Field-based and overspeed potentiated warm-ups increase clubhead speed and drive carry distance in skilled collegiate golfers

Warm-ups utilising post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) strategies have been shown to increase clubhead speed (CHS) in golfers. However, the effectiveness of overspeed training using weighted clubs to elicit PAPE in CHS is unknown. The purpose of this investigation was to compare traditional, field-based warm-up activities with no potentiation activity (CON), against a field-based potentiated warm-up using high rate of force development bodyweight movements (BWP), and an overspeed warm-up using speed sticks (SSP) as the potentiation method. Thirteen skilled adult male golfers (handicap 1.0 ± 2.1) completed three testing sessions, separated by seven days. The CON, BWP and SSP warm-ups were identical, except for the potentiation method. After each warm-up condition, ten shots, separated by one minute, were recorded using a doppler radar launch monitor (Trackman 4) with CHS, ball speed (BS), carry distance (CD) and total distance (TD) recorded. A repeated measures one-way ANOVA with Bonferroni post hoc pairwise comparisons revealed increases in CHS in the BWP (p = 0.004) and SSP (p = 0.003) groups against CON, with no difference between BWP and SSP. Increased CD was observed for BWP (p = 0.034) and SWP (p = 0.030) against CON with no differences between BWP and SSP. No differences for BS or TD were observed. Warm-ups with BWP or SSP activities should be considered if players are attempting to increase CHS or CD of drives, although utilising overspeed potentiation methods appears to confer no additional benefit to bodyweight PAPE exercises in skilled collegiate golfers.