ENGLAND’S ELITE GOLF SQUAD ACCESS THE LATEST BIO-TECHNOLOGY
As part of the World Class Performance Programme, England’s
Elite Squad members have received a state of the art scientific
biomechanical assessment as part of their training schedule.
The assessment was delivered by Australian company ‘The
Golf Athlete’. It utilises cutting edge technology to
analyse a golfer’s swing and involves a musculo-skeletal
evaluation and a strength & conditioning assessment before
providing detailed scientific feedback to coaching staff to
enhance the development of players on the Elite Squad.
Once the assessments are complete the English Golf Union’s
(EGU) coaching team are provided with a programme of exercise,
specific to each player, identifying areas where each squad
member needs to work to develop their games to a higher level.
The biomechanical assessment was delivered by Dr Rob Neal
who has developed specific software to compliment the technology
along with colleague Ryan Lumsden.
Dr Neal explained, “We are delighted to have been able
to continue our working relationship with the English Golf
Union and their Elite Squad training programme. It has been
an interesting exercise to work with the best amateur golfers
in England and help develop their individual programmes. We
are looking forward to building on our relationship and continuing
to work with their World Class Performance Programme.”
The musculo-skeletal profiles were carried out by Michael
Dalgleish and provided additional information and support
to previous assessments already carried out by EGU physiotherapist
Paul Darby. The strength and conditioning assessment was delivered
by David Chettle.
The whole assessment process involves computer software capturing
the movements of each player’s swing. This software
then analyses the player’s swing and produces data that
precisely tracks each movement made by the player.
Once copied and stored on CD, the information can be reviewed
by the EGU coaching team -National Coach Keith Williams, Technical
Coaches David Ridley and Gary Smith and EGU physiotherapist
Paul Darby. The integrated development programme produced
for each player by the EGU coaching staff is then passed to
the player and the player’s personal coach and allows
each golfer to be monitored throughout the year at training
sessions, practice or competitions.
Keith Williams, EGU National Coach commented, “These
assessments form part of a holistic training programme which
we are developing through the World Class Performance Programme.
The data we gather about each player is extremely important
to help to manage their individual training schedules. The
process allows us to increase our understanding of the complexities
of each player’s golf swing and in turn we are able
to improve their techniques and ultimately their level of
performance.”
In addition to working with the Elite Squad the Golf Athlete
team presented a one-day seminar on the importance of scientific
assessment to elite player development. The seminar was attended
by all EGU & ELGA (English Ladies Golf Association) physiotherapy
and technical coaching staff as well as leading bio-mechanist
Dr Paul Hurrion, strength & conditioning staff from the
English Institute of Sport and David Colclough, Training Executive
at the Professional Golfers Association. The seminar formed
part of the World Class Performance Programme development
initiative for EGU and ELGA staff, which is funded and supported
by the Sport England Lottery Fund.
Nigel Furniss, Performance Director at the EGU, said: “Following
our recent 8th place performance in the Eisenhower Trophy
(World Amateur Golf Team Championships) it is imperative we
explore every opportunity to progress the development of our
top players to improve on this position in South Africa in
2006. The relationship we have developed with the Golf Athlete
is very important to the future of our training and coaching
programmes. The data provides valuable information which can
be used to assist our players in their quest to become World
Class golfers.”
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