Characteristics of training and lifestyle in high‐level competitive golfers

BACKGROUND: High-level competitive golfers often have access to interventions and support systems that include physical, nutritional, and behavioral health. Much focus has been directed to training on the course. There are limited studies describing what competitive golfers do off the course for performance optimization. OBJECTIVES: To describe the training, resources, and lifestyle modifications that competitive golfers use off the course in order to optimize performance on the golf course. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey study. SETTING: Online survey. PARTICIPANTS: One hundred one high-level competitive golfers (56 collegiate, 45 touring professional; mean age: 25 ± 8 years; 55% male) completed the online survey and were included in the study. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Information on golf play, exercise, lifestyle (nutrition, sleep), and alternative interventions was collected from the survey. RESULTS: Participants averaged 4.1 ± 3.5 years of collegiate/professional golf play. Most golfers reported working with swing coaches (78.2%) and athletic trainers (71.3%), and 86.1% participated in golf-specific resistance training for 2.9 ± 2.0 days/week. Massage and Theragun were the most common alternative interventions used to optimize performance. Almost half of all golfers reported working with a sports psychologist. Furthermore, 64.4% of golfers reported changing diet to optimize golf performance, and 41.1% had consulted with nutrition experts. Most golfers reported ≥6 hours of sleep/night (92.1%), and 23.7% had consulted with sleep experts. Compared to collegiate golfers, touring professionals were more likely to make changes to diet, report <6 hours of sleep/night, consult with sleep experts, and use wearable devices to track sleep. CONCLUSIONS: Multiple golf-specific and lifestyle interventions were used by high-level competitive golfers off the course to optimize their performance.