A paradigm shift in teaching and learning golf.

摘要

The traditional golf-teaching model is primarily based on a pre-determined theory that there is a right way to swing a golf club according to the leadership at the PGA of America. An alternative non-conventional theory is that an acceptable golf swing already exists within the golfer, but self-interference during the golf swing may be the cause of many golf swing deficiencies (Shoemaker, 2006). Self-interferences are internal mental thoughts that arise at random. These random thoughts are typically negative in nature and can dis-empower the golfer, preventing the golfer from reaching his or her peak performance.;In this paper the researcher explored two teaching methods and a study was designed to demonstrate if the hypothesis that a paradigm shift to an alternative non-conventional method in teaching and learning golf could lead to better performance was correct. Based upon the findings of the study, the hypothesis appears to have merit.;To assess the differences in teaching and learning golf, a qualitative research study was conducted in which a group of amateur golfers was divided into two groups. The first group of golfers, the control group, was exposed to a conventional golf teaching method; and the second group, the experimental group, was exposed to a non-conventional teaching method. A putting test was conducted not as a quantitative test, but as qualitative only to determine the relative benefits of the two methods of teaching golf. The putting test and responses from interviews before and after the non-conventional teaching method was the basis for the qualitative study. The act of putting was used as the vehicle to assist the golfers in identifying, understanding and handling self-interference, which was the purpose of the non-conventional teaching method.;The results of the study indicated that the control group of participants, who received only the conventional teaching method, did not experience any immediate improvement in their putting performance; whereas most of the participants in the experimental group, who received the non-conventional teaching method utilizing concepts from Neuro-Linguistic Programming, experienced a measurable immediate improvement in their putting performance. The amount of improvement was not as critical to the study as was the intention of the study to identify and observe if self-interference had an impact on a golfer's performance. This improvement was based at least in part on a change in the student's focus away from self-interference, not in golf swing mechanics; and, therefore the change should be sustainable. The improvement was also confirmed in the follow-up interviews held several weeks and again several months after the test, but additional testing would be required to ascertain the long-term benefit.;Due to time constraints it was impossible to gather each of the participants several months later to re-participate in a follow-up putting test. However, the use of follow-up interviews was sufficient because the researcher was able to determine if the golfers had learned what self-interference was, and whether it had an impact on their performance.