TAKING SWING CHANGES TAKING SWING CHANGES TO THE COURSETO THE COURSE

TAKING SWING CHANGES TAKING SWING CHANGES TO THE COURSETO THE COURSE

Eric Alpenfels and Dr. Bob ChristinaEric Alpenfels and Dr. Bob Christina

Pinehurst Golf AcademyPinehurst Golf Academy

TAKING SWING CHANGES TO TAKING SWING CHANGES TO THE COURSETHE COURSE

TAKING SWING CHANGES TO TAKING SWING CHANGES TO THE COURSETHE COURSE

DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS SUCH AS THE HOW COMPLEX THE SWING CHANGES ARE TO LEARN

HOW EFFECTIVELY THEY ARE TAUGHT

STUDENT’S LEARNING CAPABILITIES, PREVIOUS LEARNING, MOTIVATION, etc.

WAY AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH THEY ARE PRACTICED

TODAY’S PRESENTATION TODAY’S PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON FOCUSES ON

TODAY’S PRESENTATION TODAY’S PRESENTATION FOCUSES ON FOCUSES ON

THE WAY AND CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH SWING CHANGES ARE PRACTICED

THE THE WAYWAY AND AND CONDITIONSCONDITIONS UNDER UNDER WHICH SWING CHANGES ARE WHICH SWING CHANGES ARE

PRACTICED AFFECTS HOW WELL PRACTICED AFFECTS HOW WELL THEY ARETHEY ARE

LEARNEDLEARNED

REMEMBEREDREMEMBERED

TRANSFERRED TO PLAYTRANSFERRED TO PLAY

IN OTHER WORDS IN OTHER WORDS

ALL ALL WAYSWAYS AND AND CONDITIONSCONDITIONS OF OF PRACTICE DO NOT PRODUCE THE PRACTICE DO NOT PRODUCE THE SAME LEARNING, RETENTION AND SAME LEARNING, RETENTION AND TRANSFER BENEFITSTRANSFER BENEFITS

SOME SOME WAYSWAYS AND AND CONDITIONSCONDITIONS ARE ARE MORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERSMORE EFFECTIVE THAN OTHERS

FOR EXAMPLE, ONE STUDY FOR EXAMPLE, ONE STUDY WE ASKEDWE ASKED

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO PRACTICE USING A DRILL TO PRACTICE USING A DRILL TO LEARN A SWING CHANGE?LEARN A SWING CHANGE?

(Alpenfels & Christina, 2007)(Alpenfels & Christina, 2007)

STUDY METHODSTUDY METHOD

Participants – 78 adults (48 males & 30 Participants – 78 adults (48 males & 30 females); handicaps ranged from 4 to females); handicaps ranged from 4 to 38 (M = 18.6)38 (M = 18.6)

Randomly assigned to six different Randomly assigned to six different practice groups (13 per group) with practice groups (13 per group) with groups balanced for handicap, gender groups balanced for handicap, gender & age & age

Participant’s used their own six iron Participant’s used their own six iron and practiced the Hit-the-Tee Drilland practiced the Hit-the-Tee Drill

STUDY METHSTUDY METHODOD

A total of 54 swings per practice methodA total of 54 swings per practice method

Warm-upWarm-up

Pre-Test Pre-Test

Practice Practice

Post-TestPost-Test

Swing and shot performance measured Swing and shot performance measured by a launch monitor & IClubby a launch monitor & IClub

HIT-THE-TEE DRILL

HERE’S HOW THE DRILLS WERE PRACTICED

THE RESULTS

WHY DID GROUP 1 HIT IT SO MUCH LONGER?

SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED THEIR SWING PATH & SWUNG CLUBHEAD MORE DOWN THE TARGET LINE FOLLOWING DRILL PRACTICE

IMPROVED SWING PATH CREATED BETTER CONTACT, GREATER CLUBHEAD & BALL SPEED, WHICH PRODUCED MORE YARDS

RETURNING TO THE RETURNING TO THE QUESTION OF THIS STUDYQUESTION OF THIS STUDY

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO

PRACTICE USING A DRILL PRACTICE USING A DRILL

OR TRAINING AID TOOR TRAINING AID TO

LEARN A SWING CHANGE?LEARN A SWING CHANGE?

