Quiet eye facilitates sensorimotor preprograming and online control of precision aiming in golf putting

Joe Causer,James M Hooper,Spencer J Hayes,Simon J Bennett

doi:10.1007/s10339-016-0783-4

Abstract

An occlusion protocol was used to elucidate the respective roles of preprograming and online control during the quiet eye period of golf putting. Twenty-one novice golfers completed golf putts to 6-ft and 11-ft targets under full vision or with vision occluded on initiation of the backswing. Radial error (RE) was higher, and quiet eye was longer, when putting to the 11-ft versus 6-ft target, and in the occluded versus full vision condition. Quiet eye durations, as well as preprograming, online and dwell durations, were longer in low-RE compared to high-RE trials. The preprograming component of quiet eye was significantly longer in the occluded vision condition, whereas the online and dwell components were significantly longer in the full vision condition. These findings demonstrate an increase in preprograming when vision is occluded. However, this was not sufficient to overcome the need for online visual control during the quiet eye period. These findings suggest the quiet eye period is composed of preprograming and online control elements; however, online visual control of action is critical to performance.

Highlights

Vickers (1992) was one of the first to examine expertise differences in gaze control during a golf putting task
These findings demonstrate an increase in preprograming when vision is occluded. This was not sufficient to overcome the need for online visual control during the quiet eye period. These findings suggest the quiet eye period is composed of preprograming and online control elements; online visual control of action is critical to performance
A main effect was found for outcome F(1, 20) = 417.69, p \ .001, with greater radial error exhibited in high-Radial error (RE) trials (M = 664.71 mm, SD = 258.23), compared to lowRE trials (M = 231.19 m, SD = 98.84)

Summary

Introduction

Vickers (1992) was one of the first to examine expertise differences in gaze control during a golf putting task. In a follow-up study, Vickers (2004) found that poor putters had a variable gaze pattern relative to the ball, whereas good putters kept a stable fixation on the back of the ball during the swing, along with a more stable and deliberate scan path between the ball and the hole. Taken together, these data provide evidence that a long, stable fixation during the golf putt increases the probability of success (Vickers 2007)

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