Case study based on ball trajectory and motion analysis of international long-drive distance golf player

Main Article Content

Daisuke Ichikawa
Akihiko Sakai
Takeru Suzuki
Taiki Miyazawa
Isao Okuda
John Patrick Sheahan

Abstract

This study aimed to measure the ball trajectory, club face control, and body movements of a long-drive distance golf player (LDP) who excels in international competitions. The participant randomly executed 10 shots of three trajectory types—straight, draw, and fade—using a driver in an indoor facility. The results indicated that the fade shot exhibited a significantly longer ball carry distance (S: 329.7 ± 31.7, D: 301.8 ± 30.6, F: 345.7 ± 18.4 yards). The offline distance also showed a significant increase (S: 3.6 ± 37.3, D: −12.0 ± 26.4, F: 30.8 ± 42.2 yards) for the fade shot. If shots exceeding the 60-yard width of the offline distance resulting in invalid attempts were counted, there were 2 of 10 attempts for straight, 0 of 10 attempts for draw, and 4 of 10 attempts for fade. Analysis of the ball trajectory of draw shots revealed a statistically significant trend towards lower peak height and descent angle. In all three trajectories, there were no significant differences observed in ball speed (S: 189.3±6.3, D: 192.1±5.0, F: 193.3±4.1 mph) and club head speed (S: 137.2 ± 1.6, D: 137.0 ± 1.2, F: 137.7 ± 2.2 mph). For the draw shots, the club path exhibited in-to-out trajectory, moving the club face, and the face angle was open during the ball impact. It is evident that even in golf players aiming for the maximum distance in a single shot, club head speed and grip speed tend to remain relatively constant. The findings indicate that the LDP executes precise movement and face control tailored to the three ball trajectories, demonstrating sophisticated motor control.

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Article Details

How to Cite
Ichikawa, D., Sakai, A., Suzuki, T. ., Miyazawa, T., Okuda, I. ., & Sheahan , J. P. . (2024). Case study based on ball trajectory and motion analysis of international long-drive distance golf player. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise , 19(3), 874-881. https://doi.org/10.55860/8vc6kk74
Section
Performance Analysis of Sport
Author Biographies

Daisuke Ichikawa, Toyo university

Faculty of Science and Engineering.

Takeru Suzuki, Musashino Art University

Faculty of Health, Sports and Physical Arts.

Taiki Miyazawa, Shigakkan University

Faculty of Wellness.

Isao Okuda, Tokyo International University

Department of Human Development and Sport Sciences.

John Patrick Sheahan , Yamanashi Gakuin University

College Sports Center.

How to Cite

Ichikawa, D., Sakai, A., Suzuki, T. ., Miyazawa, T., Okuda, I. ., & Sheahan , J. P. . (2024). Case study based on ball trajectory and motion analysis of international long-drive distance golf player. Journal of Human Sport and Exercise , 19(3), 874-881. https://doi.org/10.55860/8vc6kk74

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