PRACTICE CYCLE OF THREE

PERFORM THE SWING1. DRILL-NO BALL = UNDER THE GUIDANCE

OF THE DRILL OR TRAINING AID WITHOUT HITTING A BALL

2. DRILL- BALL = UNDER THE GUIDANCE OF THE DRILL OR TRAINING AID WHILE HITTING A BALL

3. NO DRILL-BALL = WITHOUT THE DRILL OR TRAINING AID WHILE HITTING A BALL

IN ANOTHER STUDY WE ASKEDIN ANOTHER STUDY WE ASKED

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TOWHAT IS THE BEST WAY TOPRACTICE WITH A DRILL TO TAKE PRACTICE WITH A DRILL TO TAKE THAT LEARNING TO THE THAT LEARNING TO THE COURSE?COURSE?

Christina, Alpenfels & Santiago (2008)Christina, Alpenfels & Santiago (2008)

TWO MAJOR METHODS OF PRACTICE WERE STUDIED

TRADITIONAL – SKILL IS PRACTICED UNDER NON-PLAYING CONDITIONS

TRANSFER – SKILL IS PRACTICED UNDER PLAYING CONDITIONS

COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL AND COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL AND TRANSFERTRANSFER METHODS OF PRACTICEMETHODS OF PRACTICE

TRADITIONAL METHODTRADITIONAL METHOD

ATTENTION FOCUSED ATTENTION FOCUSED ON PRACTICING THE ON PRACTICING THE DRILL-GUIDED SWING IN DRILL-GUIDED SWING IN A PRACTICE CONTEXT A PRACTICE CONTEXT

COGNITIVELY COGNITIVELY CHALLENGED TO THINK CHALLENGED TO THINK ABOUT & LEARN HOW ABOUT & LEARN HOW TO PERFORM THE TO PERFORM THE SWING WHILE SWING WHILE PRACTICING THE DRILL PRACTICING THE DRILL

TRANSFER METHODTRANSFER METHODATTENTION FOCUSEDATTENTION FOCUSED

ON PRACTICING THE ON PRACTICING THE DRILL-GUIDED SWING INDRILL-GUIDED SWING IN A PLAYING CONTEXT A PLAYING CONTEXT

COGNITIVELYCOGNITIVELY CHALLENGED TO THINKCHALLENGED TO THINK ABOUT & DO PLAYINGABOUT & DO PLAYING THINGS WHILETHINGS WHILE PRACTICING THE DRILLPRACTICING THE DRILL TO LEARN THE SWING TO LEARN THE SWING

COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL COMPARISON OF TRADITIONAL AND TRANSFERAND TRANSFER METHODS OF METHODS OF

PRACTICE PRACTICE (CONT’D)(CONT’D)

TRADITIONAL METHODTRADITIONAL METHOD

PRODUCES APRODUCES A

SWING THAT WAS SWING THAT WAS

LEARNED IN LEARNED IN

ISOLATION OF AISOLATION OF A

PLAYING CONTEXTPLAYING CONTEXT

TRADITIONAL METHODTRADITIONAL METHOD

PRODUCES APRODUCES A

SWING THAT WAS SWING THAT WAS

LEARNED IN A LEARNED IN A

PLAYING CONTEXTPLAYING CONTEXT

STUDY METHODSTUDY METHODParticipantsParticipants = 30 (male = 25; female = 5); handicaps = 30 (male = 25; female = 5); handicaps ranged from 1 to 15 (M = 6.6); age range = 18 – 22 ranged from 1 to 15 (M = 6.6); age range = 18 – 22 yearsyears

Transfer and Traditional Practice GroupsTransfer and Traditional Practice Groups = = Participants randomly assigned to the groups with the Participants randomly assigned to the groups with the restriction that n = 15 per group & there be a balance restriction that n = 15 per group & there be a balance of handicap, gender & age. of handicap, gender & age.

