Report of physical fitness in Icelandic national and elite golfers and its relationship with clubhead speed

Abstract

Objective: This thesis had two different testing batteries. The aim of testing battery 1 (TB1) was to measure if Icelandic national and youth national golfers improved their physical fitness during a pre-season period from January 2018 to May 2018. The objective of testing battery 2 (TB2) was to examine the relationship between maximum clubhead speed and selected physical tests in Icelandic national and elite male golfers, where the sample was confined to players in EGA handicap category 1 (HDC < 4.5).Methods: In TB1, 18 Icelandic national and youth national golfers were measured in selected fitness tests in January 2018 and May 2018. TB1 examined motor skills, upper-body power and lower-body power. In TB2, 17 Icelandic national and elite male golfers were measured in five selected physical tests. Three of the tests measured physical power and two tests measured range of motion. Maximum clubhead speed was also measured.Results: In TB1, there were significant improvements in mean scores in medicine ball chest throw and medicine ball overhead throw, between January 2018 and May 2018. No difference was found in lower-body power or motor skills between testing sessions. Seventeen of the 18 players in TB1 improved their scores between testing sessions in at least one test and 15 of the 18 players scored lower in the second testing session in at least one test. In TB2, a significant positive relationship was found between maximum clubhead speed (MaxCHS) and countermovement jump peak power, MaxCHS and medicine ball chest throw and MaxCHS and medicine ball rotational throw.Conclusions: Icelandic national and youth national golfers should put more focus on physical training during the pre-season if they want to improve their whole-body fitness before the season starts. Icelandic national and elite male golfers in EGA handicap category 1 can benefit from training lower-body power, upper-body power and rotational power if they want to improve their MaxCHS. Elite golfers should engage in diverse full-body physical training.