WEDNESDAY, JULY3, 2002
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN = 17
Student wins trip to Scotland, $10,000 for dissertation
By Matt Norton
Kansan sportswriter
Chris Thompson's doctoral dissertation has earned him a trip to one of golf's most hallowed shrines.
His research into an exercise training regimen for golfers was recognized by Golf Magazine and the World Scientific Congress of Golf with a Science and Golf Prize that will be awarded to him in a presentation at The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Scotland, later this month.
LAURIESISK/KANSAN
Along with a $10,000 prize, Thompson, who is from Foxborough, Mass., will get to play a round of golf on the famous Old Course at St. Andrews, the oldest golf course in the world, and present his study to some of the sport's leading officials.
Thompson's project beat out 77 applicants from around the world for the award.
"It was totally unexpected," he said of winning the award. "I had a budget of zero dollars."
Thompson, an enthusiastic golfer since his high-school years with a 1.7 handicap, said he started with the idea that there was a hole in the development of most golfers. He saw that unlike other sports, golf didn't have a sport-specific guide to help players get in better shape.
Thompson said that many people thought a golfer could be out of shape and still play.
"But if you walk the course, you have to be in pretty good shape," he said.
Not to mention golf uses a lot of muscles, especially in the shoulders, hips and trunk, in ways that no other sport does.
So Thompson gathered a group of a couple dozen golfers to embark on an eightweek training regimen to improve their game and make it more enjoyable as well.
Thompson said the golfers had to participate in at least 24 one-hour sessions over the eight weeks, but many went to as many as 40 sessions.
The conditioning program included cardiovascular exercises, strength training for golf-specific muscles and swinging weighted golf clubs.
The program ended with a measurement of club head speed and an 18-hole tournament.
Thompson said, on average, the golfers improved four miles per hour in club head speed, which can increase distance, but what pleased him most was the reported improvement in the golfers' daily lives from their new-found fitness.
Frank Quiring, Lawrence resident, plays golf once or twice a week and practices at the driving range as well.
"Some of them said they were hitting it further into the woods." Thompson joked
Quiring participated in Thompson's study, and said that while his scores hadn't improved noticeably, his enjoyment of the game had.
Quiring said that his flexibility, a key to
Chris Thompson, Foxsborough, Mass., graduate student, will be traveling to St. Andrews, Scotland, later this month, courtesy of Golf Magazine and the World Scientific Congress of Golf.
playing golf well and injury-free, had improved after participating in the program.
"As we get older, I wanna tell you, some of those things become more difficult," Quiring said.
Quiring said that Thompson's patience and encouragement helped make the program even more advantageous.
"I think people who took the course will benefit their whole life," Quiring said.
One perk of the project for Thompson was something that most doctoral students do not get from their dissertation.
"I started watching this hot chick lifting weights and started ignoring the old guys a little bit," he said with a grin.
That chick was Andrea Hacker, a dietitian in the department of health, sport & exercise sciences, and she and Thompson were married last month in Hacker's hometown of Joplin, Mo.
Now that the couple are married, Chris Thompson can no longer joke to his friends about Andrea's last name, a slang term in golf for one who doesn't play very well.
"Me not being a golfer, I didn't think it was very funny," she joked. "But he's been playing so bad lately, now maybe he should take my name instead."
Whether this project promotes further research or keeps his game in shape, Thompson said his love for golf had made the project worthwhile.
Contact Norton at mnorton@kansan.com.
"Golf is one of those games that can pull you in so quickly," he said. "I wanted to do something to give back to the game."
Contact Norton at mntoron@kansan.com.
This story was edited by Jason Royer.