Kinematic Comparative Analysis Of Children Putting And Driving In Disc Golf

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a descriptive kinematic analysis comparing children's putting and driving in disc golf. Two skilled and two unskilled male subjects (ages 7, 9, 10 and 12) were filmed putting 5 meters away from the basket and then driving as far as they could. A high speed video camera (60 fps for putting and 500 fps for driving) was used to film in the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. How close, whether the disc hit part of the basket, or if the disc fell in the basket was recorded for each putt. The best of the 10 trials for each performer in each of the two situations and in each of the planes was then analyzed using the PEAK Performance 2-dimensional movement analysis system interfaced with a Panasonic AG-7350 recorder, Sony PVM1341 monitor, and Zenith 486 microcomputer. The linear displacements, velocities, and accelerations of the center of gravity and the angular displacements, velocities, and accelerations of the ankles, knees, hips, trunk, shoulders, elbows, and wrists were compared along with the angle and speed of release of the disc. It was found that the skilled performers had less angular and linear displacement than did the less skilled when putting. It was also found that skilled performers compared to unskilled performers exhibited: a) better intersegmental coordination; b) greater angular velocities of the wrist at release when driving; and c) less vertical and lateral displacements of the center of gravity. Finally, the drives in which the performers were asked to throw as far as they could more closely resembled those of the elite disc golfers than did the putts.