Last 10 Years The Golf Clubs example essay topic

Outcome 1: Investigate the role of technology in optimising sports performance M 1 Compare and contrast the technological developments for optimising sports performance over the last 10 years. Technology is the application of scientific knowledge for a practical purpose or purposes. The Game of golf has rapidly improved over the last 10 years and this is due to the Technological developments in the game and the improved fitness and training regimes. Over the last 10 years the golf clubs used by professionals and amateurs have rapidly improved this is due to the fact that the materials used to make the clubs have changed and they have also been able to enlarge the hitting area on the clubface. Here is how certain clubs have changed over the last 10 years: Woods: Nowadays there are vast ranges of woods on offer from very shallow faced woods right the way too deep-faced drivers. These clubs offer so much more forgiveness then the woods around 10 years ago, 10 years ago titanium was just being put on the market and was very expensive to buy, metal headed drivers where most commonly used by professionals and amateurs.

Woods today offer so much more, you can have offset woods to stop slicing the ball. They also have something called the "The trampoline effect" this is a clubface which has a thick elliptical area and thinner perimeter area generates the spring like effect for extra distance. Irons: Like woods there are a vast selection of irons to choose from, you can still have the old fashioned bladed club, but these are hardly used by amateurs only the very good single figured handicappers might use blades, nowadays nearly all manufacturers will make cavity back irons these irons offer a lot more forgiveness when struck badly, they have vastly improved since 10 years ago cavity backs where still used then but they still where no way as good as what they are now, due to how rapidly technology has developed over 10 years. Balls: The golf ball is changing every year, In 1921, the R&A and USGA standardised the size and weight of the ball. Since then further constraints have been proposed which are detailed in the rules. Between 1931 and 1990, both organisations differed on the dimensions of the golf ball which meant that the game played on either side of the Atlantic was similar but different.

Today there is a rich variety of golf balls to suit the individual game and circumstance. Some offer control, some offer distance while others are suitable for practice only. Antique golf balls are avidly collected and are becoming increasingly valuable. A dimple patterned Guttier in good condition is worth about $US 500. Now companies are making balls with titanium cores for extra distance, they are forever changing the dimples on a ball, this effects the spin rate and the ball flight. They also make balls with covers that are a lot more durable.

A 3- piece golf ball is used mostly by lower handicappers and professionals e.g. Titleist Pro V 1. The ball most used by amateurs would be the 2-piece golf ball, these offer more distance and a lot more durability, you still get a bit of control from these balls but companies are still trying to improve the control of 2-piece balls. Shafts: Shaft properties, including flex, torque, kick-point (bend or flex point), shaft length and weight, play important roles in affecting the balance and feel of golf clubs as well as ball trajectory. Particularly, graphite shafts come with a wide range of specifications, and are acknowledged to be very beneficial for improving our game. Drivers with graphite shafts have enabled average golfers to hit more consistently and longer balls off the tee. While steel shafts for drivers in general weigh roughly 90-120 grams, graphite shafts are generally lighter.

The shaft weight of 65 grams seems to be the most popular weight nowadays while it ranges mostly between 50 grams and 90 grams (ultra light graphite shafts are less than 40 grams). The torque of steel shafts is at around 3.0, while that of graphite shafts could be as low as 2.0 and up to 12.0. As to the kick-point, graphite shafts are more versatile, too. However, steel shafts are rather popular in the applications for irons, and today's steel shafts could be very sophisticated. Material Design: Nowadays there are so many different types of materials used in the club making process, but 10 years ago people would never of thought they would be using tungsten titanium irons, or titanium headed drivers that hit the ball over 300 yards on average. You now can also get wedges that rust and are supposed to grip the ball to the clubface to produce more backspin.

