones is a long way from that hospital bed. He is actually teeing it up in an EDGA tournament in the sunshine in the Spanish Open, playing so well he won the Stableford trophy with two solid rounds off a new 19 handicap; while also meeting Manuel De Los Santos in the flesh and making a new friend.

“To actually meet Manuel in Spain and for him to speak to me like a real friend and give me advice and shake my hand, that’s the beauty of EDGA. And also Juan Postigo Arce[another top EDGA player] – you just get it, you just feel that positivity coming out of them towards you and that’s what I want to deliver to the people I play golf with. Manuel has been a big role model of mine in the way he approached his disability, and he told me, ‘don’t let your disability define you’. So I’m not Mike with a lost leg, I’m just Mike, and that is what’s really important.”

After his trauma and the surgery in 2015, Mike showed plenty of bravery as he learned to walk again as an out-patient with the help of physiotherapist Jo and staff at Rookwood Hospital in Cardiff’s Artificial Limb and Appliance Centre, before later continuing his improvement under the expert care of staff at the nearby Morrello Clinic in Newport.

Mike said, smiling at the memory: “I was at the limb centre on my first visit and supposed to be holding onto the parallel bars but I was swinging my arms; all I was thinking of was ‘Can I swing a golf club?’ And Jo called out ‘What are you doing!’ They were in shock! Worried I was about to fall over. We all laughed about it.

Only six months after the bike crash, Michael Overton from the Welsh Disabled Golf Association (WDGA) met up with Mike at Green Meadow Driving Range for Mike’s first return to hitting any sort of golf shots. He hit a succession of wedges that really impressed Overton who urged him to take part in a WDGA golf day only a month or so later at Peterstone Golf Club. Here, Mike met two new friends whose welcome and support would spur him on to great things in the year ahead.

Mike said: “I played with two guys, Richard Willis and Bill Savage and they were absolutely amazing with me. I was on crutches and really struggling to get in and out of the golf buggy. They’re both leg amputees and they helped me with my crutches and helped pick up clubs off the ground for me. I was off 24 [handicap] then and I only got 10 points [in Stableford scoring] but I was really pleased with 10 points! Afterwards I slept for two days I was so exhausted, my hip was so sore.”

From here, Mike has gone on to become a leading player in EDGA tournaments, culminating with his win in Spain this February. The organisation is backed by 23 national golf federations as it helps golfers with a disability to compete internationally as ‘Golfers First’, while allowing them to measure their progress in the Ranking for Golfers with a Disability (R4GD) supported by PING. The Ranking is relevant here because less than two years after the accident that nearly killed him, after thousands of golf balls hit on good days and bad, Mike, at the time of writing, is currently number one in the Nett Ranking, actually ahead of those friends Juan Postigo Arce and Manuel De Los Santos.

Today, now that Mike has won his toughest battle, he is keen to help others who are in need. Mike was recently appointed as a Golf Development Wales (GDW) Inclusive Ambassador and he will be promoting inclusiveness in the sport, as well as assisting with events and meetings to promote GDW schemes and initiatives.

Zoe Thacker, GDW development officer, said: “Mike is a real inspiration and force for good to people with a disability. He constantly spreads the message that golf can be enjoyed by everyone.”

Of all his supporters Mike reserves most praise for wife (and caddy!) Beth.“From the day of my accident Beth has been the rock and foundation of every part of my recovery and new life that has started since losing my leg. I would not be the man I am now without her help every day from when I wake until I put my head on the pillow at night. I love her more than life itself.”

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:

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

Golf is played by around 55 million people on 32,000 courses in over 100 countries.¹ With over half a billion homes worldwide tuning in for each day of the Ryder Cup at Gleneagles, a series pitting Europe’s best against the cream of the American crop. We look at the health benefits of playing golf available not only to Rory McIlroy and the game’s elite, but also to those inspired to visit their local course.

Indeed former British Prime Minister David Lloyd George viewed less talented golfers as reaping more benefits than those bestowed upon the likes of McIlroy:

“Golf is the only game where the worst player gets the best of it. He obtains more out of it as regards both exercise and enjoyment, for the good player gets worried over the slightest mistake, whereas the poor player makes too many mistakes to worry about them.”

But what of the available evidence? Do golfers really live longer happier lives?

A landmark Scandinavian study² of over 300,000 golfers estimated they lived a remarkable 5 years longer than those who do not play golf, regardless of age, gender, or socio-economic status. Evidence also suggests that golf has a role in preventing and treating many chronic diseases, and has positive mental health effects.

Golf & Walking

A 2006 study³ found a mean of 11,948 steps are taken per 18-hole round, exceeding the commonly recommended daily amount of steps for health.  With technological advances coming into the game, calls have been made to reduce the use and availability of motorised carts to transport players around the course. Cart use reduces walking distance from an average 8+km to 3.86km per round.⁴

Another study⁵ found that walking 18-holes was the equivalent of moderate-high intensity exercise for the elderly, moderate for the middle-aged, and low for the young. A 1998 study⁶ determined that golf should be classified as a form of aerobic training for middle-aged people.

