Recovery Strategies for Professional and Elite Amateur Golfers

Golfers endure unique demands: up to 2,000 swings in a tournament week, walking 40–80 km, and frequent travel across time zones.

Recovery isn’t optional; it has a direct impact on both performance and longevity.

This new scoping review mapped out recovery strategies for pro and elite amateur golfers and highlighted what actually helps.

Which recovery strategies make a real difference for golfers week to week?

What the Researchers Did

The researchers searched 5 databases (2000–2024) and and included 47 relevant studies. They focused on five key areas:

• Sleep
• Travel/jet lag
• Nutrition/hydration
• Controlled methods (massage, cold)
• Independent methods (mobility, compression, cognitive)
• Adjunct options (infrared, sauna, hyperbaric)

Recovery Interventions

Sleep is the Cornerstone

• A consistent schedule is critical
• Cool, dark room and limited evening caffeine/screens
• Short naps when needed
• Supports motor output and decision-making

Travel & Jet Lag

• Differentiate travel fatigue vs. true jet lag
• Sunday-night “reset” after tournaments
• Manage light and meal timing
• Hydrate on flights, move often, use electrolytes

Nutrition & Hydration

Remember the 3 R’s for nutrition:

• Rehydrate: ~1.5 L per kg lost
• Repair: 20–40 g protein
• Restore: carbs + fruit for liver glycogen
• Evening protein supports overnight recovery

Cold Strategies

• Cold-water immersion (~10 °C × ~11 min) helps reduce soreness in hot or high-volume weeks
• Avoid right before/after heavy lifts if adaptation is the goal

Massage & Mobility

• Massage aids relaxation and perceived recovery
• Static stretching/foam rolling improve flexibility and reduce soreness
• Warm-up remains essential for power, not static stretching

Compression Garments

• May reduce DOMS and muscle damage markers in general sports
• Golf-specific impact is minimal; mostly preference-based

Cognitive Recovery

• Pro golf is mentally taxing
• Downtime, naps, meditation, and social connection help
• Some venues now add mental health and relaxation spaces

Adjuncts

• Infrared, sauna, hyperbaric: promising but limited evidence in golf
• Use selectively; avoid heat between rounds in hot conditions

This figure summarizes different performance recovery on competition day:

What This Means

• Build from the base: Sleep and nutrition are the foundation
• Travel-smart: Sunday reset, hydration, mobility after landing
• Hot/hard weeks: Use short cold-water immersion strategically
• Tools are extras: Massage, mobility, compression, and adjuncts can help but aren’t the main drivers

Limitations

• Few golf-specific trials—much is extrapolated from broader sport science
• Varied methods/outcomes limit precision on exact protocols
• Adjunct modalities lack consistent evidence

Coach’s Takeaway

• Guard sleep like a skill—dark, cool, consistent
• Use the 3 R’s after every round: Rehydrate, Repair, Restore
• Plan for travel: light/meal timing, hydration, mobility
• Add cold immersion in hot or heavy weeks
• Use massage and mobility for feel and relaxation, not power boosts

This pyramid summarizes a recovery nicely:

I hope this helps,

Ramsey

Reference: Bishop C, Xu J, Wilson L, et al. (2025). Recovery for Professional and Elite Amateur Golfers: A Scoping Review of Evidence-Based Methods. Sports Medicine. Access fill text here.