Sports Vision And Golf
Sports Vision enhancement training is an integral part
of a total athletic training program. Surprisingly, the
visual dynamics of golf are similar to those of other individual
and team sports; good ocular motor (eye muscle) skills,
along with increased concentration capabilities, can dramatically
improve a golfer's performance on the course. Conversely,
if visual information is inaccurate, it can throw off the
body's timing and cause a decrease in performance.
If a golfer has a perfect stance, a flawless backswing
and an uncanny talent for hitting the sweet spot, but is
still unable to properly pinpoint the target, the overall
skill set falls apart. Whether you're a pro, amateur,
or simply one of the millions of men
and women in love with the game of golf, improved visual
skills can make your next trip to the golf course a more
rewarding and pleasant experience.
The following is a comprehensive
outline of the most important dynamic visual skills for
golf.
Depth Perception
If depth perception is not optimal, the ability to estimate
distances will be impaired. When trained properly, depth
perception acts as a valuable aid in estimating yardage
and in selecting the proper club. If the golfer doesn't
estimate the distance correctly, assessing the green as
well as making the correct putt will be difficult. The
player will therefore have a tendency to either hit the
ball too short or too long and possibly too much to the
left or right.
When hitting the ball, it is also important to have your
dominant eye facing forward. If you are using your non-dominant
eye as your aiming eye, it will be the one primarily measuring
the distance and 'signaling' to the brain.
It is not significant whether binocular vision is fully
optimal at this point, but if the dominant eye is not quite
optimized, it will lead to a shifting of the estimation
of distance.
Eye-Hand-Body Coordination
Watching a professional golfer tee off is a thing of beauty.
He addresses the ball, legs apart. The club appears to
be an extension of his hands and arms as he begins the
backswing head down, eyes on the ball, knees slightly flexed,
arms firm. All muscles work in concert with one another,
producing one fluid movement, as he makes the downswing,
hitting the
club head perfectly on the ball and continuing with his
follow-through to complete the circle. This is often referred
to as the 'connection theory', and is a result
of good eye-hand-body coordination.
Visualization
This is the process of seeing yourself performing an athletic
activity. Goal-oriented visual imagery techniques are used
to help develop consistency in performance. Simply stated,
if you can imagine yourself performing a proper swing often
enough, you will tend to actually perform the swing in
a like manner. Many trainers have their students practice
with their eyes closed while visualizing the path they
want the ball to take.
Focusing and Tracking
The ability to effectively shift one's focus near
and far is particularly linked to putting performance.
A player often misses a putt because he or she doesn't
read the proper break.
Concentration
The ability to stay focused and maintain peak performance
levels even during adverse conditions.
Fixation Ability
The ability to fine-focus on a target, quickly and accurately,
using a series of eye movements. The ability to properly
focus on the ball and the target, whether three feet or
300 yards away, is essential in making good contact between
the club head and the ball. Fine focusing techniques can
help both in hitting the sweet spot and stroking a smoother
putt.
Peripheral Awareness:
Being aware of the primary target
(the ball) while simultaneously knowing where you want
to direct the ball with your club is obviously an important
skill to master.
Typical Symptoms That May Be Related to Poor Dynamic Visual
Skills:
- Difficulty estimating distances.
- Difficulty reading
the greens.
- Problems staying focused, especially under
stress.
- Poor eye-hand coordination.
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