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At least 109 records · Page 6Linked to original sources
PubMed2004

Improving golf performance with a warm up conditioning programme.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether a golf specific warm up programme (both immediately prior to play and after performing it five times a week for 5 weeks) improved performance in 10 male golfers compared with 10 controls matched for age, sex, and handicap. METHODS: Twenty male golfers were matched for age (+/-2 years) and handicap (+/-1 stroke). Club head speed was assessed by two dimensional video analysis in a laboratory setting. In week 1, all golfers performed 10 strokes. In weeks 2 and 7, the controls underwent the same procedure as in week 1. The exercise group performed the golf specific warm up followed by their 10 strokes. Between weeks 2 and 7, the exercise group performed the specially designed warm up five times a week for 5 weeks. RESULTS: The mean club head speeds of the exercise group improved at each testing week. Between weeks 1 and 2, golfers in the exercise group improved their club head speed on average by 3-6 m/s (12.8%), and between weeks 1 and 7, they increased their club head speeds by 7-10 m/s (24.0%). With the exception of one golfer whose club head speed varied by 1.7 m/s, the mean club head speeds of the golfers in the control group hardly varied over the testing period (range: 0.3-0.8 m/s). A significant difference (p = 0.029) was found between the mean club head speeds of the exercise and control groups over the duration of the study, and a significant interaction over time (p<0.001) was also found. CONCLUSIONS: This study has shown that golfers' performances will be significantly improved by undertaking a golf specific warm up programme compared with not performing the warm up.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Muscle activity during the golf swing.

In the right hands, the golf swing is a motion that inspires looks of awe from the public. It is a complex movement of the whole body to generate power to a golf ball to propel the ball great distances with accuracy. This movement relies on the coordinated sequence of muscle activation to produce a fluid and reproducible movement. This paper reviews the literature on golf swing related muscle activity. The phases of this activity are discussed with a view to assisting the practitioner in understanding the swing. Such understanding may help in the management of the injured golfer.

Electromyography↗
PubMed1991

Accidental golf club injuries.

Over a 2 month period, 33 patients with injuries caused by golf clubs were identified among attenders at the accident and emergency department at Glasgow Royal Infirmary. The vast majority of these were to the face and head, including three compound skull fractures. Attention is drawn to the average age of those injured (8.1 years) and to the fact that only one of the injuries occurred on a golf course. The dangers of unsupervised experimentation with golf clubs by young children are emphasized.

Accidents↗
PubMed1998

Golf related head injuries in children: the little tigers.

Head injury is a major cause of morbidity in Western society and sport related incidents account for approximately 11% of all head injured patients attending Accident and Emergency Departments. Golf was shown to be one of the sports most commonly associated with head injury requiring referral to a regional neurosurgical centre. Previous studies have demonstrated that it is predominantly children who sustain golf related head injuries which present either to an accident and emergency department or a regional neurosurgical centre. This study examines the number and pattern of golf related head injuries in children presenting to an accident and emergency department or requiring admission to the regional neurosurgical centre, over a three month period.

Age Distribution↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Shoulder injuries in golf.

Although often perceived as a leisurely activity, golf can be a demanding sport, which can result in injury, usually from overuse and sometimes from poor technique. The shoulder is a commonly affected site, with the lead shoulder, or the left shoulder in the right-handed golfer, particularly vulnerable to injury. A thorough understanding of the biomechanics of the golf swing is helpful in diagnosing and managing these injuries. Common shoulder problems affecting golfers include subacromial impingement, acromioclavicular arthrosis, rotator cuff tear, glenohumeral instability, and glenohumeral arthrosis. Although the majority of patients with these disorders will respond to nonsurgical treatment, including rest and a structured program of physical therapy, further benefits can be obtained with subtle modifications of the golf swing. Those golfers who fail to respond to nonsurgical management can often return to competitive play with appropriate surgical treatment.

Athletic Injuries↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Electromyographic analysis of the scapular muscles during a golf swing.

