New golf shirt uses energised fabric
US golf apparel company, Performance Sports Brands, has launched Energy Athletic Golf, an apparel line featuring patented IonX Ionized Energy Fabric. The fabric has a negatively charged, electromagnetic field embedded into its structure. It is designed to stimulate the delivery of oxygen to the muscles through the bloodstream and brain, the company claims.
Energy Athletic Golf will debut in summer 2011. The new line of short- and long-sleeved shirts is a completely new and effective way to help energize and benefit a golfer during each round they play, says the brand.
Professional American golfer Paul Azinger endorses Energy Athletic Golf and will appear in the company’s commercials.
“Energy Athletic Golf is unlike any other apparel,” said Mr Azinger, captain of the victorious 2008 Ryder Cup team and winner of 12 PGA tour events. “The golf shirt gives you a measurable, science-based, performance advantage. It really is a game improvement product that also happens to be a great looking, great feeling golf shirt. I am excited to be involved with this completely new category in golf.”
The negative ions present within the fabric of each Energy Athletic Golf shirt allow for faster recovery time between shots, the company says. Dr Al Ouimet, PhD. of Polymer Chemistry and chief scientist for Energy Athletic Golf touts the power of negative ions.
“Wearing Energy Athletic Golf allows the athlete to sustain a workout for a greater period of time, and then have a much more rapid recovery time,” he said. “Golfers will feel less sore due to a reduction of lactic acid in the muscles, and will enjoy a feeling of wellbeing due to the negative or ‘happy’ ions in the Energy shirts. Based on studies, I believe golfers wearing these shirts will be able to enjoy increased power or energy output and speed, feel better and sustain their energy levels for the entire 18 holes.”
According to Dr Ouimet, the use of microfiber fabrics in Energy Athletic Golf provides comfort and garment drape. The shirts also offer moisture management, wicking, elimination of static cling and antimicrobial for odour control.
A study conducted at the Sport Technology Lab located at Loughborough University in England concluded that athletes wearing the IonX fabric received a significant 2.7% increase in power output.
