Golf swing rotational max power correlation to clubhead speed, ball speed and carry distance in young elite golf players.

Abstract: Background: In ballistic sports like golf power production in rotational movement play a major role for performance. To hit the ball far, high clubhead speed is crucial in golf and rotational power (medicine ball throws) have shown to have a good correlation to clubhead speed. A lower golf handicap has also shown to correlate well with higher clubhead speed. Few sport specific power tests have been executed and training and testing sport specific are associated with high performance in a sport. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the correlation between three parameters (power, velocity and force) measured in a golf specific rotational test and clubhead speed (CHS), ball speed (BS) and carry distance (CD) on young elite golfers. Methods: Twenty-six golfers, 16 men and 10 women, completed the study. Two tests were performed on separate occasion; one golf performance test using Trackman launch monitor and one golf specific rotational test in 1080 Quantum. CHS, BS and CD were collected in the golf performance test and max power, force and velocity in the golf specific rotational test. To study the relationship between the selected variables, spearman’s correlations coefficient (rs) was used and analyzed the total group, and in men and women separately. Results: Excellent correlation was found between max power and CHS (r=0.9, p<0.00). Good correlation was found between force and CHS (r=0.8, p<0.00). Moderate correlations were found between force and BS and force and CD and max power and CD (r=0.7, p<0.00). Poor correlations were found between velocity and CHS, BS and CD (r=0.3, p>0.50). Conclusion: This study showed that strong correlations seem to exist between power production in a golf specific rotation test and Golf performance in young elite golfers. Even force also seems to have an impact on golf performance while velocity showed little to no correlation to golf performance.