How do coaches operationalise long-term technical training in elite golf?

Long-term training is a common approach within the applied setting for components of physiology and strength and conditioning, for example. However, less is known about the reality of training across similar timescales from a technical perspective. Taking the highly-technical sport of golf, current research rarely considers coaching technique beyond a single-session, nor with the aim to understand the reality for, or challenges faced by, coaches working at the elite-level. Accordingly, this qualitative study explored the goals, structure and methods of coaches’ long-term technical work with players at macro, meso and micro levels. Findings revealed, (a) coaches attempted to undertake technical refinement with players but without a clear systematic process, (b) there is little coherence and consistency across the levels of work, (c) the process and timescales of technical work is considered unpredictable and uncertain and, (d) long-term planning is seen as subservient to meeting players’ immediate performance needs. These results highlight the complexity of long-term technical work at the elite level and the need for coaches to develop both a sound and clear rationale through a more comprehensive case conceptualisation process, as well as a greater alignment to the scientific literature, in order to advance future practice.