Clothing and footwear: This has become a huge market for all golf club manufactures, waterproofs these days are so better then they were 10 years ago. They aren't just plastic rain Macs anymore, you can have so many different types of clothing there are windproof tops, you can even have waterproof jackets with sleeves that zip off so it is a lot easier to swing. The market for this is so big now that companies sponsor world class golfers and then let them bring out their own range of clothing. Sports Performance The effects on improved and sustained performance: Now there is better equipment around, professionals of today can improve there scoring averages and overall statistics, this is how they have changed over 10 years PGA Tour Driving distance Longest drive 1981 = 280 yds 1988 = 284.6 yds 1995 = 289 yds 2002 = 307.8 yds PGA Tour Driving accuracy 1981 = 82% 1988 = 82.5% 1995 = 81.3% 2002 = 80% PGA Tour Greens in regulation 1981 = 73.8% 1988 = 73.9% 1995 = 72.3% 2002 = 73.6% PGA Tour Putts per round 1981 = 28.54 putts per round 1988 = 28.04 putts per round 1995 = 28.02 putts per round 2002 = 26.44 putts per round PGA Tour average scoring 1981 = 69.8 1988 = 69.38 1995 = 69.06 2002 = 69.15 As you can see over a period of time the statistics have improved in most of the areas, but if you look at the driving accuracy over the 14 years you will see that more professionals hit more fairways then they do now, this could be the fact that the new clubs which are used today may hit the ball a lot further but this also increases the area the ball can be hit off target. But with the technology that is available professional and amateurs can improve their golf game a lot.

Safe and effective performance: Over the years golfers have complained that when they carry there golf bags there shoulders and back hurt so a dual strap has been designed and is fitted to most bags. This helps your back so much, golf shoes have also been designed better so that they offer a lot more grip and stability so you don't fall over. The golf club has also been designed and made better to stop you from getting blisters, and to give you a better grip of the club. Training Methods: Heart rate monitoring is a measure of how fit you are. The fitter you are the less your heart has to work. The Hypoxic tent works by removing a portion of the oxygen from the air.

A generator feeds low oxygen content air into a specially coated tent. Athletes sleep in this portable, altitude-simulated environment right up until competition day, thereby maximising their performance. People who have injured themselves also use when needed to heel themselves quicker, the low oxygen content makes the red blood cells work faster therefore making the injury heel quicker. Lactate is the unique metabolic variable that indicates the capability of the muscles for an athletic performance.

We emphasize "unique" in the preceding sentence because no other metabolic parameter provides the same information. The ability of the muscles to reach a peak performance during an athletic event requires that the systems providing energy be "fine tuned" or "balanced" properly so that the athlete can generate the highest amount of energy per unit of time during a race. Proper training is what accomplishes this fine tuning or optimal balance and it is lactate testing that lets the coach know if the balance has been obtained or how each energy system must be trained in order to obtain the balance. More than ever golfers are turning to exercises off the course to improve their game. Tiger Woods and Annika Sorenstam, two of the top players on tour have implemented rigorous "off course" training programs. A motion like the golf swing starts with core strength.

Developing strong muscles in the stomach and lower back must be a priority for any golfer looking to reach their full potential. The core is of supreme importance because it serves as the "hub of the golfers wheel". In other words, all movements in the upper and lower body are tied together, supported, and co-ordinated by the core. A complete program for golf should include exercises off the course that will effectively enhance your golf swing and overall performance.

Such exercises should include but are not limited to core exercises, cardiovascular training, and strength building exercises while maintaining flexibility. Fitness and performance assessment: Samples for lactate analysis by Analog technology can be plasma, intact whole blood and haemolysed whole blood. The three different matrices give different results, although in practice all three are used. However, to undertake meaningful studies, the reason for the differences should be understood, and values should only be compared to those obtained with the same sample type, i.e. matrix. This is important when interpreting or preparing scientific publications. The main theoretical difference in the results is due to the distribution of lactate between the different constituents of blood.

Lactate is present in the water phase of both the plasma and red cells, but the water content of plasma is higher than the water content of red cells so the distribution of lactate in the blood is not uniform. Body composition refers to the amount of body fat and fat-free tissues of which your body is comprised. Analysis of the percentage of lean body tissue in comparison to the percentage of body fat tissue gives your trainer a baseline measurement to track your progress. The result of this 30-minute assessment forms the essential component of any body fat loss or muscle-gaining goal. Video analysis is a very good thing for professionals nowadays they are able to break your swing up into different sections, so you can easily see what you are doing wrong. This is a whole new way of teaching, but it is a lot easier for a professional to teach due to the fact that it is very easy to show their pupil what they are doing wrong.

Mental coaching helps you perform better by teaching you proven mental skills used by world-class golfers. It helps both golfers who feel they are in a slump and golfers who simply want to play better by improving mental toughness, course management skills, and practice routines that impart success. There are so many golf psychologists around they are there to mentally prepare a golfer to play well under any situation they are put under. They could be the best golfer inn the world, but if they blow up under pressure then they will never be able to compete at the highest level.

