The Impact Of Physical Preparation On Golf

Introduction

This research will investigate fitness levels on tour professionals and amateur golfers, trying to show that the old big belly golfer is starting to stay in the past, along with his knee, back and other injuries that avid golf players tend to suffer. Along with helping the game of elite and pro players around the globe, amateurs and the ones that just play for fun casually, can also benefit from having golf specific workouts that may be implemented on a gym or at home. By doing so, one can not only benefit from a golf perspective, but on leading a healthier life as well, improving speed, balance, strength, mobility, stability and flexibility. These are some of the key areas that are developed from a workout designed to improve on golf performance (M. F. Smith, 2010).

The research is to simply understand and realise the level of improvement that one may achieve by following an intense physical preparation followed by a programme specific for golf. For a significant or a more relevant change on the player’s abilities and skills, to see actual results and differences, it’s recommended to follow a 6, 8, or 12-week programme (Hegedus, Hardesty, Sunderland, Hegedus, & Smoliga, 2016). More importantly, it will help one to live longer increasing the quality of the daily life.

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But before I get into details on how the regular physical activity can improve the golf swing and the golf game overall, according to the “Centers for Disease Control” this is what someone can expect on just by following a workout programme:

• Control body weight
• Reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease
• Reduce the risk for type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome
• Strengthen overall bones and muscles
• Improve mental health and mood
• Improve your ability to do daily activities and prevent falls, in an older adult
• Increase your chances of living longer
• Reduce the risk of some cancers

Research Objectives

• To investigate the fitness level on golf tour professionals and compare them to amateur golfers and non-golfers;
• The most common injuries among golfers and how to avoid them
• The impact that physical training has on the golf swing, for the worse and for the better.
• To demystify some doubts or misunderstandings about fitness in golf
• To obtain opinions on the people that work among the golf industry about this topic

Literature review

(Son et al., 2018) states that after his research and trials described upon his article that while both professional and amateur golfers had higher percentage of regional muscle mass than the nongolfers, such difference between professional and amateur golfers was not significant and the effects of body composition and muscle mass on the level of performance of the golf players were minimal. The results of this study suggest that amateur golfers need to consider more functional aspects during resistance training than muscular hypertrophy, thus reaping the benefits of greater performance gains. Based on the finding that percentage regional muscle mass had a different correlation with performance between the professional and amateur golfers, our suggestion is that there is a need for clarifying the differences of various muscle elements used in golf from a performance perspective for both professional and amateur golfers.

(Ells, Lmi, & Homas, 2009) acknowledge that there was a positive association between sit and reach test results and outcome averages, suggesting that flexibility may be important for golfers. Balance seems to be related to the ability to execute shots from the fairway or rough as a golfer is approaching the green. The results of the peripheral muscle testing suggest that leg power (vertical jump), upper body strength (push-ups and pull-ups), and arm strength (grip strength) were all correlated with golf performance measures, although the strongest correlations were with measures of distance and total score. The research presented a justification for the inclusion of balance, flexibility, core strength, upper- and lower-body strength and power, and cardiovascular conditioning in golf training programs.

(Hegedus et al., 2016) This study established that ten weeks of strength training program specifically targeting muscles used during the golf swing is effective in improving golf performance and physical performance in recreational female golfers, regardless of whether weight training mimics motions and positions used in golf or not. Further, there appear to be health benefits associated with strength training for golf including decreased whole-body fat percentage and visceral fat mass. Such positive impact on body composition further supports existing research demonstrating the health benefits of golf participation. Given the extensive popularity of golf worldwide, and the growing number of female participants, training programs aimed at enhancing golf performance may serve as a motivator to increase the intensity and volume of physical activity in individuals who would not otherwise do so, and as a result, may ultimately have a positive impact on health. Further research should explore the comparative long-term health and performance benefits of different types of golf training across various populations.

