VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, ROTATIONAL POWER: PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELITE NCAA FEMALE GOLFERS

Authors

QR Johnson
DB Smith
JJ Dawes, FACSM
J Moore
TK Dinyer
BS Baker
OK Anderson
AL Redinger
BH Jacobson, FACSM

Abstract

Quincy R. Johnson¹, Doug B. Smith¹, J. Jay Dawes¹, FACSM, Jonathan Moore¹, Taylor K. Dinyer¹, Bree S. Baker¹, Olivia K. Anderson¹, Allen L. Redinger¹, & Bert H. Jacobson¹, FACSM

¹Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, OK

Golf requires athletes to possess adequate levels of flexibility, muscular strength and power, and rotational power. However, little research has been dedicated to measuring power-based contributors to athletic performance within the elite female golf population. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to profile power-based physiological characteristics of elite National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) female golfers. METHODS: Data for 10 NCAA Division I female golf athletes were used for this analysis. Body composition was assessed by measuring height (m), weight (kg), and body mass index (BMI; m/kg²). Vertical power was assessed using a countermovement jump (CMJ; cm) with peak and average power (PP, AP; watts) and peak and average velocity (PV, AV; m/s) being calculated based on CMJ performance. Horizontal power was measured with a lateral bounding task from the dominant (D-LB) and non-dominant (ND-LB) limbs. The ‘Sayers Equation’ was utilized to estimate peak power output from jumping tasks (Peak Anaerobic Power Output = (60.7 x jump height (cm)) + (45.3 x body mass (kg)) – 2055). RESULTS: Overall, elite NCAA female golfers have normal to slightly above average BMIs, excel at expressing power vertically (29.48 W/kg), horizontally (58.83 W/kg), and in the transverse plane (3.14 W/kg). CONCLUSION: Efforts to better understand athletes and the physiological characteristics that may contribute to their athletic performance can be of value to sport coaches, the athlete, strength and conditioning professionals, and researchers alike. Additionally, developing physiological profiles within elite level athletics can be especially useful for enhancing athletic performance through the identification of areas of excellence and areas of improvement.

Recommended Citation

Johnson, QR; Smith, DB; Dawes, FACSM, JJ; Moore, J; Dinyer, TK; Baker, BS; Anderson, OK; Redinger, AL; and Jacobson, FACSM, BH (2022) "VERTICAL, HORIZONTAL, ROTATIONAL POWER: PHYSIOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ELITE NCAA FEMALE GOLFERS," International Journal of Exercise Science: Conference Proceedings: Vol. 11: Iss. 9, Article 53.
Available at: https://digitalcommons.wku.edu/ijesab/vol11/iss9/53