The Influences of Motor Control Adaptation and Human-Equipment Interaction on Issues Related to Golf-Club Design and Optimization

In the current sport-equipment industry, equipment evaluation and/or optimization are mainly done through pure mechanical procedures. It is known that any change of performance environment would cause one to adapt certain aspects of his or her movements to the changed environment. Variation of sport-equipment is counted as an environment change for human performance. Yet, the equipment-induced motor control change is hardly studied and less considered in golf club evaluation/optimization by industries. This study aimed to elaborate on two aspects related to equipment- induced motor control change using biomechanical analysis of golf swing. The results showed that mechanical variations of clubs did cause significant changes in motor control during golf swings. This would suggest: 1) equipment-induced motor control adjustment would alternate the results of pure mechanical optimization and 2) a reasonable approach for the optimization of golf club should consider both mechanical and biomechanical factors. The results of this study should serve as primary evidence for initiating more and more biomechanical tests related to optimization of golf clubs in sport- equipment industry.

[1]  S. Coleman,et al.  A three-dimensional examination of the planar nature of the golf swing , 2005, Journal of sports sciences.

[2]  ES Wallace,et al.  THE EFFECT OF GOLF CLUB SHAFT STIFFNESS ON GOLF PERFORMANCE VARIABLES-IMPLICATIONS FOR CLUB-FITTING , 2001 .

[3]  A. J. Cochran.  Science and Golf: Proceedings of the First World Scientific Congress of Golf , 1990 .

[4]  Kenneth R Boff,et al.  Revolutions and shifting paradigms in human factors & ergonomics. , 2006, Applied ergonomics.

[5]  Arthur C. P. Chou.  Engineering Methodology in Golf Studies , 2004 .

[6]  J. Richards,et al.  Weight Transfer Patterns During the Golf Swing , 1985 .

[7]  A. J. Cochran,et al.  Golf science research at the beginning of the twenty-first century , 2003, Journal of sports sciences.

[8]  Mao-Jiun J. Wang,et al.  Professional footwear evaluation for clinical nurses. , 2007, Applied ergonomics.

[9]  A. Burden,et al.  Hip and shoulder rotations during the golf swing of sub-10 handicap players. , 1998, Jurnal sport science.

[10]  Richard A. Magill,et al.  Motor Learning. Concepts and Applications , 1998 .

[11]  D. Chollet,et al.  Analysis of 3D kinematics concerning three different clubs in golf swing. , 2003, International journal of sports medicine.

[12]  David M. Lindsay,et al.  Trunk Motion of Male Professional Golfers Using Two Different Golf Clubs , 2002 .

[13]  A. Yassi,et al.  Electromyography as a measure of peak and cumulative workload in intermediate care and its relationship to musculoskeletal injury: an exploratory ergonomic study. , 2005, Applied ergonomics.

[14]  Gongbing Shan,et al.  Anthropometrical data and coefficients of regression related to gender and race. , 2003, Applied ergonomics.

[15]  E. M. Hartwell.  Boston , 1906 .

[16]  G Flodgren,et al.  Characterization of a laboratory model of computer mouse use - applications for studying risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders. , 2007, Applied ergonomics.

[17]  Seongjin Hong,et al.  Mechanical properties and microstructure of commercial amorphous golf club heads made of Zr–Ti–Cu–Ni–Be bulk metallic glass , 2007 .

[18]  George K. Hung,et al.  Biomedical engineering principles in sports , 2004 .

[19]  Clare E. Milner,et al.  The measurement of upper body alignment during the golf drive , 2007, Journal of sports sciences.

[20]  Chris Baber,et al.  Assessing the physical loading of wearable computers. , 2007, Applied ergonomics.

[21]  R. Koslow,et al.  Patterns of weight shift in the swings of beginning golfers. , 1994, Perceptual and motor skills.

[22]  U. C. Bureau.  Statistical Abstract of the United States , 2004 .

[23]  Gongbing Shan,et al.  HOW CAN DYNAMIC RIGID-BODY MODELING BE HELPFUL IN MOTOR LEARNING ? – LEARNING PERFORMANCE THROUGH DYNAMIC MODELING , 2005 .

[24]  K. W. Kang,et al.  Evaluation of the mechanical performance of golf shafts , 2006 .