Golf SkillGolf Skill = Driver Swing (launch monitor & IClub = Driver Swing (launch monitor & IClub measures) & Drive Accuracy (number of drives in measures) & Drive Accuracy (number of drives in fairway (33 yards wide, rough 15 yards on each side & fairway (33 yards wide, rough 15 yards on each side & beyond rough)beyond rough)

FEET-TOGETHER DRILL

HEELS WERE ABOUT 6 INCHES APART

WIDER STANCE TAKEN FOR A DRIVER SWING

BALL WAS TEED UP

PRACTICE GROUP CONDITIONSPRACTICE GROUP CONDITIONSTRADITIONAL GROUPTRADITIONAL GROUP

FEET-TOGETHER DRILLFEET-TOGETHER DRILL

PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3

NO PRE-POST-SHOT NO PRE-POST-SHOT ROUTINESROUTINES

NOT INSTRUCTED TO NOT INSTRUCTED TO PLAY TO ANY TARGET ON PLAY TO ANY TARGET ON THE RANGETHE RANGE

NO SHOT NO SHOT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT ACCOUNTABILITY, BUT

NOTED THE COMPLETION NOTED THE COMPLETION OF THE CYCLE OF 3OF THE CYCLE OF 3

TRANSFER GROUPTRANSFER GROUPFEET-TOGETHER DRILLFEET-TOGETHER DRILL

PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3

PRE-POST-SHOT PRE-POST-SHOT ROUTINESROUTINES

PLAYED TO A TARGET IN PLAYED TO A TARGET IN EACH OF 3 DIFFERENT EACH OF 3 DIFFERENT FAIRWAYSFAIRWAYS

SHOT ACCOUNTABILITY; SHOT ACCOUNTABILITY; NOTED THE ACCURACY NOTED THE ACCURACY OF EACH DRIVEOF EACH DRIVE

““PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3” USED PRACTICE CYCLE OF 3” USED FOR BOTH GROUPSFOR BOTH GROUPS

1. 1. DRILL – NO BALLDRILL – NO BALL = ONE FULL PRACTICE = ONE FULL PRACTICE SWING WITH FEET TOGETHER SWING WITH FEET TOGETHER

2. 2. DRILL – BALLDRILL – BALL = ONE FULL PRACTICE = ONE FULL PRACTICE SWING DRIVING A BALL WITH FEET SWING DRIVING A BALL WITH FEET TOGETHER TOGETHER

3. 3. NO DRILL – BALLNO DRILL – BALL = ONE FULL SWING = ONE FULL SWING DRIVING A BALL USING REGULAR DRIVING A BALL USING REGULAR STANCE STANCE

PRACTICEPRACTICE PROCEDURES FOR PROCEDURES FOR BOTH GROUPSBOTH GROUPS

15 PRACTICE CYCLES OF THREE PER 15 PRACTICE CYCLES OF THREE PER DAY = 45 TOTAL SWINGS PER DAYDAY = 45 TOTAL SWINGS PER DAY

3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF PRACTICE 3 CONSECUTIVE DAYS OF PRACTICE TOTALING 135 DRIVER SWINGSTOTALING 135 DRIVER SWINGS

NO PLAY OR ADDITIONAL PRACTICE NO PLAY OR ADDITIONAL PRACTICE DURING THE 3 DAYSDURING THE 3 DAYS

TESTING PROCEDURESTESTING PROCEDURES_________________DAYS 1, 2, 3__________________________________DAYS 1, 2, 3_________________ PRE-TEST - PRACTICE – POST-TESTPRE-TEST - PRACTICE – POST-TEST ON RANGE ON RANGE

____________________DAY 3_______________________________________DAY 3___________________

TRANSFER TESTTRANSFER TEST ON 1ON 1STST TEE OF COURSE TEE OF COURSE 10 MINUTES AFTER POST-TEST10 MINUTES AFTER POST-TEST

3 PRACTICE SWINGS IN LAUNCH MONITOR & ICLUB 3 PRACTICE SWINGS IN LAUNCH MONITOR & ICLUB TEST CONDITIONS; 3 DRIVES MEASURED; EACH DRIVE TEST CONDITIONS; 3 DRIVES MEASURED; EACH DRIVE

