The purpose of this study was to investigate the source of psychological obstacles experienced by elite golfers and coping strategies used by them. The study focused on the psychological problems that elite golfers experienced in a variety of competit...
The purpose of this study was to investigate the source of psychological obstacles experienced by elite golfers and coping strategies used by them. The study focused on the psychological problems that elite golfers experienced in a variety of competitive situations and the strategies they used in coping with them. Fifteen elite golfers were interviewed about the sources of psychological obstacles and coping strategies. The interview items which was developed by Park Jeong Keun(1999). consisted of 65 psychological obstacles and coping strategies.
All interviews were conducted face-to-face and the subjects were asked to identify the specific sources of psychological obstacles they felt and the coping strategies they used. Data were analyzed and categories were developed, which clarified psychological obstacles and coping strategies. These categories were formed through triangulation to ensure credibility and authenticity. The forms of triangulation were inductive triangulation and deductive triangulation. Themes of the major categories were identified on the basis of the analysis of the interview data. As the results that interview raw data clarified, psychological obstacles and coping strategies consisted of 7 general categories. The psychological block categories included anxiety due to competition, fear of being defeated, fear of making mistakes, lack of self-confidence, over-confidence, negative thought, lack of concentration, jinx about the golf course and game preparation behavior, lack of will and low motivation, the opponent's competence, psychological and physical fatigue, the opponent's verbal or behavioral disturbances, slump, broadcasting mass madia.
The psychological pressures of win/defeat categories included when the opponent goes well at rounding; when the opponent performs go badly at rounding; when the opponent is the longer at the distance of the tee shot, when one was playing with an excellent golfer; when the player was defeated by the opponent.
The social support categories included the expectency of personal circumstances, lack of gallery, being full of gallery, the expectency of self-assurance, when the opponent goes well at rounding; when the opponent goes badly at rounding; when the opponent is the longer at the distance of tee shot, when one was playing with excellent golfer; when the player was defeated by the opponent. The social support categories also included family problems, job problems, girl friend problems.
The competition situation categories included the weathers, the game progress rule, the game size, the game schedule and time, when the opponent hit the ball in hole at the long distance; when the opponent get play slowly done at rounding; when one was waiting for a long time at rounding; the opponent's negative speech, the difference of opinion with the caddy, the facilities(lawn, courses).
The golf skill categories included the mistake of club selection, the swing rythums in the pregame or the middle game, lack of cognitive strategies, lack of physical fitness.
Elite golfers hoped the sport psychologist analyzes their games and suggests some treatments, and also provids psychological education programs to enhance and maximize their golf performance.