Thesis (M.S.)--Ball State University, 2009. / Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Dec. 14, 2009). Includes bibliographical references (p. 38-39).

Thesis (M.S.K.)--Georgia Southern University, 2005. / "A thesis submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Georgia Southern University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Kinesiology with an emphasis on Sport Psychology in the Jiann-Ping Hsu School of Public Health" ETD. Includes bibliographical references (p. 17-21) and appendices.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Washington University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 70-80). Also available online (PDF file) by a subscription to the set or by purchasing the individual file.

Thesis (M.S.)--Eastern Washington University, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2002. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references. Available also from UMI Company.

The purpose of this study was to establish the pre-shot routine usage pattern of amateur golfers using the driver and to correlate that pattern to their effectiveness off the tee. Forty eight participants including 42 males and 6 females participated in this study. The mean age of the total population was 34.6+12.4 and ranged from 20 to 60 years of age. The participants were asked to answer the pre-shot routine questionnaire. The participants completed the 5 section questionnaire consisting of subject demographics, playing experience, playing ability, driving ability from the tee box, and pre-shot routine on the tee. The participants indicated that slicing was the biggest problem. The results show that 37.4% of the participants sliced the ball 50% of the time or more. Of those individuals 4.2% sliced the ball 100% of the time. Hooking the ball was less of a problem with only 18.8% hooking 50% or more of the time. Hitting the ball fat (taking too much turf) and hitting the ball too thin (no turf taken) gave similar results, with 16.7% of the subjects hitting fat shots 50% of the time or more, and 12.5% of them hitting thin shots 50% of the time or more. The biggest difference being that none of the respondents hit fat or thin shot 100% of the time. A majority of the participants (66.6%) have a great deal of confidence that they would hit a good tee shot from an open fairway. However, that confidence level drops to only 27.1% when the fairway is tree lined and only 4.2% of our participants feel confidence 100% of the time. If the tee shot has to be made over water only 35.5% of the respondents feel confidence off the tee with 18.8% in the 100% category. The last factor we asked them to rate was whether or not they had confidence if someone was playing with them. Only 35.4% of the respondents felt confident 80% of the time or more, with only 12.5% being confident all of the time. Participants using the white, blue and gold tee box stand behind the ball and pick a target but the participants using the red tee box did not at all. It is interesting to note that the players with the best handicap and lowest average score use this technique 100% of the time, whereas less than half of the white and blue tee box players use it. It shows that standing behind the ball and picking a target may be more useful for the golfers than just lining up as they address the ball. Other elements like practice swing, mental rehearsal, and movement do not seem to have much correlation to the players ability in that they showed a great deal of variation. We can say that these elements are affected by personal habit or routine more than their playing ability. Although the forward push is highly recommended by professional players and instructors very few participants in this study used this technique. The results of this study show that a consistent pre-shot routine does not help amateur golfers. The inconsistency of the pre-shot routine these subjects used makes it impossible to make recommendations concerning the effectiveness of a pre-shot routine. What the data does do is provide the framework for additional research in which subjects are required to use the same pre-shot routine that is designed by professionals. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Indiana University, 2002. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 102-108).

Thesis (MA(Psychology))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (M.Tech.: Chiropractic)-Durban University of Technology, 2008. xviii, 83, [29 ], 25 leaves / Golfing literature today recommends to both the amateur and professional golfers to try and achieve maximum performance with each golf club (Seaman, 1998 and Bulbulian, Ball and Seaman, 2001). This encourages golfers to use a state of maximum spinal rotation in their golf swing in order to achieve optimal performance (Seaman, 1998), thus resulting in back pain becoming endemic in the golfing population. Thus if it is considered that performance, in terms of the golf swing, is mainly influenced by; • the strength and power of the torso, i.e. the low back and abdominal muscles (Chek, 2003), • as well as muscle balance and flexibility, i.e. those muscles which are responsible for the static and dynamic postural stability of the golf swing (Chek, 2003). It then stands to reason that any decrease in the range of motion of the lumbar or thoracic spine of the amateur golfer, in terms of biomechanics, could affect their performance (Nordin and Frankel, 2001). In this regard it is hypothesised that altered biomechanics could be that of asymptomatic segmental joint dysfunction . In terms of interventions Kirkaldy-Willis and Burton (1992) explained the effect of SMT in the treatment of low back pain, similarly Bergmann et al. (1993) and Vernon and Mrozek (2005) further proposed the following effects of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT): • SMT may stretch or break intra-articular adhesions that form from immobilised facet joints due to acute synovial reactions. • SMT allows entrapped menisci to exit the facet joint in which it became entrapped. • If the capsule of the facet gets lodged between two adjacent articular surfaces, the process of SMT could allow this to be freed. • SMT re-aligns misaligned spinal segments to conform to the centre of gravity. It was thus assumed that if these mechanical and reflex mechanisms occur in the symptomatic amateur golfer, they should also occur in the asymptomatic amateur golfer. Currently however very little is known about the effects of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) on asymptomatic segmental joint dysfunction. Objective: Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the immediate and short term effect of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) on asymptomatic amateur golfers in terms of performance indicators. Methods: Forty three asymptomatic participants were randomized to four equal groups consisting of ten participants each (and three drop outs). Three of the groups received a single intervention, i.e. spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) while the last group acted as a placebo control group and received no intervention. Objective measurements were taken using the EDH Sports-FlightScope Pro Electronic Swing Analyser. All objective data collection took place pre and post SMT. Statistical analysis included various statistical methods and correlation analyses, by means of the latest version of SPSS. Results and conclusions: The main findings were that certain outcomes seem to be better with lumbar manipulation alone (smash, horizontal azimuth) and others better with thoracic manipulation alone (CHV, vertical azimuth, distance), but none are better with both lumbar and thoracic manipulation. Therefore in terms of future studies of this nature the treatment groups should be analysed separately and the research powered for such analyses (e.g. larger sample sizes).

It is important to investigate how the golf swing changes with extended play because fatigue affects the performance of athletes playing sports similar to golf. Golf is a physically demanding sport when playing 18 holes while walking and carrying a bag. The effect of playing 18 holes of golf on the mechanics and swing outcome of the golfer are currently unknown. The knowledge of how extended play affects the golf swing will aid golfers, golf coaches, and researchers in understanding proper golf training and play affected swing mechanics. This study investigates the effect of playing 18 holes of simulated golf on the mechanics and performance of the golfer. A total of seven male and female recreational golfers scoring between 80 and 95 on 18 holes of walked golf were recruited for 3-D motion analysis of 140 tee shots. Mechanical variables and outcome variables at three phases of the golf swing were tested over time to evaluate the relationship between time (playing golf), mechanical variables, and the outcome of the golf shot tested statistically using path analysis. Weight transfer to the lead leg at ball contact was significantly related to club head velocity (CHV). Over time, golfers were less able to achieve a weight transfer to the lead leg, which was directly related to the golfers' club head velocity. The lead knee and lead ankle angles were also affected by time, which had an influence on club head velocity. These results suggest that golfers do change their swing throughout the course of 18 holes of walked golf and there are key swing mechanics which significantly influence golf performance. / School of Physical Education, Sport, and Exercise Science