(47) INFLUENCE OF MATURITY ON GOLF SWING, COUNTERMOVEMENT JUMP, AND ISOMETRIC MID-THIGH PULL PERFORMANCE IN YOUTH GOLFERS

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between maturity offset and club head speed, countermovement jump, and isometric mid-thigh pull performance in youth golfers. Methods: 134 youth golfers (age 15.6 ± 1.7) performed three countermovement jumps (CMJ) on dual-force plates, one maximal isometric mid-thigh pull (IMTP), ten swings with a driver measured by Trackman over the course of week as part of a testing battery upon intake to an academy. Standing and seated height were taken and maturity offset was predicted using the Mirwald equation. Pearson correlations between maturity offset and relative peak power (CMJ_REL), absolute peak power (CMJ_ABS), relative strength (IMTP_REL), absolute strength (IMTP_ABS), club head speed (CHS), and ball speed were calculated in a spreadsheet. Results: There were significant moderate correlations with IMTP_ABS and CMJ_ABS (p = 0.46 and 0.43, respectively), as well as CHS (p = 0.34) and ball speed (p = 0.35). There was a small correlation between CMJ_REL (p = 0.18) and maturity offset, but only a trivial, insignificant relationship with IMTP_REL (p = 0.08). Conclusions: Maturation influences physical performance to a greater extent than CHS, which may be more dependent on technique and proper kinematic sequencing. Furthermore, changes in strength and power due to maturity are likely influenced by size or muscle mass, as absolute measures show greater links than relative strength or power. Practical Applications: Coaches working with youth golfers should understand the impact that growth and maturation has on swing performance and account for this when scouting or developing talent. Acknowledgements: None