| This study extended the research on expert-novice differences by examining the acquisition of expert golf performance from a qualitative perspective. A multicase within-and-between group comparison design was utilized in order to compare the practice and skill training conditions of expert and intermediate golfers. Grounded theory served as the basis for data analysis and interpretation. Four expert female golfers at a Division I NCAA university and four intermediate female golfers at a Division II NCAA college completed a pre-interview survey and participated in two extensive, semi-structured interviews. Significant differences between the two groups were identified in the amount and quality of practice, the number and quality of individual lessons, the level of self-motivation, and the extent of self-regulation. The Expert Skill Training Model for Golf was developed from the data and presented in comparison to the theory of deliberate practice (Ericsson, Krampe, & Tesch-Romer, 1993). Rather than being viewed as a monotonic function of the number of hours spent in deliberate practice, expert performance is understood as a consequence of a complex interaction between motivation, self-regulation, and multiple types of domain-specific experience, including acquisition practice, performance practice, instruction, and competition. Furthermore, the characteristics of effective practice do not seem to fit an all-or-none set of criteria; they depend on the purpose of the practice session. |