An Inclusive Sport

Golf suits participants of all ages, with people of mixed ability, sex, and age able to play together.  The Walker Research Group concludes: “golf is well suited for the development of social capital” with designated social spaces and natural breaks providing unparalleled socialisation opportunities and thus potential psychosocial benefit to participants of all ages⁷.

A 2006 study⁸ engaged children in non-traditional sports such as golf during extra-curricular time and found that such an intervention coupled with lifestyle activities such as walking, significantly increased physical activity in primary school aged children. This also slowed unhealthy weight gain.

In regards to gender inclusion, the recent news of women winning the right to R&A membership at St. Andrews after a 260-year wait, exhibits a positive step by the game’s administrators to quash these barriers and see more women playing and staying in the game⁹.

Was David Lloyd George right?

There is clear evidence that regular physical activity, in the form of golf, increases life expectancy.  And although Lloyd George was correct that the benefits can be accrued by players of all abilities, research suggests that low handicap players tend to play more often and have the lowest mortality rates.  Encouraging friends, family, and patients to take part in regular physical activity is time well invested, and golf can offer significant benefit to Joe and Jane Public and Rory McIlroy alike.  Just don’t hire a buggy!

References

1. Wilson B. Golf industry facing challenges: BBC News Online: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-12731099, 2011:Online News Article.
2. Farahmand B, Broman G, de Faire U, Vagero D, Ahlbom A. Golf: a game of life and death–reduced mortality in Swedish golf players. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2009;19(3):419-24.
3. Kobriger, S. L., Smith, J., Hollman, J. H., & Smith, A. M. (2006). The contribution of golf to daily physical activity recommendations: How many steps does it take to complete a round of golf? May Clinic Proceedings, 81(8), 1041-1043
4. Sell, T. C, Abt, J. P., Lephart, S, M. (2008) Physical activity-related benefits of walking during golf. Science and Gold V: Proceedings of the World Scientific Congress of Golf. 128-132
5. Broman, G., Johnsson, L., & kaijser, L. (2004) Golf: a high intensity interval activity for elderly men. Aging – Clinical and Experimental Research, 16(5), 375-381
6. Magnussen, G. (1998). Science and golf III: Proceedings of the 1998 World Scientific Congress of Golf. (eds.) Martin R. Farrally, Alastair J. Cochran. Human Kinetics
7. Walker Research Group. The Health & Wellness Benefits of Golf Participation & Involvement. Review of Academic Literature. Golf 20/20 & World Golf Foundation. (2011)
8. Taylor, R., Mculey, K., Williams, S., Barbezat, W., Nielsen, G., & Mann, J. (2006). Reducing weight gain in children through enhancing physical activity and nutrition: The APPLE project. International Journal of Pediatric Obesity, 1(3), 146-152
9. Women win right to R&A membership after 260-year wait as other clubs are told to remove barriers. The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/golf/11107633/Women-win-right-to-RandA-membership-after-260-year-wait-as-other-clubs-are-told-to-remove-barriers.html Online news article.

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.

Fred observes that hospital patients judge their experience not only by the way they are treated for the disease but also, and more importantly, by the way, that they are treated as a person…

If Fred is right, and incidentally I think that he is, and if this concept transfers across into golf, which I think it does, then the ‘how’ is perhaps more important than the ‘what’? This is an essential point for all, coaches, managers, and leaders to recognise. By the way, the great ones do; that is one reason that they are great.

Content, or perhaps we should call it knowledge, can be learned. In fact, content can be learned by almost anyone on almost any subject. Certainly, there is always content to learn or be updated on, that is the nature of progress. Often people have a fascination for content, and yet they have a hard time sharing that knowledge in a way that can make a difference in the life of someone else. I believe that it is possible to learn enough content for whatever role you have in a short period of time to become good at almost any subject. Learning to share that knowledge however is altogether different.

Back to Fred Lee and his five behaviours. Fred conveniently created the acronym S.H.A.R.E. Essentially these behaviours boiled down to the following values: using initiative, being part of a team, understanding the customer’s feelings, treating them with courtesy and making sure that communication is open and honest.

• S – Sense people’s needs before they ask (initiative)
• H – Help each other out (teamwork)
• A – Acknowledge people’s feelings (empathy)
• R – Respect the dignity and privacy of everyone (courtesy)
• E – Explain what is happening (communication)

So if the ‘how’ is so important then how can golf focus more on how to share experience and knowledge so that it is relevant, timely and useful? There are many answers to this question, and I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.

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.

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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/

With job security and a standard career path less and less attainable across many industries, a capacity to handle uncertainty and adversity has never been more important (or in demand).