To describe the role of the scapular muscles in the golf swing, we studied 15 competitive male golfers. Four muscles were studied bilaterally using dynamic electromyography and cinematography. In the trailing arm, the levator scapulae elevates while the rhomboid muscles retract the scapula during takeaway; both then stabilize the scapula through the remainder of the swing. In the leading arm, these muscles retract the scapula during forward swing and acceleration. The trapezius muscle in the trailing arm also demonstrates high activity during takeaway to aid in scapular retraction. In the leading arm, trapezius activity is high in forward swing and through the remainder of the swing to promote scapular retraction. The serratus anterior muscle activity is high in the trailing arm during forward swing and through the remainder of the swing to maximize scapular protraction. In the leading arm, the serratus anterior muscle has constant activity through all phases of the swing, which may explain the clinical scenario of muscle fatigue in high demand golfers. The golf swing and uncoiling action requires that the scapular muscles work in synchrony to maximize swing arc and clubhead speed. This study demonstrates the importance of the scapular muscles in the golf swing and the need for specific strengthening exercises.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Effect of an 8-week combined weights and plyometrics training program on golf drive performance.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a combined weights and plyometrics program on golf drive performance. Eleven male golfers' full golf swing was analyzed for club head speed (CS) and driving distance (DD) before and after an 8-week training program. The control group (n = 5) continued their normal training, while the experimental group (n = 6) performed 2 sessions per week of weight training and plyometrics. Controls showed no significant (p > or = 0.05) changes, while experimental subjects showed a significant increase (p < or = 0.05) in CS and DD. The changes in golf drive performance were attributed to an increase in muscular force and an improvement in the sequential acceleration of body parts contributing to a greater final velocity being applied to the ball. It was concluded that specific combined weights and plyometrics training can help increase CS and DD in club golfers.

Adult↗
PubMed2005

Factors affecting distribution of the mound-building ant Lasius neoniger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and implications for management on golf course putting greens.

Lasius neoniger (Emery), a cosmopolitan ant species, can be a serious pest when its mound-building activities occur on golf course putting greens and other closely mowed turfgrass sites. We mapped the distribution of 735 ant mounds on 30 sand-based putting greens of three golf courses. We then examined factors that might explain why >90% of the mounds on such greens were concentrated in a 2-m wide band just inside the perimeter. Root aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) from which L. neoniger obtains honeydew were largely absent from high-sand root zone mix of greens but present in surrounding turfgrass on natural soil. Main ant nests, with brood, also were absent from sand-based greens but abundant in adjacent roughs. Although more root aphids were found within ant nests than away from nests, their numbers seem too low to be the main factor restricting the ants' distribution to edges of putting greens. In manipulative experiments, ants responded to low cut (scalped) turf and to sand-filled holes by increased mound building. We suggest that most ant mounds on sand-based greens are associated with subnests, used by foraging workers, which are connected to main nests located just outside the collar in natural soil. Encroachment of mounds into greens occurs when the polydomous colonies seasonally expand their foraging territories, accounting for mounds being concentrated around the perimeter. Control actions for L. neoniger on golf courses should focus on the perimeter of sand-based greens.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

Microbiological quality of reclaimed water used for golf courses' irrigation.

Microbial quality of reclaimed water used for irrigation in two golf courses located in the southern Iberian Peninsula (Spain and Portugal) was evaluated. Bacterial indicators for faecal pollution (total and faecal coliforms, Escherichia coli and enterococci) were tested by membrane filtration using appropriate selective media. In addition, somatic E. coli bacteriophages, enteric viruses (entero-, hepatitis A and rota-) and Legionella pneumophila were also analysed. The results obtained showed that all wastewater treatment processes reduced adequately the number of indicator microorganisms although a significant correlation between pathogenic and indicator microorganisms tested was not found. L. pneumophila was detected by PCR but not confirmed by culture. Survival experiments of pathogenic microorganisms in aerosols and irrigated turf are conducted to determine the health hazards for the golf practice and to propose a microbial standard for wastewater used for irrigation of golf courses.

Base Sequence↗
PubMed2005

Mental imagery combined with physical practice of approach shots for golf beginners.

