Understanding training load in golf: a survey of swing coaches, performance practitioners and medical staff

The present study aimed to investigate the current opinions and practices of golf coaches, performance practitioners and medical staff working in golf, on the topic of monitoring training load in the sport. A cross-sectional, explorative survey was undertaken which included specific questions for each sub-group using a combination of Likert scale and ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ questions. A total of 89 practitioners completed the survey with 23 being golf coaches, 35 being performance practitioners, and 31 being medical practitioners. Results showed that virtually all technical coaches and support staff practitioners agreed on the importance of monitoring training load in golf. However, our findings identified a noticeable gap between what is current opinion and what is actually done in day-to-day practice, relating to training load monitoring in the sport. While the majority of coaches and practitioners are in agreement with the value of assessing load in golf, the number that actually monitor and collect data relating to this is substantially lower. Therefore, further consideration and research is undoubtedly required on this topic to help inform and change current practice in golf.