EXAMPLE OF INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPT FROM STUDY 2 48 HOURS AFTER PERFORMANCE

Interview 3,

Can you talk me through 14 in general?

Hole 14 is one of the harder holes on the course, there’s trouble on the right, some trees on the right and if you go further there’s a busy road, and on the left there’s a mound and trees and bushes and if you go further left you can actually hit the club house, so its total danger really. But if you hit a good shot onto the fairway the hole can be a lot easier.

Shot 1

OK can you just talk me through the first shot you played on 14?

The first shot I played on hole 14, eeehh (pause), oh yeah, I remember saying that there’s 3 bunkers in the distance and I was aiming for the middle one, the wind was slightly left the right and I tried to hit it straight towards the middle bunker and then I hit it slightly left but I hit it ok, I finished on the left side of the light rough.

What club did you use? I used a driver.

Were you happy with the shot?

I was happy with the outcome not with the shot

Shot 2

Ok, and then the second shot you played, what were your thoughts?

It was quite a simple shot really I think it was an 8 iron or a 9 iron, the wind was just a little bit left to right, I hit it just to the front of the green I think I just needed to aim to the front of the pin and I actually did.

Were you happy with this?

Yes I think it was about 15 foot from the pin

Shot 3

Then the third shot?

Pause, I think was a about 10 or 15 foot putt, and it was (pause) a little bit left to right and I can’t remember, yeah I hit it past the hole about 3 foot, it was an attempt at birdie.

Shot 4

186

I had to be a little bit more careful, it was from about 3 foot and I just stroked it in for a par. And how did you feel about that?

Yeah I was happy, not bad really.

The last hole 17, can you describe this hole in general.

The 17th _{is a par 5 and it’s about 480 yards, and there’s trouble on the left with some mounds and the} rough and further down the left hand side there’s some trees. And there’s houses and trees on the right hand side.

Shot 1

So the first shot you played what club did you use and what were your thoughts?

I used a driver and remember saying that I just wanted to get it on the fairway and the left hand sides quite troublesome, and I pulled it but was lucky as I could have been in the trees on the left.

What kind of shot did you play?

I pulled it slightly and in the event I was a little bit fortunate that I found the ball.

Shot 2

Then the second shot you played?

This was when I found the ball, there was huge branches over hanging but I was far enough back to hit a pitching wedge over the trees back onto the fairway so I could have a 3rd _{shot into the green and I} managed to do that even though I didn’t hit the ball as well as I should of.

Were there any environmental factors that affected your shot? Just the trees and the rough that I was in.

How did you feel about that? Just happy to get it back in play

Shot 3

Can you tell me about your thoughts and feeling around your third shot?

My thoughts were, there were trees on the left but weren’t really in play but if it wasn’t a good shot I could of hit them, but it had to be weary I didn’t pull the shot, I was trying to hit it cautiously but I played it quite well

Where did it land?

I think it finished, back left of the green it was quite a distance away from the hole.

Shot 4

187

The fourth shot, I think it was about 30 foot away all I was trying to do was line it up to the hole and try and par the hole.

What was the result?

The result was that I think I hit it a bit too firm and it went past about 5 or 6 foot, And how did you feel about that?

Not too good it was quite a tough par putt for the next putt,

Shot 5

Ok so the next shot?

The next shot was about 5 or 6 foot, it was quite a straight putt I tried be a bit cautious and I ended up missing.

How did you feel about that?

Not too good, I already dropped a shot.

Shot 6

The last one?

This was a tap in for a bogie?

How did you feel about the end result?

Not to good really, because id managed to get a bit of fortune and still walk off with a bogie it’s a bit disappointing.

188 APPENDIX O

STUDY 3 INFORMATION SHEET

Comparison of the decision making process between high and low level golfers using Think Aloud level 3 verbalisation

Amy Whitehead E-mail –[email protected]

Tel - 01772895700 Phd Sport Psychology Student School of Psychology University of Central Lancashire, Preston Supervisor: Dr Jamie Taylor E-mail - [email protected]

Dear Golfer,

My name is Amy Whitehead and I am a PhD student at the University of Central Lancashire. I am conducting my third study for my PhD, supervised by Dr Jamie Taylor and Professor Remco Polman, which is investigating the difference between decision making between high and lower level golfers. Purpose of the study

The purpose of my research is to investigate whether higher level golfers who play off a handicap of 2 or below think differently to lower level golfers who play of 10 or above. The comparisons that will be made are based on the decisions that the golfers make before they take each shot.

What participation involves

If you chose to participate in this study you will be performing 6 holes of golf. During the 6 holes you will be asked to verbalise and provide explanations of your thoughts of each shot and provide an explanation of why you performed the golf shot in the way that you did. For example, “I’m using a 7 iron because I’m hitting 70 yards, and I want to hit it high over that small hill”. You will have a small tie microphone attached to you at all times which will be recording your verbalisations.

Confidentiality

You will remain anonymous throughout the study and your name and email given on the signup sheet will only be used to organise time slots for your participation and after you have participated in the study your name and email will not be used as you name will be replaced with a number. During the study when your name and details will be provided, this information will be stored securely in a locked filling cabinet. Furthermore you will not be named in any academic reports. Any quotations from interviews may be reported in articles and presentations but these will be anonymised by using pseudonyms or participant codes/numbers.

189

Participation in the study is voluntary, and if you choose to participate you are free to withdraw at any time. If you do choose to withdraw, your data will be destroyed. If you wish to withdraw at any time during the performance of your 6 holes please do so verbally, however once the data has been recorded withdrawal from the study is no longer possible.

Please indicate verbally whether or not you would like to participate in this study. Also could you please sign the consent form provided with this letter which indicates that you would like to participate in this study.

If you have any further questions please feel free to contact me at the above address.

Kindest Regards, Amy Whitehead

190 APPENDIX P

EXAMPLE OF A HIGH SKILLED PERFORMERS THINK ALOUD TRANSCRIPT FROM