The Curtis Cup is a biennial team match played between the best women amateurs from Great Britain and Ireland and the United States of America. However, there is a third team of women supporting the event at Sunningdale this week.
The R&A’s Chief Medical Officer, Christopher Nevill, has appointed a group of women who are sports medicine experts to support the players and their teams for the duration of the Curtis Cup and beyond. Orlaith Buckley and Louise Aylwin are physiotherapists, Emma Lunan is a Consultant in Sports & Exercise Medicine and Amy O’Donnell is a nutritionist.
All of whom have worked at the highest level of sport over the past 20 years.
Not only do they provide a comfortable space to treat these elite amateur women for any physical, nutritional or psychological requirements they have throughout the week, but they also inform them of the areas they should be thinking about outside of their golf games as they look to progress to the professional ranks.
From professional to amateur
The AIG Women’s Open at St Andrews last week saw various medical experts and facilities on hand at the final major of the women’s season and it’s an area The R&A continue to develop at the top level of the amateur ranks.
“The R&A are bringing a women’s multi-disciplinary team to the women’s events,” Buckley explains.
“We have the huge cross-base of knowledge and information through experience being athletes and working with various teams and organisations over the years that we can offer the girls this week.
“They play a high volume of golf and they have a huge amount of commitment off the course which can be quite fatiguing. By using nutrition to maintain steady-state energy release, using the support of myself and Louise to help with any issues they have physically and having Emma to help medically we keep them in top shape.
“Our unique insight with the professionals and understanding what it takes to succeed allows us bring another dimension to the amateurs so they feel game ready for an entire tournament.”
Support services
Support at Sunningdale this week includes: prevention advice and planning (jet lag/sleep hygiene, welfare, general assessment of emotional state and resilience); best gym routines for strength and conditioning; physio for injury diagnosis treatment and prevention; and nutritionist advice ensuring best nutrition and recovery protocols.
It was important that the group providing sports medicine assistance this week are women. Some of the players haven’t worked with sports medicine experts before and, as they go in and out of the team rooms, it is vital the players feel comfortable with them.
Buckley adds, “It’s fantastic foresight from Chris to bring a group of women at this level together. Naturally, we understand a lot of what goes on in their bodies as women that they don’t have to put into words with us – we get it and have lived it.
“For some of them, depending on their pathway, they may not have worked with on-site high-performance teams before so it’s quite novel and maybe a little intimidating for them. So, again, having an all-female staff can make the introduction to this set-up a little easier.”
The information these service providers can pass on can be pivotal to their development in their quests to become professional golfers. They understand the bigger picture and know the impact their work can have on athletes.
“We see players through the full age spectrum of golf, from development to legends of the game, so we have a deep understanding of the long-term impact of their choices,” she continues. “We are committed to guiding our players toward strategies that will support their performance and well-being throughout their entire golfing journey.”
Who knew the third women’s team at the 43rd Curtis Cup could have such an impact?
Emma Lunan: Consultant in Sport and Exercise Medicine, who has just returned from working with Team GB at the Paris Olympic Games and works with elite athletes across several sports.
Orlaith Buckley: Consultant Physiotherapist to The R&A, Legends Tour, DP World Tour, Junior Ryder Cup, Golf Ireland and Golf Vlaanderen, Belgium.
Louise Aylwin: Consultant Physiotherapist Ladies European Tour, Solheim Cup, LPGA & Asian Tour.
Amy O’ Donnell: Nutritionist Ladies European Tour, Challenge Tour, Solheim Cup, England Golf and Golf Ireland.
