Asking the right question

Interesting article out of Purdue U on golfers’ perceptions of hole size while putting.

46 golfers were asked to estimate the size of the hole after they played a round of golf. The diameter of a golf hole is 10.8 centimeters. The golfers selected from a poster one of nine black holes that ranged in size from 9-13 centimeters. Those who selected larger holes were the same players who had better scores on the course that day.

They did some further testing in a lab and found participants who putted closer drew the circle to be bigger than those who putted farther away.

This goes to one of my favorite points – asking the right question is more important than getting the right answer since you’ll NEVER get the latter without the former.  In this case, maybe someone should have asked the good putters (who may or may NOT be the better golfers) what they were looking at while putting.  I can tell you from a lot (way too much, probably) of time spent putting that one really doesn’t look at the hole while putting.  Great putters know that all putts are straight if they’re hit properly- it’s the green that makes them move.  Because of that, one judges the line and speed and picks a spot to which you putt – it’s usually NOT the hole.  Pelz Golf Institute research shows that less than five per cent of all putts are perfectly straight (the green moves them!) so you’re not aiming at the hole 95% of the time.

Another, smaller point is that of COURSE the hole looks bigger when you’re closer to it!  (As an aside, as the parent of a Michigan grad, I’m really holding back on the Boilermaker comments right now…).  Chances are the the better golfers were the ones putting closer to the hole as well.

Ask the right questions and if you’re in unfamiliar territory as these researchers seemd to be, ask a native for directions.