Article
The purpose of the research: was to determine the frequency of clutch use by elite golfers when hitting fairway shots. To determine the relationship between ball flight distance and variance, grass height, and swing technique.
Methods and organization of the research: The study was conducted on three golf courses in the Moscow region: Skolkovo Golf Club, Agalarov Golf & Country Club, and Forest Hills Golf Club. Fourteen golfers, all Master of Sports of Russia and Candidate Master of Sports, participated in the experiment. Fairway grass height was determined using a Prism Gauge, and shot distance and lateral deflection were measured using a FlightScope Mevo launch monitor.
Results and discussion. The survey revealed that none of the participants used clutch in their address position when hitting fairway shots; none of the golfers adjusted their club head position based on grass height. Experimental studies have shown that increasing grass height reduces the distance the ball flies after impact and increases the variance of its deviation from the aiming point. Experiments have shown that using a clutch technique on short-cut grass does not improve the quality of the shot compared to the participants' usual technique. However, on medium-cut and high-cut grass, using a clutch technique reduces the loss of distance and decreases the ball's lateral deviation to the left, resulting in a straighter shot.
Conclusion. Using a clutch technique in the swing played from fairway is an effective way to improve the quality of the shot when playing on courses with medium-cut and high-cut grass.
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