PLAYED TO A TARGET AS IN A MEDAL ROUND PLAYED TO A TARGET AS IN A MEDAL ROUND

RESULTS: EQUALITY OF RESULTS: EQUALITY OF GROUPS AT THE OUTSET OF GROUPS AT THE OUTSET OF

THE STUDYTHE STUDY

SWING PERFORMANCE AND SWING PERFORMANCE AND DRIVING ACCURACY WERE DRIVING ACCURACY WERE STATISTICALLY THE SAME FOR STATISTICALLY THE SAME FOR BOTH GROUPSBOTH GROUPS

RESULTS: OVER 3 DAYS OF RESULTS: OVER 3 DAYS OF DRILL PRACTICE DRILL PRACTICE

SWING SPEED, BALL SPEED, ANGLE SWING SPEED, BALL SPEED, ANGLE OF APPROACH, & CLUB-FACE ANGLE OF APPROACH, & CLUB-FACE ANGLE SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED ABOUT SIGNIFICANTLY CHANGED ABOUT THE SAME FOR BOTH GROUPSTHE SAME FOR BOTH GROUPS

BOTH GROUPS SIGNIFICANTLY BOTH GROUPS SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVED ABOUT THE SAME IN IMPROVED ABOUT THE SAME IN DRIVING ACCURACYDRIVING ACCURACY

RESULTS: TRANSFER FROM RESULTS: TRANSFER FROM THE POST-TEST ON DAY 3 TO THE POST-TEST ON DAY 3 TO

THE FIRST TEE THE FIRST TEE

NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OR NO SIGNIFICANT CHANGES OR GROUP DIFFERENCES IN SWING GROUP DIFFERENCES IN SWING PERFORMANCEPERFORMANCE

TRANSFER GROUP MAINTAINED TRANSFER GROUP MAINTAINED THEIR DRIVING ACCURACY, BUT THEIR DRIVING ACCURACY, BUT THE TRADITIONAL GROUP GOT THE TRADITIONAL GROUP GOT APPRECIABLY WORSEAPPRECIABLY WORSE

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

GREATER POSITIVE TRANSFER OF GREATER POSITIVE TRANSFER OF LEARNING FROM THE RANGE TO A LEARNING FROM THE RANGE TO A GOLF COURSE ENVIRONMENT GOLF COURSE ENVIRONMENT OCCURS WHEN A DRILL TO MAKE OCCURS WHEN A DRILL TO MAKE SWING CHANGES IS PRACTICED IN SWING CHANGES IS PRACTICED IN MORE OF A MORE OF A PLAYING CONTEXTPLAYING CONTEXT THAN THAN A NON-PLAYING CONTEXTA NON-PLAYING CONTEXT

RETURNING TO THE RETURNING TO THE QUESTION OF THIS STUDYQUESTION OF THIS STUDY

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO

PRACTICE WITH A DRILL TO PRACTICE WITH A DRILL TO

TAKE THAT LEARNING TO TAKE THAT LEARNING TO

THE COURSE?THE COURSE?

TRANSFER PRACTICE

PRACTICE WITH THE DRILL IN THE WAY AND UNDER THE CONDITIONS YOU PLAY

WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT WE ACKNOWLEDGE THAT MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED MORE RESEARCH IS NEEDED

TO REPLICATE OUR FINDINGS & EXTEND THEM TO REPLICATE OUR FINDINGS & EXTEND THEM BEYOND IMMEDIATE TRANSFERBEYOND IMMEDIATE TRANSFER

TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THEY CAN BE GENERALIZED TO HIGHER HANDICAP BE GENERALIZED TO HIGHER HANDICAP GOLFERS & BEGINNERS GOLFERS & BEGINNERS

TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH TO DETERMINE THE EXTENT TO WHICH PRACTICING IN MORE OF A PLAYING CONTEXT IS PRACTICING IN MORE OF A PLAYING CONTEXT IS APPROPRIATE & EFFECTIVE FOR USE WITH APPROPRIATE & EFFECTIVE FOR USE WITH OTHER DRILLS OR TRAINING AIDSOTHER DRILLS OR TRAINING AIDS

THANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOUTHANK YOU