There are many suggested ways that players can improve their scores with their golf equipment, but recent research indicates that treating chronic snoring could knock three strokes off a handicap.

Buying better equipment or putting in added practice are two ways widely considered to benefit a scorecard, but researchers at the Morristown Memorial Hospital argue that wearing a mask at night could also make a difference for some players.

A study involved 12 golfers who suffer with a condition called severe sleep apnoea, which causes loud and heavy snoring and tiredness throughout the day.

However, the mask provides compressed air that prevents a person's throat from closing in the night and thus enables an individual to enjoy a better night's sleep.

It was discovered that after 20 rounds of golf played over a five-month timeframe, the players who used the mask improved, while those who did not failed to.

Meanwhile, those who began with the lowest handicaps with their golf balls benefited from the greatest improvements.

Study author Dr Marc Benton said: "As any golfer knows, when your ability to think clearly or make good decisions is compromised, the likelihood of playing your best is greatly diminished.

"Through treatment we can improve many cognitive metrics, such as attention span, memory, decision-making abilities and frustration management, which may, in turn, positively affect a person's golf game."

Another way in which a person could prevent themselves becoming tired during a round of golf is to purchase an electric golf trolley or hire a buggy, so they do not have to walk or carry their golf bags.

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Use a golf trolley and focus on your game