Such is the case that many employers will try to find out about your resilience through interview questions on how you’ve handled stress, pressure and failure in the past. Additionally, job hunting itself can be an incredibly demoralising experience if you let it. Focussing on building your resilience can make all the difference to your inner confidence and success rate across many areas in your life.

This might be easier said than done though – to achieve resilience means possessing the right blend of self-awareness and inner strength, and the flexibility to adapt to changes in circumstances and surroundings. It’s rather like a palm tree: a strong, firmly rooted base supporting an element that’s far more flexible and able to cope with being blown around by different winds.

Here are three key building blocks that can help you towards developing a resilient professional persona:

1. Positivity

Having a positive view of yourself and the world around you is the basis for developing resilience. Pay attention to the messages you send yourself throughout the day. If you find yourself making negative assumptions about yourself or anything around you, consciously switch to a positive thought. With practice this should become automatic. That will keep you grounded, rooted like a tree, and give you the stability you need for a positive mindset.

2. Commitment

Get to know yourself and recognise what is important to you. Have a clear idea of your future aspirations and where you want to go in your career. You need to be willing to commit to your goals and invest in making them happen. Knowing what is important to you and being committed to your goals strengthens you in your core. Don’t forget however, that even the best-laid plans can sometimes go off course or need to be abandoned altogether. Make like a palm tree and allow yourself flexibility to go with the flow when things don’t go to plan.

3. Control

Control means being aware of the situations or areas in your life you can influence as well as recognising those that you can’t. Being able to distinguish between the two will allow you to focus your energy on the things that are most important or achievable. It will give you the flexibility to prioritise your goals and adapt to different circumstances.

Remember that in order to be resilient you also need to be healthy in mind and body so pay attention to your general well-being, take proper breaks, eat well, and look after the relationships that support you. When it comes to resilience it’s about knowing that you can’t stop the waves, but that you can certainly learn how to surf them.

This content appears courtesy of Abintegro, experts in career management, transition technology & e-learning for today’s modern, mobile and technology-savvy workforce – Find out more at www.abintegro.com

Being mentally strong is one of those personal attributes that everyone could benefit from. Since we all encounter personal challenges and difficulties in our life, the ability to stay psychologically strong is invaluable. But is mental strength something we are just born with? Or can it be developed? Luckily, there are ways to enhance and amplify mental toughness. Here are six of the best.

1. Stay on target.

A major component of mental strength is the capacity to focus in on the pursuit of long-term goals. People who are mentally weak allow the minor hindrances of life to distract them from their objectives, which inevitably leads to underachievement. Surviving the inevitable setbacks and disappointments of life requires focusing on larger goals and plans.

2. Look at adversity as an opportunity.

Tough times aren’t necessarily a bad thing–in fact, they can often be a positive. That’s because you only really learn and grow through overcoming difficulties. The simple act of embracing a challenge can be a massive psychological step forward. Such a change in attitude can alter your whole outlook on life, helping to increase your mental fortitude.

3. Focus only on what you can control (my favorite).

Worry and fear are the enemies of mental stability and strength. While fear and worry may be impossible to totally avoid, many people bring trouble upon themselves by obsessing over things they cannot really control. For example, worrying about how a project will be received once it is submitted is pointless and accomplishes nothing. Focusing on whatever task is at hand–and letting the rest take care of itself–is simply smarter.

4. Develop resiliency.

No matter how much the perfectionists among us might wish otherwise, no individual can completely avoid setbacks and failure. In fact, what’s far more important than avoiding error is developing the mental strength required to bounce back quickly from a mistake. Learning how to get back on your feet, without spending any time malingering or feeling sorry for yourself, is essential. This is the entrepreneur’s armor.

5. Don’t spend too much time thinking about what other people think.

While everyone should be able to accept constructive criticism and other kinds of helpful input, there’s a definite limit to how much attention should be paid to the opinions of others. Ultimately, other people are responsible for their opinions, not you–and there is no point in dwelling on something that isn’t your responsibility.

6.Strive to be emotionally even-keeled.

Getting either too high or too low emotionally is almost always a barrier to true mental strength, something I’m especially guilty of. However, being out of control emotionally makes it impossible to proceed forward in a rational, constructive way. Those who experience excessive emotional turbulence have a hard time dealing with life’s problems. That’s why the ability to keep control of powerful, disruptive feelings is such a crucial aspect of mental discipline.

Whether it’s in sports, career, or another of life’s competitive arenas, mental strength is often more important to success than natural ability. Fortunately, psychological strength is not an innate talent but rather a trait that can be acquired. With the recommendations above, almost everyone should be able to enhance their mental strength.

Tom Popomaronis is a serial entrepreneur, an e-commerce expert, and a proud Baltimore native. He has been recognized for technology and startup leadership by Fast Company, Entrepreneur, The Washington Post, and Forbes. Tom was also named “40 under 40” by the Baltimore Business Journal in 2014.

@tpopomaronis

(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.