Recent research on motor skills of golf have pointed to the usefulness of mental imagery. In golf, such training is rarely used as a teaching technique for beginners on the grounds that only top professionals stand to gain from mental imagery. This study tested whether mental imagery combined with physical practice can improve golf performance for the approach shot. 23 volunteer beginners, 8 women and 15 men, M age 23.4 yr. (SD = 3.7), enrolled in the University Physical and Sporting Activities Department, were divided into three groups, using a combination of physical practice of the approach shot plus mental imagery, physical practice only, and a third group engaging in various sporting activities instead of either mental or physical practice of the chip shot. Analysis showed that the beginners' approach shot performance improved most in the group combining physical practice and mental imagery when compared with the group just physically practising the approach shot. It seems mental training can be used effectively to improve performance even with beginners.

Achievement↗
PubMed1994

Contracting and chaining to improve the performance of a college golf team: improvement and deterioration.

Recent work with operant procedures in sports has shown that feedback, reinforcement, and chaining can be effective techniques in improving performance. In many cases, however, a problem remains in getting the participants to practice the appropriate responses. In the present study, 14 college golfers were put on successive contingency contracts over three weeks to go through the Total Golf chaining-mastery program of Simek and O'Brien. Rewards consisted of activities such as spots on the starting team and the opportunity to play better courses as well as tangible rewards such as new golf balls. After the first two weeks of training, through 19 steps backward from the green, the mean of three posttraining rounds for these 14 golfers was 3.4 strokes lower than the mean of their three rounds at baseline. At this point, the coach did not follow through with the rewards promised in the second contract. Having been placed on extinction, only three of the 14 players followed through on the third contract. In this return to baseline-like condition an average increase of over two strokes for the team as a whole was noted. The number of steps of the chain mastered in practice and the difference between mean scores at baseline and the last measurement period correlated .86, indicating that 74% of the improvement in golf scores was accounted for by performance on the mastery chain.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Effects of hypnosis on flow states and golf performance.

This study examined the effects of an hypnotic intervention on flow states and golf-chipping performance of 3 participants. The study utilized an ideographic ABA single-subject design combined with a procedure to assess the participants' internal experience (Wollman, 1986). The intervention involved relaxation, imagery, hypnotic induction, hypnotic regression, and trigger control procedures over 5 wk. and 7 trials. Analysis indicated the 3 participants increased their mean golf-chipping performance from the trials in Baseline 1 to intervention, with 2 returning to Baseline 1 performance after the intervention phase at Baseline 2. The intensity of flow experienced by the participants during the performance trials was measured using Jackson and Marsh's 1996 Flow State Scale. Two participants experienced higher flow during the intervention phase and much lower flow during Baselines 1 and 2. Finally, participants indicated the intervention seemed useful in keeping them confident, relaxed, and in control. These results support the hypothesis that an hypnotic intervention can improve golf-chipping performance and increase feelings and cognitions associated with flow.

Adult↗
PubMed2001

Low scores, top 10 finishes, and big money: an analysis of professional golf association tour statistics and how these relate to overall performance.

The present study examined the relationship between primary golf skills of Professional Golf Association (PGA) Touring Professionals, i.e., driving distance, driving accuracy, reaching Greens in Regulation, and putting, and various performance outcomes for these same golfers including their scoring averages. Two additional variables, birdies and eagles, were also analyzed in relation to both the primary skill and performance outcome variables. Multiple regression along with simple correlations were applied. A significant proportion of variance in performance outcome (R2 = .33-.45), utilizing three different dependent variables (Scoring Average, Top 10 Finishes, and Money Won), was explained by measures of the four primary golf skills. Also, Driving Accuracy proved to be a better performance predictor than Driving Distance and accounted for 19% of the variance in Scoring Average. Both putting performance and reaching Greens in Regulation were significantly correlated with all three dependent variables. Iron play, reflected by hitting Greens in Regulation with approach shots, was the shot-making skill most highly correlated with Scoring Average (r = .45).

Achievement↗
PubMed2003

Shoulder motions during the golf swing in male amateur golfers.

