Inter-and intra-individual movement variability in the golf swing

The golf swing has come under more scrutiny than perhaps any other sports technique, if not in the scientific literature, certainly in the sports coaching literature, popular press, and television coverage. The exact reason for this attention is unclear but it is likely to be related to the unique task constraints of golf and the general perception that technique and performance in golf, perhaps more so than in any other sport, are inimitably linked. The general consensus of opinion appears to be that inter- and intra-individual movement variability in the golf swing is detrimental to performance and should be eliminated or coached out. This chapter reviews the literature on, and discusses the role of, inter- and intra-individual movement variability in the golf swing and its implications for golf biomechanics research, golf club design, development, and fitting, as well as golf coaching practice. Large amounts of inter-individual variability have been reported in grip forces.