Golf driving performance: the effect of dynamic and static stretching warm up routines

Biomechanics has been used in an attempt to find the model golf swing, with emphasis on improving performance and reducing the rate of injury [1]. Swing mechanics are described by many golf professionals as the most important factor for optimal golf driving performance [2]. Biomechanically, a high level of flexibility and ROM at specific joints and soft tissues is required to achieve the desired golf swing movement patterns [3]. Despite there being a number of different stretching techniques available to adopt as routine warm up protocols prior to competition and practice, it still remains unclear what the optimum warm up protocol should be in terms of improving the biomechanical efficiency of the golf swing. Among the various warm up protocols, dynamic and static stretches are two of the most popular stretching techniques [4]; that have been chosen to be investigated. Therefore the purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of dynamic and static stretching warm up routines using shot accuracy, distance, angle of deviation and percentage clubface contact as performance outcome measures.