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ENHANCING GOLF PERFORMANCE: MUSCULAR POWER CHARACTERISTICS WITHIN A COHORT OF ELITE NCAA DIVISION I GOLFERS

Abstract

Quincy Johnson1, Jonathan Moore2, Kira Ziola2 and Douglas Smith2

1University of Nebraska – Kearney, Kearney, NE

2Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK

The game of golf is a challenging sport which requires competitive athletes to possess unique physiological qualities. Based on the findings of previous research, more attention should be devoted towards better understanding how athletes generate explosive, muscular power that may enhance golfing performance. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to profile differences in power-based physiological characteristics of elite National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I golfers. METHODS: Data for 24 NCAA Division I golf athletes (male; n = 13, female; n = 11) were used for this analysis. Body composition was assessed by measuring height (m), weight (kg), and body mass index (BMI; m/kg2). Muscular power was assessed using a countermovement jump (CMJ; cm) and squat jump (SJ; cm). Mechanisms to achieve peak jump height were assessed with eccentric utilization ratio (EUR) ((CMJ-SJ)) and stretch shortening cycle percentage (SSC%) calculations ((CMJ-SJ)/SJ). RESULTS: Significant differences in SJ height (male; 21.24 ± 2.61, female; 15.37 ± 1.23; p < 0.001) were observed between sexes. No significant differences were observed in CMJ height (male; 24.17 ± 2.58, female; 17.06 ± 2.02; p = 0.057), EUR (male; 1.14 ± 0.09, female; 1.13 ± 0.09; p = 0.650), or SSC% (male; 13.71 ± 0.09%, female; 12.55 ± 0.09%; p = 0.652). However, significant, strong-positive correlations between EUR (r = 0.705; p = 0.001) and SSC% (r = 0.705; p = 0.001), and CMJ performance were observed within the female group only. CONCLUSION: The results of this study provide a profile of muscular power characteristics within a cohort of elite NCAA Division I golfers. Based on these observations, it appears that male golfers utilize force to generate power, while female golfers utilize force over time to generate power in jumping tasks. This information can be utilized by strength and conditioning professionals to better develop the qualities that they hope to see exhibited within their group of golfers by either focusing on the ability to generate absolute force, or maximal force in the least amount of time.

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