Professional golfers could earn an extra 189,000 euros (£169,000) if they spend less time over the ball, according to a new study.
The RSM player performance study, conducted in collaboration with the European Tour, collected data on 47 players over five tournaments, 304 rounds of golf and 22,579 shots.
Led by Dr Matt Bridge, senior lecturer in coaching and sports science at the University of Birmingham, the study revealed three key findings:
:: Spending less time over the ball could earn a European Tour player an extra 189,000 euros per season.
:: Quicker shots improve performance. A shorter time over the ball across all putts results in a 90 per cent increase in the likelihood of strokes gained.
:: Consistency of time spent over the ball leads to a greater chance of making the cut. When players are more consistent in rounds one and two they are 50 per cent more likely to make the cut compared to less consistent players.
England's Paul Waring, who finished 60th on the Race to Dubai in 2017, said: " The average figure of 189,000 more a year if players improve the consistency of their routines and spend less time over the ball will certainly open a lot of eyes in the European Tour locker rooms.
"Stats are so important in all sports and especially in golf, when you think of the range of elements we need to consider in our game.
"RSM is leading the way with player performance research and my personal results from the study have been fascinating. I'm looking forward to working with my coaching team to make improvements in my own routine ahead of the 2018 season."
Source: PA
