Extracting proficiency differences and individual characteristics in golfers' swing using single-video markerless...

Area of Science:

• Sports Science
• Biomechanics
• Motor Learning

Background:

• Assessing golf swing proficiency often requires specialized equipment.
• Objective, data-driven analysis can enhance golf coaching and skill development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To differentiate between golf proficiency and individual characteristics using markerless video analysis.
• To identify key kinematic variables indicative of skill level in golfers.

Main Methods:

• Collected 2D video data of 27 golfers with varying skill levels using a single camera.
• Employed pose estimation (HRNet) and object detection (DeepLabCut) for joint and club-head data extraction.
• Analyzed forward tilt angle and club trajectory in relation to golfer proficiency.

Main Results:

• Forward tilt angle stability and reproducibility are strong indicators of golf proficiency.
• Highly skilled golfers exhibit less variability and higher reproducibility in their forward tilt angle.
• Club trajectory (clockwise vs. counterclockwise) appears to be an individual characteristic, not a direct measure of proficiency.

Conclusions:

• Markerless video analysis effectively distinguishes golf proficiency from individual characteristics.
• Forward tilt angle analysis provides a simple yet effective method for evaluating golf swings.
• The findings support the application of this system in motor learning and coaching scenarios.