title: The effects of postactivation potentiation on golf club head speed.
abstract: In golf, an increase in club head speed (CHS) has been shown to increase driving distance and is correlated with handicap. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of a postactivation potentiation (PAP) intervention on CHS. A FlightScope launch monitor was used to record CHS in 16 golfers (aged 20.1 ± 3.24 years, handicap 5.8 ± 2.26) during 2 testing sessions that were separated by 1 hour, using a counterbalanced design. The mean CHS of 3 swings was recorded with (experimental) and without (control) 3 preceding countermovement jumps (CMJs). An increase in CHS of 2.25 mph (effect size, 0.16; p < 0.05) 1 minute after the CMJ intervention was recorded. Therefore, acute enhancements in CHS are possible when performing a CMJ before a golf drive. This may have implications for training and on-course performance enhancement as a result of increased driving distance and possible reductions in handicap; this PAP intervention is practically viable.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Sport, Health and Social Care, University of Gloucestershire, Gloucester, United Kingdom. pread@glos.ac.uk
authors.forename: Paul J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Read
authors.forename: Stuart C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Anthony N
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Turner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D054874:Athletic Performance / Q000502:physiology*; D006055:Golf / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D009068:Movement / Q000502:physiology*; D064797:Physical Conditioning, Human / Q000379:methods; D055815:Young Adult