Article
The purpose – to identify the specific effects of an accentuated exhale during the downswing – compared to involuntary breathing – on the accuracy and distance characteristics of a golf shot.
Methods and organization of the research. The experiment was conducted in December 2025 at the Volga Region State University of Physical Culture, Sports and Tourism, involving four golfers holding Grade II-III rankings. Using a PGA Tour simulator (3Trak launch monitor), the athletes performed two series of 40–60 full-swing shots with a 7-iron: the first under conditions of spontaneous breathing, and the second with an accentuated exhale during the downswing. Kinematic parameters of the ball's flight-including distance and lateral deviation from the target line—were recorded with an accuracy of ±0.1 m.
Results and discussion. Shots performed with an accentuated exhalation result in a statistically significant (p < 0.05) increase in ball flight distance and a reduction in the dispersion of the final ball position (based on samples of n=89 for spontaneous breathing and n=78 for exhalation). This effect is moderate in magnitude. However, in addition to breathing, the reduction in directional and distance dispersion may also be influenced by the golfers' learning process associated with the repeated execution of identical movements.
Conclusion. Data analysis confirmed that executing the strike during the phase of accentuated exhalation significantly increases both the ball's flight distance and the precision of its landing. This pattern is more pronounced among skilled athletes. At the same time, a systematic deviation of the ball's trajectory to the left of the target line was observed in all subjects.
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