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective descriptive biomechanical analysis of shoulder motion in golf. OBJECTIVE: To characterize normal shoulder motion during the driving swing in male recreational golfers of various age groups. BACKGROUND: Shoulder trauma accounts for approximately 12% of all golf-related injuries. To design sport-specific rehabilitation programs for the injured golfer and exercise programs for the healthy golfer, clinicians and teachers need quantitative information describing range of motion requirements about the shoulder for the amateur player. METHOD AND MEASURE: Sixty-five male golfers were divided into 3 age groups: college, middle, and senior. A high-speed, 6-camera motion analysis system recorded 3-dimensional bilateral shoulder motion (vertical elevation, horizontal adduction, external rotation, and shoulder tum) for 3 swings of the driver. Group means for ranges and functional end points of motion were compared using a single-factor 1-way ANOVA (alpha = 0.05). RESULTS: All maximum values of shoulder motion were lower in the senior group than in the other 2 groups. At peak backswing, senior golfers exhibited 38 degrees less right-side shoulder external rotation than college golfers. However, from address, seniors horizontally abduct the right arm 18 degrees more than college golfers. In the older golfers, total range of motion was reduced for both shoulders in the vertical plane and for the left shoulder in the horizontal plane. CONCLUSIONS: This study describes shoulder motion for asymptomatic golfers of various age groups. These data may serve as a baseline reference for assessing disease- or injury-related changes in the golf swing and for designing sport-specific exercise and rehabilitation programs.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1983

"Living up to par"--a golf tournament for persons with COPD.

An attempt to provide an improved quality of life for COPD patients led to the development of a prototype training program. The final outcome of an initial five-month program was a COPD golf tournament. The program included didactic education sessions, practice golf sessions to increase physical endurance, and the final competitive tournament. The expectations for this program were (1) that because these patients' self-confidence would improve through training, they could serve as role models for other COPD individuals in the community; and (2) that by learning breathing retraining techniques and coupling them with exercise, these patients would raise their tolerance levels, which could benefit other forms of activity in addition to golfing. We found that 7 of the 8 patients involved did increase their self-confidence, as evidenced by their being able to compete in a tournament that was covered by the news media. They also served as role models, as shown by an increase in physicians referrals to the overall program and by other persons with COPD calling the hospital to inquire about rehabilitation training. The second expectation proved to be correct as 7 of the 8 patients began by being able to comfortably play 4 to 6 holes in 2 hours, and 7 of the 8 showed improvement by being able to play 6 to 9 holes in the same time span. There appeared to be subjective improvement as well when the patients applied techniques learned to daily routine activities. We conclude that our innovative method of pulmonary rehabilitation was successful in achieving standard rehabilitation goals, was not costly, and was a safe, enjoyable means of outpatient rehabilitation.

Golf↗
PubMed2001

Elbow injuries in golf.

Golf is not a sport known for its high injury level; however, injuries do occur. Such mishaps usually involve overuse-type injuries that are more common among amateur golfers than among professional golfers. This article attempts to provide an overview of golf injuries to the elbow, with a concentration on incidence, proper diagnosis, adequate treatment (including rehabilitation), and prevention strategies. After reading this article, primary care physicians should be able to manage most golfing injuries to the elbow.

Arthrography↗
PubMed1991

Golf for the mature athlete.

Golf is a different sport from all others discussed in this issue in one important aspect: Almost all of its practitioners play more, rather than less, as they mature. A great many of them play better, too. This additional play and skill can be highly satisfying to the participants; however, it puts them at risk for a number of overuse syndromes directly caused by the motion requirements of golf. In addition, the repetitive nature of the activity can exacerbate pre-existing and age-related orthopedic pathology as well. There is no substitute for attention to the preplay aspects of golf (warm-up, flexibility, and strengthening).

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Heart rate and metabolic responses to participation in golf.

Five healthy middle-aged men were asked to perform 18 holes of golf. Heart rate was measured throughout the play, and blood samples were compared before and after play. Oxygen uptake during play was estimated from their heart rate response during a treadmill-walking test. Mean heart rate was 108 (range 92-121) beats/min, which corresponded to 38 (range 35-41) %VO2max. Caloric cost of golf is 4-6 kcal/min and total energy expenditure was estimated more than 960 kcal during 18 holes. Blood glucose decreased and FFA increased following 18 holes of play. Golfing seems to be a suitable sport for middle-aged and elderly persons to enhance energy expenditure.

Adult↗