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Effects of Physical Training Interventions on Golf Shot Performance: A Systematic Review with Meta-analysis
Martin J Johansen1,2, Chris Bishop3,4,5,6,7, Andrew Murray4,6,7
1Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Muscle Physiology and Biomechanics Research Unit, University of Southern Denmark, Campusvej 55, 5230, Odense M, Denmark. mjohansen@health.sdu.dk.
Background:
Physical training is widely used in golf to improve club head speed and distance-related outcomes, but intervention evidence across key shot-performance outcomes has not been synthesized with separate treatment of controlled and single-group designs.
Objective:
We aimed to evaluate the effects of physical training interventions on club head speed, ball speed, carry distance, and total distance in golfers.
Methods:
This systematic review and meta-analysis was reported in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2020 statement. PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Google Scholar were searched on 3 March, 2026. Eligible studies included golfers of any sex, age, or playing level; evaluated a physical training intervention lasting at least 4 weeks; used either a controlled between-group or single-group pre-post design; and reported golf shot-performance outcomes. Random-effects meta-analyses synthesized absolute effects in common units, with controlled and single-group evidence analyzed separately.
Results:
Thirty-three studies comprising 798 participants met the eligibility criteria, including 26 controlled between-group studies and 7 single-group pre-post studies. Controlled meta-analyses showed significant pooled improvements in club head speed, ball speed, carry distance, and total distance: 1.05 m/s (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.39-1.71), 2.20 m/s (95% CI 1.16-3.23), 9.33 m (95% CI 5.12-13.55), and 10.55 m (95% CI 6.30-14.81), respectively. The corresponding pooled standardized effects ranged from g = 0.38 to 0.62. Single-group meta-analyses showed significant pooled improvements in club head speed, ball speed, and carry distance, but not in total distance in the primary analysis. The certainty of evidence was low for all controlled outcomes and very low for all single-group outcomes.
Conclusions:
Physical training interventions can improve key golf shot-performance outcomes in golfers, with controlled between-group studies providing the most robust evidence. Structured physical training therefore appears to represent a meaningful component of golf performance preparation. Nonetheless, more comprehensively reported and population-specific intervention studies are needed.
