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Thursday, March 18, 2004
Chiongbian: Golfers’ brain activity
By Edgar R. Chiongbian
Tee time
AFTER the Seniors golf tournament at CCC last Monday, two prominent super seniors had something to complain about. One was Boy Barcello who wanted to win in spite of his net 79 score.
His point is that it should be a distinct honor to compete in the 70 and above age-group and this must not be compromised. As he was going through his tirade, his name was called to win the major raffle and boy did he get quiet in a hurry. So a modified saying can be: A little grease will surely stop the little squeak!
And the other was Bombi, who complained that the white tees were moved too far back and made the holes play too long. But the odd thing about this is that he was the only one having problems as many came in with net scores below par. So he was told that next time he is allowed to use the ladies tees, which he aptly replied: “I love that!”
Congrats to John Uy for low gross. Willy Lim, Nido Lao and Filipe Vintulan as champions of their divisions. Gen. Ragasa, Rolly Santos, Greg Gepitulan as first runners-up. Oscar Sanchez, Max Tan and Tony Balaba as second runner-up winners.
I received an e-mail from Joe Palma Jr. who kindly offered me his thoughts: “I always read your column – especially about the tips – and in your column today what struck me was your comment on the most dangerous distraction. I once read that a group of scientists and psychologists did an experiment with both amateur and pro golfers.
“The experiment involved putting sensors on the heads of golfers to record their brain activity during the swing. They found out that immediately before the swing is started, amateurs had a whole lot of brain activity – the dangerous distraction you were talking about. Pros, on the other hand, had no brain activity; I guess this is what Tiger Woods meant about the calming effect.
“This experiment proves your point about thinking too much just before the takeaway – or the reverse – once you’ve decided what to do, just step up to the ball, swing and don’t worry about anything. Problem is, it’s easier said than done…”
Right you are Joe and thanks for giving us the web link that had the article of Jerry Adler from Newsweek last Jan. 23, 2004, where he mentioned the research of Debbie Crews of Arizona State University and John Milton of University of Chicago about the patterns of brain activation of golfers.
Their tests did prove that the better the golfer, the less brain activity seconds before the shot. Crews, a sports psychologist found that a key difference between amateurs and pros lies in the left hemisphere of the brain, where the seat of logic, analysis, verbal reasoning and the kinds of thoughts lie.
Once the professionals determined how to make a shot, they follow an invariable routine that renders conscious thought unnecessary.
Milton agrees and says that with the pros, you put in a quarter and you get your shot while the amateurs by contrast show more total brain activation involving more areas of the brain. They’re not fearful or anxious,” Milton says, “but they get overwhelmed by details, by the memories of all the shots they’ve missed in the past. The amateur’s brain is agitated, the pro’s isn’t.”
A quote from Arnold Palmer, “I have a tip that can take five strokes off anyone’s golf game. It is called an eraser.”
GOLF TIP: Players who have their hands so far forward at address will end up hitting a low, smothered hook or a big push/slice. The smothered hook occurs because when the hands are forward and the clubface aimed at the target, the club will close at impact and the ball will shoot off low and left.
The push/slice is when the hands are forward without clubhead adjustment. During the backswing the hands will cause the face to open and stay open through impact, causing an open-faced strike.
The cure for both is to keep the hands toward the center of the body and the ball three inches inside the left heel on all clubs. Line up the V formed by the left thumb to the center of the ball when the clubhead is at its position behind the ball.
(erc@skyinet.net)
(March 18, 2004 issue)
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