The purpose of this study lies in identifying psychological inhibitors occurring before and during play in Korean female professional golfers, who are ranked within the top 10 in rewards in KLPGA tour and are performing overseas tour(LPGA, JLPGA) and ...
The purpose of this study lies in identifying psychological inhibitors occurring before and during play in Korean female professional golfers, who are ranked within the top 10 in rewards in KLPGA tour and are performing overseas tour(LPGA, JLPGA) and have won in play, assessing these inhibitors through in-depth interviews, and defining strategies for overcoming subsequent problems. The study intended to identify psychological variables which may occur during golf play through the above research, help many professional golfers efficiently control play situations, forecast the results of successful golf performance through an understanding of the psychological factors of the individual player, which are directly influential to the best golf performance, and offer necessary psychological strategies and techniques for maximizing the potentials of the individual player.
For collecting research data, after an in-depth interview, the study recorded and wrote important contents related to psychological inhibitors that respondents feel before or during play, the level of the impact of inhibitors to playing a faculty, strategies for coping with the inhibitors, and the level of the effect of the strategies. Then, the study replayed the recorded contents and prepared them as documents after converting them into letters. In order to enhance the reliability and validity of research results for the recorded and written contents, the study analyzed the contents by employing procedures recommended by Patton (1990), (2002) through a triangulation procedure in which three sports psychology professionals read and listen to the tape several times, and obtained the following results.
First, in the detailed area of the inhibitors to the psychological description and psychological condition area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty due to factors which included negative thinking, reduction of mental concentration or concentration on focus, condition (fatigue or mental state), anxiety or tension or excitement before or during play, lack of self-confidence, slump, excessive self-confidence, sense of pressure for victory, loss of will, and decline of motivation. In the psychological description and psychological condition area, the influential level of the inhibitors that the average of 8 players experienced during play revealed an average of 3.2, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include positive thinking, self-control, relaxation, professional advice, utmost effort, concentration, image training, conversion of mood, diet control, rest, alternative behavior, meditation, conversation with self, reliance on faith, active behavior, encouragement by others, help of a teacher, training, ignorance, full faithfulness to duty, and correction of a goal.
Second, in the detailed area of the inhibitors in the burden of consequence area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty, for example, when they were losing against opponents or when their match player performed well. In the burden of consequence area, the influential level of the inhibitors that an average of 7.5 players experienced during play was shown to be an average of 2.6, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include self-control, concentration on focus, strategy, concentration on duty, ignorance, and alternative behavior.
Third, in the detailed area of the inhibitors in the social support area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty due to factors such as expectation of self and expectation of influential others (field of parents, family, relatives, friends, and team). In the social support area, the influential level of the inhibitors that an average of 7.5 players experienced during play was shown to be an average of 3.4, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include self-control, correction of a goal, strategy, alternative behavior, ignorance, positive thinking, and active behavior.
Fourth, in the detailed area of the inhibitors in the physiological condition area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty due to factors such as lack of physical strength and sleep and injury. In the physiological condition area, the influential level of the inhibitors that an average of 7.5 players experienced during play was shown to be an average of 4, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include alternative behavior, strategy, physical training, concentration on focus, help of a caddie, condition control, mind control, and rest.
Fifth, in the detailed area of the inhibitors in the play condition area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty due to factors such as climate (weather), disagreement with a caddie during play, facility (grass and golf course condition), play after a long wait because of crowded holes during play, game schedule and time, and too slow or speedy play of match player. In the play condition area, the influential level of the inhibitors that an average of 9 players experienced during play was shown to be an average of 3.1, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include mind control, positive thinking, alternative behavior, concentration on duty, self-trust, self-control, strategy, employment of an active method, conversion of mood, and ignorance.
Sixth, in the detailed area of the inhibitors in the technical area, players were found not to fully demonstrate their playing faculty due to factors such as a problem in rhythm or balance of swing before or during play, lack of tactics and strategy, and error in selecting a club during play. In the technical area, the influential level of the inhibitors that an average of 9 players experienced during play was shown to be an average of 3.4, and strategies for overcoming the inhibitors were found to include alternative behavior, image training, advice of a caddie, strategy, positive thinking, and self-control.
Seventh, other inhibitors that prevented the players from fully demonstrating their playing faculty were shown to include a case in which a gallery(3) or match player was an intimate acquaintance, and there were instances of excessive intervention by a father, private anxiety, jet lag, and surrounding noise. A total of 6 players responded with the above other factors and the influential level of the factors averaged 3.9. Strategies for overcoming such psychological inhibitors were found to include positive thinking, help of a caddie, ignorance, rest, practice, and employment of an active method.