ShiftingGolf: Gross Motor Skill Correction Using Redirection in VR

Abstract

Sports performance is often hindered by unintentional habits, particularly in golf, where achieving a consistent and correct swing is crucial yet challenging due to ingrained swing path habits. This study explores redirection approaches in virtual reality (VR) to correct golfers' swing paths through strategic ball shifting. By initiating a forward ball shift just before impact, we aim to prompt golfers to react and modify their swing motion, thereby eliminating undesirable swing habits. Building on recent research, our VR-based methods incorporate a gradual transformation of visuomotor associations to enhance motor skill learning. In this study, we develop three ball shift patterns, including a novel pattern that employs gradual ball shifts with interspersed normal conditions, designed to retain learning effects post-training. A preliminary study, including expert interviews, assesses the feasibility of various ball-shifting directions. Subsequently, a comprehensive user study measures the learning effects across different ball shift modes. The results indicate that our proposed redirection mode effectively corrects swing paths and yields a sustained learning effect.