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The driver is the club which receives the greatest scrutiny by golfers and the most marketing efforts by manufacturers. One characteristic often indicated and believed to effect driver performance is the degree of loft on the clubface. The purpose of the current study was to investigate the effect that the loft of a driver and gender has on golf ball launch variables and distance. The variables that were examined included club head speed, ball speed, launch angle, descent (impact) angle, total spin, carry, and total distance. Fifteen participants (12 male, 3 female) with a handicap of eight or lower were used to test three different degree drivers (9.5°, 10.5°, and 13°) on the variables listed above. Participants performed ten tested swings for each driver and the variables were measured. The data were analyzed with a two (gender) by three (club face loft) repeated-measures ANOVA. There were significant differences (p < .05) in total spin rate, descent angle, and total distance between the clubs. The male...

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effects of six weeks of strength/functional training on muscular strength and golf performance, measured by club-head speed. Ten participants (age = 21.4 ± 2.3 yrs) were randomly assigned to an experimental group performing 6 weeks of strength/functional training or a control group that followed their regular activity/golf routine. Club-head speed was measured as an indicator of golf performance. A 2 × 2 ANOVA with repeated measures on swing speed revealed significant (p .05) differences were noted for vertical jump or sit-and-reach. Participants realized improvements in strength during their participation but these did not translate to...