Abstract
Music has been reported as a positive intervention for improving psychophysiological conditions and exercise performance. However, the effects of music intervention on golf performance in association with psychophysiological responses have not been well examined in the literature. The purpose of the study was to investigate the acute effects of self-selected music intervention on golf swing and putting performance, heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and anxiety. Twenty collegiate golfers voluntarily participated in this study (age = 20.2 ± 1.4 years, height = 171.7 ± 8.0 cm, body weight = 69.5 ± 14.6 kg, golf experience = 7.5 ± 2.1 years). A cross-over and within-subject design was used in this study. Participants performed a non-music trial (T1), pre-exercise music trial (T2), and simultaneous music trial (T3) in a randomized order with 48–72 h apart. The participants were attached to a HR monitor to record the HR and HRV during the measurement. The golf swing and putting performance was assessed by using the Golfzon golf simulator system. The state-trait anxiety inventory-state questionnaire (STAI-S) was used to evaluate anxiety state. All measurements were taken during baseline (phase one) and after resting or music intervention (phase two). Repeated measurement of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Cohen’s effect size (ES) were used for statistical analyses. The results show no significant differences in golf swing and putting performance (p > 0.05). However, significant decrease in STAI-S score was found in T2 (p = 0.047, ES = 0.32). A significant increase in the standard deviation of normal R-R interval (SDNN), low-frequency power spectrum (LF), standard deviation of along the line-of-identity (SD2) in T2 and T3 were observed (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a single pre-exercise or simultaneous self-selected music intervention contributes minor effects to golf performance in collegiate golfers. The positive benefits of self-selected music intervention on the psychological condition and cardia-related modulation while practicing golf is warranted.
Highlights
Golf is recognized as a leisure activity for the general population and as a competitive sport for elite golfers
It was hypothesized that golf swing and putting performance would significantly improve during pre-exercise and simultaneous music trials
The findings of the study show no difference of golf swing and putting performance when pre-exercise and simultaneous self-selected music interventions were implemented to collegiate golfers
Summary
Golf is recognized as a leisure activity for the general population and as a competitive sport for elite golfers. Golf skills include swing and putting performance, which is categorized as closed-chain kinetic exercise. Golfers rely on the coordination of the head, upper limbs, trunk, and lower limbs to control the sophisticated movements and coordinate the body segments in order to hit the ball to approach the target. The full swing is considered the most complicated. Res. Public Health 2020, 17, 7478; doi:10.3390/ijerph17207478 www.mdpi.com/journal/ijerph
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