(M. Smith, 2007) says that there are many great golfers who did not spend hours in the gym or follow a customized program of golf-specific testing and training. In fact, most professional golfers before the 1990’s appeared to work out in moderation. But the fact is nobody sees the hard work, the long hours, the thousands of balls hit on the range, the hours on the gym, that preceded the display of elite performance on competitions. It wasn’t too long along ago when golfers were not referred to as athletes and exercising for golf was a bit of an unusual thing to do or to speak about. It was almost blasphemous to even think about lifting weights for golf and proper nutrition with a good night’s sleep were not synonymous with low scores. Basically, Smith reinforces the idea that structured golf-specific programs ensure that the player not only reaches the course in a physically optimal state, but also maintains it throughout competition.

(Evans & Thomas, 2012), providing a simple but very upfront article on the reality of a lot of the coaches that roam around the world these days, some even a bit outdated not aware of the research developments that are occurring on a year to year basis. Evans & Thomas based their research on the recommendation that is given upon most of the elite players and even some amateur recreational golf players in order for injury prevention, that is to go to the gym and follow a prescribed golf specific program or any other related that has the same functionality that golf requires, compound movements and whole-body functionality. As (Evans & Thomas, 2012) were working with Golf Australia and the Australian Professional Golfers Association (PGA), they developed a survey about perceptions and practices related to physical fitness for golf which was sent to all 1650 PGA members. The survey comprised 45 questions that collected demographic data, measured coaches’ perceptions using 5-point Likert scales ranging from ‘Strongly Disagree’ to ‘Strongly Agree’ or from ‘Never to Always’, and also asked about education and training that respondents had joined in the previous 12 months. After performing initial descriptive analysis, respondents were divided into two groups–those who agreed with the item, “I consider it very important for all of my clients to be physically fit for golf” and those who disagreed or were unsure. Surprisingly, nearly half Australian golf coaches who participated in this study did not agree that physical fitness is important for all of their clients. With the increasing evidence of the efficacy of exercise programs for golfers, providing specific and targeted education for golf coaches could help improve uptake of, and adherence to, effective programs.

(Petersen, Pyne, Portus, Dawson, & Kellett, 2010) The aim is to evaluate the effectiveness of strength and conditioning programs on measures of golf-specific fitness (strength, power, balance, flexibility). Using the method of sourcing electronic library databases, hand searched sport science journals and scanning through relevant studies’ reference lists.(Petersen et al., 2010) They came up with 12 studies, most of were using fitness programs that lasted around 8 weeks with weight lifting, medicine balls and elastic bands. Most studies assessed changes in fitness characteristics and generally resulted in improvements. Concluding that strength and conditioning programs can have a positive effect on the golf swing and fitness characteristics.

Method

Research similar studies considering the same topic and research area to get different ideas on the topic and hopefully reach a conclusion on what the articles writers stand on considering this topic. Small Interview on a handful of participants and send via email a survey to a few golf coaches, professional and amateur payers, across the United Kingdom and to Portugal. In order to get a clearer image on what our current golf “world” is standing on the idea of golf fitness. Is the thinking more innovative on one country than the other, or do they share the same ideas? Questions included about the participant’s level of sports trainer training and experience, injury recording practices, reasons for recording injuries and opinions. The struggle with this method will be getting everybody involved as I will be trying to send this to several people to get some better results and add in some percentages on graphics and table charts. On the other hand, if everyone decides to participate, I would be handling with a lot of positive data to sort out and read trough some of our great minds within the sport and where do they stand regarding the fitness side of it. Analysing the data, I would like to use a lot of charts, methodologies applied regarding each person, always try to differentiate everyone taking in consideration age group, years in profession, years playing, handicap when turned pro (if pro), if amateur the current handicap, how often the practice and contact with golf. Because all of these questions and a few more I would like to include some interviews via computer or mobile cell phone, applying the same questions on the survey that the previous participants had but digging a bit more on opinions given, feeling about the matter and experience on it.

Reference list

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