Perceived Hole Size, Performance, and Body Movement During Putting in Children With and Without Probable Developmental Coordination Disorder

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships between perceived hole size (perception), performance, and body movement (action) in golf putting for children with probable developmental coordination disorder (DCD) and typically developing children (TDC). Forty-eight children (24 probable DCD, 24 TDC) performed putting in easy and hard conditions. Body movement was measured during putting, performance was measured as the distance between ball and hole, and perceived hole size was recorded using a Microsoft Paint drawing exercise 1 m away from the hole. The present results revealed that perceived hole size was positively related to putting performance, body movement was negatively associated with putting performance, and that there were negative correlations between body movement and perceived hole size. While children with probable DCD tended to perceive the hole as smaller, perform worse, and show more body movement, TDC exhibited the opposite. These findings help characterize the relationships between perception, performance, and action in children with probable DCD and TDC during golf putting.