Study finds golfers use online technology to practice at home during lockdowns

Seamus Rotherick
By Seamus Rotherick November 15, 2020 07:15

A research project carried out by two universities has found that golfers turn to online technology to hone their skills when golf courses are closed due to Covid-19 lockdowns.

Researchers at Abertay University in Dundee and York St John University studied 1,273 golfers, mostly male members of golf clubs in the UK, over eight days in early May during the spring 2020 lockdown.

‘Some turn to virtual reality videogames, many golfers engaged in sedentary activities, such as watching online golfing tutorials, listening to golf-specific podcasts and watching the sport on TV,’ said a spokesman.

The full results can be found here.

Dr Alexander Beaumont, from York St John University’s School of Science, Technology & Health said: “The dataset could also be used to provide specific golf-related recommendations if there was to be another move towards quarantine restrictions during the current pandemic, or even future pandemics.

“Of the UK participants who complete the survey, these were representative of registered golfers within the UK and can be filtered according to demographics such as age, gender and golf handicap index. Also, with specific information recorded at the time, including country of residence, occupation and working status, the dataset can be used to individually assess the golf-related activities performed among these categories.”

Dr Graeme Sorbie, from Abertay University’s Division of Sport and Exercise Sciences, said: “During the early months of this pandemic sport and other recreational activities were suspended, creating a potential decline in physical activity which in turn can have a detrimental impact on physical and mental wellbeing.

“We surveyed golfers from nine different countries over an eight day period to gain an insight into how golfers were coping with this unprecedented situation, and the resulting dataset, which we are making freely available, was very interesting. 

“The information could be used to enable future reports providing insight into physical and sedentary activities conducted during the quarantine restrictions from across a wide range of sports.”

Meanwhile, golf-loving pensioners at a Scottish care home have daily competitions on games consoles.

One resident at Cramond Residence said: “I’m hopeful my golfing talents from the course will uphold in a virtual sense!”

 

Seamus Rotherick
By Seamus Rotherick November 15, 2020 07:15
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