Golfers’ strategies and performance when putting on steep slopes
Author Information
Author(s): Hasegawa Yumiko, Okada Ayako, Fujii Keisuke
Primary Institution: Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Iwate University, Iwate, Japan
Hypothesis
Amateurs have lower aims and launch angles than professionals.
Conclusion
The study confirmed that amateurs putt poorly on steep slopes due to underestimating slope steepness and having less optimal aim and launch angles compared to professionals.
Supporting Evidence
- Amateurs aimed more to the right than professionals.
- Most amateurs underestimated the severity of the slope.
- A weak correlation was found between golfers’ aim and slope recognition.
Takeaway
When putting on steep golf slopes, amateurs often miss the hole because they don't aim correctly and don't hit the ball with the right speed.
Methodology
The study involved 12 professional and 12 amateur golfers performing putting tasks on slopes of 1 and 3 degrees while their movements and aims were recorded.
Potential Biases
Participants may have been influenced by their previous experiences and the artificial nature of the putting surface.
Limitations
The sample size was small, and the experimental setting differed from actual golf courses, which may have affected the results.
Participant Demographics
12 professionals (7 males, 5 females) and 12 amateurs (6 males, 6 females) with average ages of 35.8 and 47.5 years, respectively.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p = .001
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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