While the world’s best competed at Royal Porthcawl for the AIG Women’s Open, golfers could take full advantage of a comprehensive range of player services designed to support recovery, performance, and overall well-being during their time off the course.
Located within and next to the AIG Women’s Open Players’ Clubhouse, the facilities were designed to help the players achieve their peak performance during the major championship. The R&A worked in collaboration with the Ladies European Tour Performance Institute (LETPI) to elevate player services, improving all Tour players’ mental and physical fitness and equipping them with the tools to perform at their best.
Onsite support included:
- DP World Tour Truck: Staffed with two physiotherapists and a sports massage therapist, to provide support to players including assessment and management of acute injuries.
- Medical & Wellness Services: Players have access to sports medicine and performance nutrition, private physiotherapy space, and skin screening appointments throughout the week.
- Fully Equipped Gym: Featuring strength and conditioning (S&C) services led by three expert coaches to help maintain peak performance.
- C11 Recovery Zone: Includes Hekla sauna, ice bath, recovery beds, Normatec boots, and massage guns for optimal physical recovery.
- Wellness lounge: A relaxing space with sofas, armchairs, Ishga beds, LED face masks, diffusers, hot water bottles, and thoughtful wellness extras like chocolate, books, games, and colouring materials.
The gym was staffed by three expert coaches during the Championship week. LETPI S&C Lead Fiona Scott is joined by Fiona Jordan, Senior Physical Preparation Coach at the SportScotland Institute of Sport, and Becky Scott, a private S&C coach who also serves as Athletic Development Lead and Head of Golf at St Swithun’s School. Together, they’re providing dedicated support and guidance to players throughout the week.
As the recipient of the UK Strength & Conditioning Association’s (UKSCA) Richard Holmes Award for Emerging S&C Coach of the Year in August 2023, Fiona Jordan earned the opportunity to work alongside LET Performance Institute S&C Lead, Fiona Scott, as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at this year’s AIG Women’s Open – a result of the new collaboration between The R&A and UKSCA.
With the new collaboration between UKSCA and The R&A, Becky applied for the second S&C assistant coach position at this year’s Championship. She grew up in the golfing industry and has experienced many roles throughout the sport over the last 18 years.
Dr Danny Glover, Director of the LETPI, said: “The AIG Women’s Open was honoured with the 2024 LPGA Gold Driver Award for Best Player Experience, and this year, The R&A is building on that success by collaborating with key partners including LETPI, C11 Recovery, and Origin. Together with leading experts in physiotherapy, sports nutrition, strength & conditioning, and Sports Medicine and Performance Nutrition, we’re committed to enhancing and expanding our services even further. Our goal was to provide the world’s top players with unparalleled performance and recovery support at this year’s AIG Women’s Open.
Germany’s Laura Fünfstück added: “The performance team was amazing. We had an unreal gym at the AIG Women’s Open. That helps you get rid of some of the tiredness. There was a sauna and plunge pool, so anything that could help you recover was available. We also had amazing food too. So, if there was any week you want to be tired going into it, it was that one, as we had so many things available to us.”