Some examples of famous psychologists are Dr. Robert Rotel la, Jos Vanstiphout. Injury prevention and treatment: A number of potential problems can occur to an unprepared player: sunburn, dehydration / sunstroke ; hits from a ball (e.g. to players, spectators, ground staff, etc. ); strains and muscle spasms; insect and animal stings and bites; falls or slips; cart accidents; inclement weather / lightening strike. Here are some safety tips for golfers to stop themselves from injuring themselves. All players should undertake proper and adequate warm-up procedures before each game. This should include gentle movement and mobility exercises, leg and shoulder stretches, followed by gentle air swings or ball hits using short irons All players should undertake general strength and fitness programs including weight training and / or aerobic activities, e.g. walking or jogging (obtain medical advice if necessary) Swing improvement, for both injury prevention and performance, can be achieved by taking lessons from a registered Professional Golf Association coach All golf equipment (clubs and shoes) should be professionally fitted before purchase All players should be prepared to stop playing immediately when a muscle problem / injury occurs All injured players, irrespective of how severe the injury is, should seek first aid or prompt medical treatment of their injury Injured golfers should not resume playing until they have completely recovered from their injury. For certain injuries there are certain techniques which can be used to help them recover quicker.

Is the use of electrical stimulation of the peripheral nervous system to override the pain messages in the body. This modern, non invasive, cost effective, drug-free system is widely recognised as an effective method of relieving both acute or chronic pain. TENS (Trans cutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation) Pain relief with TENS is produced through high frequency electrical impulses of the nerves, muscles and cells of the body. These impulses help block the body's ability to send a pain message to the brain and increase the body's ability to produce its own pain killing substances, called endorphins. There are no side effects - making this treatment a powerful and clean therapeutic option. There are many painful conditions that TENS has provided pain relief.

These include: acute sprains & strains, arthritis, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibrositis, low back pain, osteoarthritis, shingles, spinal cord disorders, sports injuries and tendonitis. Proper golf technique and equipment and preventive measures can minimize golf-related injuries of the back, shoulders, elbows, and hands and wrists. Rotating the shoulder and hip a similar amount during the backswing and keeping the spine vertical during the follow-through can reduce lumbar spine strain. A rigid back support may lower the risk of vertebral compression fracture in osteoporotic patients. Shortening the backswing can decrease pressure on a degenerative acromioclavicular joint. Therapy for 'golfer's elbow' includes medial counterforce bracing, larger club grips, and graphite shafts.

Treatments for wrist and hand disorders include proper swing and grip technique and larger, softer grips. Diagnosis of the easy-to-miss fracture of the hook of the hamate may require tomogram, CT, or MRI. In one survey (5), the most commonly injured sites in amateur golfers overall (by percentage of players injured at each site) were the lower back (34.5%), elbows (33.1%), hands and wrists (20.1%), and shoulders (11.7%). Men had virtually the same percentages as the group overall, but the most common sites of injury in amateur women were the elbows, followed by the lower back, shoulders, and hands and wrists. In contrast, professional male and female golfers most often injured their hands and wrists, followed by the lower back, shoulders, and elbows, though percentages differed somewhat by gender. Injuries in amateurs, who play an average of two rounds a week, are most often due to overuse (25%), striking the ground with the club (hitting a "fat shot", 21%), and poor swing mechanics (19%) (5).

"Overswinging" (swinging harder and / or faster than is appropriate for a golfer's capabilities), poor warm-up, twisting the trunk during the swing, and grip or swing changes also contribute to amateurs' injuries (6). In professionals, who play many hours a day on most days, overuse accounts for 80% of injuries, hitting a fat shot for 12%, and twisting the trunk during the swing for 5%. Professional golfers report no injuries due to poor swing mechanics, overswinging, poor warm-up, or grip or swing changes (6). Given these patterns of injury, primary care physicians will undoubtedly treat golfers who have injured their back, shoulders, elbows, hands, or wrists. Of course, the basic principles of injury prevention and treatment apply (rest, immobilization, ice and / or heat, anti-inflammatory drugs [NSAIDs], stretching, strengthening, proper warm-up, injections, and, if necessary, surgery), but the focus here is on treatment and prevention strategies related to the golf swing and equipment.

Many of the injuries common in golfers are closely related to golf technique and equipment. Understanding the biomechanics of the swing and how technique and equipment affect the body can facilitate diagnosis, treatment, and injury prevention. Many books and magazines offer solutions to golfers' technical problems and related physical disorders, but a good teaching golf professional may be the most useful source of information for patients who have golf-related injuries. Clinicians should not hesitate to suggest that patients consult such professionals regarding technical and equipment issues related to these injuries..