**15. Cause and pattern of injury in elite and amateur golfer**

There is also a difference between amateur and professional golf injury aetiology. In amateur golfers, excessive play or practice, direct trauma from hitting the ground or an object during a golf swing are common causes. The most common cause, however, in amateur golfers, and particularly high handicap golfers, is injuries that result from poor swing mechanics [24–26]. Professional and elite golfers are particularly prone to overuse injuries due to repeated and repetitive swinging of a golf club. This can be further complicated by alteration in swing techniques. The changes and improvement in golf equipment, with lighter shafts and composite heads on drivers and fairway metals, have also contributed to increased swing speeds. This, in association with alteration in swing techniques, can make the elite golfer more prone to injuries. In simple terms, the sheer number of swings that an elite golfer takes every week is a multiple of that of an amateur golfer. It would not be uncommon for

*Leading Wrist Injuries in a Golfing Population. Golf Swing Biomechanics a Significant Cause… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.96979*

a professional golfer to hit two or three hundred golf balls on a daily basis. This is a combination of practice, warm up and almost daily playing schedule.
