Understanding Training Load in Golf: A Survey of Swing Coaches, Performance Practitioners, and Medical Staff.

Watson, A, Murray, A, Coughlan, D, Wells, J, Ehlert, A, Xu, J, Turner, A, and Bishop, C. Understanding training load in golf: A survey of swing coaches, performance practitioners, and medical staff. J Strength Cond Res 39(1): e20-e29, 2025-The present study aimed to investigate the current opinions and practices of golf coaches, performance practitioners, and medical staff working in golf, on the topic of monitoring training load in the sport.

Nutrition and Golf Performance: A Systematic Scoping Review.

Background: Golf is played both recreationally and professionally by approximately 66.6 million people worldwide. Despite the potential for nutrition to influence golf performance, research in this area is somewhat limited.

A prospective study of injuries and illnesses among 910 amateur golfers during one season.

Objectives: Our aims were (a) to describe the prevalence and incidence of self-reported injuries and illnesses of amateur golfers over a 5-month period and (b) to investigate potential risk factors for injury.

Methods: We recruited 910 amateur golfers (733 males [81%] and 177 females [19%]) from golf clubs in the USA and Switzerland. The median age was 60 (IQR: 47-67) and the median golfing handicap was 12 (IQR: 6-18).

Epidemiology of musculoskeletal injury in professional and amateur golfers: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: To determine the prevalence and incidence of musculoskeletal injury in amateur and professional golfers, and to identify common injury sites and factors associated with increased injury frequency.

Design: Systematic epidemiological review and meta-analysis.

Data Sources: PubMed (Medline), Embase, the Cochrane Library and SPORTDiscus were searched in September 2023.

Practices and perceptions of strength and conditioning training in female golf: A cross-sectional survey study of high-level amateur players.

This study aims to ascertain an in-depth understanding of current practices and perceptions of S&C training in high-level amateur female golfers. A cross-sectional, explorative survey study was constructed which asked questions relating to four key areas: i) general participant information, ii) current strength and conditioning (S&C) practices, iii) the perceived influence of S&C training on golf performance, and iv) knowledge and awareness of S&C. Results showed that the majority of female players had participated in some form of S&C training in the past, with the majority believing that clubhead speed and carry distance were the primary golfing metrics which could be positively impacted.

Trackman 4: Within and between-session reliability and inter-relationships of launch monitor metrics during indoor testing in high-level golfers.

The aims of the present study were to: 1) investigate the within and between-session reliability of the Trackman 4 launch monitor system, and 2) determine the inter-relationships of some of these commonly used metrics. Golfers attended two test sessions at an indoor golf academy and performed 10 shots using their own driver. Results showed excellent within and between-session reliability for CHS (ICC = 0.

Effects of Physical Training and Associations Between Physical Performance Characteristics and Golf Performance in Female Players: A Systematic Review With Meta-Analysis.

Robinson, L, Murray, A, Ehlert, A, Wells, J, Jarvis, P, Turner, A, Glover, D, Coughlan, D, Hembrough, R, and Bishop, C. Effects of physical training and associations between physical performance characteristics and golf performance in female players: A systematic review with meta-analysis. J Strength Cond Res 37(12): e646-e655, 2023-The aims of this systematic review were to assess the association between physical performance and measures of golf performance, and the effects of physical training on measures of golf performance, in female golfers.

Golfing after Orthopaedic Surgery: A longitudinal follow-up (GOLF) study protocol.

Aims: The primary aim of this prospective, multicentre study is to describe the rates of returning to golf following hip, knee, ankle, and shoulder arthroplasty in an active golfing population. Secondary aims will include determining the timing of return to golf, changes in ability, handicap, and mobility, and assessing joint-specific and health-related outcomes following surgery.

Methods: This is a multicentre, prospective, longitudinal study between the Hospital for Special Surgery, (New York City, New York, USA) and Edinburgh Orthopaedics, Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, (Edinburgh, UK).

Golf participation after rotator cuff repair: functional outcomes, rate of return and factors associated with return to play.

Background: Golf is a popular sport involving overhead activity and engagement of the rotator cuff (RC). This study aimed to determine to what level golfers were able to return to golf following RC repair, the barriers to them returning to golf and factors associated with their failure to return to golf.

Methods: Patients preoperatively identifying as golfers undergoing RC repair at the study centre from 2012 to 2020 were retrospectively followed up with to assess their golf-playing status, performance and frequency of play and functional and quality of life (QoL) outcomes.

