Performance in golf has changed dramatically over the past 50 years. Technological advances have led to new materials, construction methods, and the use of artificial intelligence, that together produce golf clubs and golf balls that help us hit further, straighter, and stop the ball faster. Technology has also changed the way players are custom fit for their clubs and how they practice, with launch monitors commonplace on driving ranges around the world.
Another area that has seen significant evolution is in physical fitness; pioneers such as Gary Player and then Tiger Woods have changed the way we understand the importance of physical fitness, not only on performance, but also reducing injury risk.
In the same way as golfers have always invested in their equipment, there is a realization that the most important piece of equipment of all, is the golfer’s body and mind. Technology is supporting this too, with the best players in the world seen with wearable technology to provide them insights into how they optimize their performance. In today’s professional golf world, if you are not using the latest sport science to optimize your training, recovery, nutrition, hydration, sleep then you are the exception, not the rule.
With all these advances in new technologies, that are being used every day, what is next for the future of golf? Once again, golf can, and is, learning from other sports where the use of athlete management systems are helping to optimize how the world’s best athletes train, practice, and compete. The future of golf will be determined by how we optimize the use of data; how we take the multitudes of metrics and gain valuable insights into how a golfer practices, how much their tournaments and travel take out of them, how they are training, how well they are recovering and the impact of their day-to-day lives. To gain the greatest insights that helps golfers and their coaches optimize their behaviours and subsequent performance it will take a single platform, built by the leading minds in golf, and designed specifically for the golfer.
You cannot afford to focus on just one element of your game if you want to succeed at your highest level.
As a golfer you need to be able to assess the complete picture and this includes measures of daily wellness and reflecting on your motivation and energy each day.
Are any changes you see due to your sleep, your training, or maybe an increase in how often you’ve been playing?
Have you started practicing more, or have you neglected your putting and the results are now evident?
With so many variables to consider in this great sport, it’s imperative that data drives your evidence-based decisions and strategies.
This is exactly why AMI Sports: Golf was built – to help usher in a new era in golf with a new breed of golfer; a golfer who uses the latest technology and sport science to help them understand their unique needs and to support the optimization of their wellbeing, practice, training and ultimately the achievement of performance goals on the course. This applies to all levels of golf, not just the elite, or those competing on feeder tours, club level golfers have much to gain from logging and monitoring all aspects of their game to optimize their body and mind too.
For more information on athlete monitoring in golf, sign-up to our blog posts here. To subscribe to AMI Sports and begin your optimization today check out the individual / coach packages available here.
Dr Ben Langdown is a Senior Lecturer in Sports Coaching at The Open University and has published various journal papers in the area of golf and sports science. Specifically, Ben's research focuses on athlete monitoring, warm-up protocols, and training interventions in the sport of golf. Ben is also a Strength and Conditioning Coach for England Golf and over the past 15 years has provided biomechanics and S&C support to golfers from amateurs through to European (Men’s and Ladies’) Tours and a European Senior Tour Season Champion. Ben has presented at 4 World Golf Fitness Summits and the 2018 World Scientific Congress of Golf, where he also acted as an invited review panel member supporting education for >150 academics/coaches. He has delivered various invited keynote workshops with international organisations, including England Golf, The PGAs of GB&I, Spain, Czech Republic and Slovakia with all adopting his applied approaches. Most recently, Ben has developed the AMI Sports: Golf athlete monitoring app allowing further insight into golfers’ practice, tournaments, training and daily wellbeing.
Tim Roberts is the Director of Science + Innovation at Therabody and the Co-Founder of Scientific Athlete. At Therabody, Tim specializes in the development and execution of effective science and innovation strategies that translate to improved business functions. Prior to this role, Tim was Senior Sports Scientist with the Gatorade Sports Science Institute and was based at their laboratory at IMG Academy (2011-2020). He continues to work with golfers at every level in both lab and field settings, whilst collaborating with several international golf organisations. Furthermore, Tim works with professional golfers providing sports science, nutrition, and strength and conditioning support.
Tim has presented two invited presentations at World Golf Fitness Summits and at the inaugural Golf and Health Symposium in 2018. These presentations covered the application of research into nutrition and hydration, sport science methodology and athlete monitoring in golf
In addition to this work in golf he has led the development and execution of both research and applied strategies for athlete monitoring in several other sports including with the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program, and elite basketball, soccer, and baseball organisations.
