Our research specifically focused on the results of varying pre- shot conditions on a golf putt. This study aimed to understand how different conditions can impact a golf putt with the hopes of discovering ways to improve how a golfer approaches their shot. We intended for the findings from this research to assist in gaining a better understanding of the psychology of golfers and methods that can be proven to help or hinder the golfer's putting execution on the course. Three of our condition comparisons were significant; this occurred when comparing the results of ‘no practice’ vs ‘cognitive’, ‘imagery’ vs ‘cognitive’, and ‘auditory’ vs ‘cognitive’. A big takeaway from this study was also how athletes might often perceive their performance differently from what the actual results and statistics say about how they did. It might be more beneficial to not take a practice swing specifically when putting and having a clear mind and tight focus is important in golf as the mental aspect of participants played a large role in this study’s results. This poster was presented at the Douglas College Student Research Day 2022 on April 15, 2022.
Golf is commonly known for its inconsistent nature and ability to get inside the head of the players, directly affecting their performance. This research specifically focused on the results of varying pre-shot conditions on a golf putt. In other words, this study aimed to understand how different conditions can impact a golf putt with the hope of discovering ways to improve how a golfer approaches their shot. We intended for the findings from this research to assist in gaining a better understanding of the psychology of golfers and methods that can be proven to help or hinder the golfer's putting execution on the course. Additionally, we hoped our findings could be utilized in other sporting scenarios to aid future studies, like a basketball free throw for example. The five main components of this study include no practice swing, practice swing, mental imagery, cognitive challenge, and auditory distraction. In the end, this was an interesting study with some telling results giving us a deeper insight into how different conditions and preparation methods behind a golf putt can impact golf performance. Douglas College student research essay submitted as partial requirement for Sports Science 4256 course.