Risk assessment and implementation of risk reduction measures is not associated with increased transmission of SARS-CoV-2 compared with standard isolation at professional golf events.

Objectives: The purpose of this prospective study was to report incidence and transmission of SARS-CoV-2, among professional golfers and essential support staff undergoing risk assessment and enhanced risk reduction measures when considered a close contact as opposed to standard isolation while competing on the DP World Tour during the 2021 season.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included all players and essential support staff participating in 26 DP World Tour events from 18 April 2021 to 21 November 2021. High-risk contacts were isolated for 10 days.

Returning persons with SARS-CoV-2 to the field of play in professional golf: a risk assessment and risk reduction approach.

Objectives: This pilot study aimed to see whether a risk assessment and risk reduction approach was a practical and feasible approach, as compared with standard isolation for fully vaccinated, asymptomatic persons positive for SARS-CoV-2.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included all players and caddies participating in two large professional golf events from 7 to 20 February 2022 in South Africa. Fully vaccinated persons testing positive who were asymptomatic were subject to risk assessment and risk reduction measures to protect the integrity of the event.

Golfers have greater preoperative and equal postoperative function when undergoing total knee arthroplasty compared to non-golfers.

Background: Approximately 10% to 20% of patients with joint arthroplasties are golfers. The aim of this study was to assess if being a golfer is associated with functional outcomes, satisfaction or improvement in quality of life (QoL) compared to non-golfers following total knee arthroplasty.

Methods: All patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) over a one-year period at a single institution were included with one-year postoperative outcomes.

Golfers have a greater improvement in their hip specific function compared to non-golfers after total hip arthroplasty, but less than three-quarters returned to golf.

Aims: Golf is a popular pursuit among those requiring total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim of this study was to determine if participating in golf is associated with greater functional outcomes, satisfaction, or improvement in quality of life (QoL) compared to non-golfers.

Methods: All patients undergoing primary THA over a one-year period at a single institution were included with one-year postoperative outcomes.

Assessment of activity energy expenditure during competitive golf: The effects of bag carrying, electric or manual trolleys.

Golf is a sport played around the globe, with an estimated 42.6 million people playing within the United Kingdom and United States of America alone. To date, there is limited data on the energy expenditure of golf.

Pilot evaluation of risk assessment and enhanced protocols regarding contacts at an international professional golf event.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess whether a risk assessment and managed risk approach to contact tracing was practical and feasible at the Gran Canaria Lopesan Open 2021 and could inform further pilot work regarding disease transmission during elite sporting events.

Methods: This prospective cohort study included all international attendees. All participants required a minimum of one negative reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) test prior to travelling to each tournament.

Assessing the risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission in international professional golf.

Objectives: There is no published data on the incidence or risk of SARS-CoV-2 transmission when playing golf, a sport played outdoors where social distancing is possible. The purpose of this prospective study was to report incidence and transmission regarding SARS-CoV-2, of professional golfers competing on the PGA European Tour across 23 events in 11 countries.

Methods: Daily symptom and temperature checks and weekly reverse transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) screening were performed to determine potential carriage of SARS-CoV-2.

Inter-Disciplinary Conservative Management of Bilateral Non-United Lumbar Pars Defects in a Junior Elite Golfer.

Unlabelled: The prevalence of spondylolysis amongst adolescent athletes presenting with low back pain has been reported as high as 47-55%. Youth athletes participating in sports involving movements combining compression, extension and rotation appear most susceptible. As such, young golfers are a high-risk group, particularly given the high shear and compressive forces associated with the golf swing action.

International consensus statement: methods for recording and reporting of epidemiological data on injuries and illnesses in golf.

Epidemiological studies of injury in elite and recreational golfers have lacked consistency in methods and definitions employed and this limits comparison of results across studies. In their sports-generic statement, the Consensus Group recruited by the IOC (2020) called for sport-specific consensus statements. On invitation by International Golf Federation, a group of international experts in sport and exercise medicine, golf research and sports injury/illness epidemiology was selected to prepare a golf-specific consensus statement.

Maximising and evaluating the uptake, use and impact of golf and health studies.

Introduction: The dissemination of research, and evaluation of its impact is an increasing priority for the scientific community and funders. We take the topic of golf and health and aim to outline processes that may contribute to improved research uptake, use and impact proposing a research impact (RI) tool. We then evaluate our published research using the Research Contributions Framework (RCF).