Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Health Science, University of the Witwatersrand,
Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Medicine
(Physiology).
Johannesburg, 2012. / The game of golf requires players to strike a ball towards a distant target in as few as possible shots. One key component to the successful completion of this goal is a proficient golf swing. The golf swing is composed of a sequence of highly complex biomechanical movements requiring coordinated body movements and postural control. In addition, walking (a fundamental part of the game of golf) may have interesting effects on golf drive performance however, to date, this is largely unknown. The objective of the study was to identify the physiological and biomechanical variables that predict golf drive performance and to assess the effects of a hole-to-hole distance walk on golf drive performance. Twenty-one amateur golfers volunteered to take part in the study. The golfers were divided into two groups based on their recent average scores: More Competitive Group ((MCG) n=13, scores≤88) and Irregular Social Group ((ISG) n=8, scores>89). Drive distance (resting ball position) and accuracy (perpendicular distance from target) were directly measured. Balance and hand-eye coordination were assessed using a modified stork test and a customised three dimensional maze respectively. Lean mass was determined using bioimpedance. To determine walking effects participants hit ten golf balls and then walked 500m before repeating the tests. Average balance duration of both legs (r=0.45 p=0.048) the left leg (r=0.44 p=0.041) and the right leg (r=0.44 p=0.041) were all significantly correlated to drive distance. The hand and eye coordination task was correlated with total drive distance (r=-0.60 R2=0.36 p=0.008), but was not significantly associated with the centre of hit between the club face and ball. Significant contributors to a physiological model predictive of drive distance (R2=0.667; p=0.001) included age (β=1.228) lean mass percentage (β=1.899) and left leg balance (β=1.542). A corresponding biomechanical model (R2=0.9996; p=0.025; n=5) shows that leading arm angle (β=16.51), left elbow angle (β=-0.265) and lateral bend (β=-1.297) together significantly predict drive distance. Heart rate was significantly elevated following
iv
the walk for all golfers but was not significantly different between the groups before or after the walk. The MCG had significantly longer drives following the walk (p=0.018). The changes in drive distance were correlated to the changes in right leg balance with eyes closed (r=-0.62 R²=0.38 p=0.003). When considering changes in kinematic variables as a result of the walk, the change in the left knee angle at backswing (r=0.84 R²=0.71 p=0.017) and the right femur aspect angle at contact were correlated to the change in drive distance (r=0.87 R²=0.75 p=0.025). The physiological and biomechanical models described variables that predict golf drive performance, highlighting the importance of balance and the kinematics of the upper body segments during the swing. Furthermore this study identifies the beneficial effects of walking early in a round to golfers of better golf ability and the effects that such a hole-to-hole walk has on the physiological and biomechanical attributes of the golfer.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:wits/oai:wiredspace.wits.ac.za:10539/13850 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Green, Andrew |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | application/pdf |
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