Successful Putts Research Articles

Commit to your putting stroke: exploring the impact of quiet eye duration and neural activity on golf putting performance.

There is a growing interest in characterizing the cognitive-motor processes that underlie superior performance in highly skilled athletes. The aim of this study was to explore neural markers of putting performance in highly skilled golfers by recording mobile EEG (electroencephalogram) during the pre-shot period. Twenty-eight right-handed participants (20 males) with a mean age of 24.2 years (± 6.4) and an average handicap of +1.7 (± 6.4) completed a testing session. Following the warm-up, participants completed 140 putts from a distance of 8ft (2.4m), with putts taken from 5 different positions. While putting, participants wore an eye tracker and a gel-based EEG system with 32 electrodes. Time and frequency domain features of the EEG signals were extracted to characterize Movement-Related Cortical Potentials (MRCP) and rhythmic modulations of neural activity in theta, alpha, sensorimotor and beta frequency bands associated with putting performance. Eye-tracking data demonstrate that mean Quiet Eye durations are not a reliable marker of expertise as the same duration was found for both successful and unsuccessful putts. Following rigorous data processing data from 12 participants (8 males, mean age 21.6 years ± 5.4, average handicap +1.5 ± 4.4) were included in the EEG analysis. MRCP analysis revealed performance-based differences, with unsuccessful putts having a greater negative amplitude in comparison to successful putts. Time frequency analysis of the EEG data revealed that successful putts exhibit distinct neural activity profiles compared to unsuccessful ones. For successful putts, greater suppression of beta was present in the central region prior to the putt. By contrast, increased frontal theta power was present for unsuccessful putts immediately before the putt (consistent with hesitation and the need for motor plan adjustments prior to execution). We propose that neural activity may provide plausible insights into the mechanisms behind why identical QE durations can lead to both success and failure. From an applied perspective, this study highlights the merits of a multi-measure approach to gain further insights into performance differences within highly skilled golfers. We discuss considerations for future research and solutions to address the challenges related to the complexities of collecting clean EEG signals within naturalistic sporting contexts.

Do Kinematic Study Assessments Improve Accuracy & Precision in Golf Putting? A Comparison between Elite and Amateur Golfers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

<strong>Introduction:</strong> The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether kinematic assessments help to improve golf putting accuracy and precision, and increase the success rate of golf putts. Specifically, this study also investigated the differences in club head velocity and putter face angle at impact (°) between elite and amateur golfers. <strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 25 articles were used in this review. An initial, broad search of electronic databases including PubMed, SPORT discus, Scopus, Science Direct and Google Scholar was conducted for literature using the keywords “biomechanics” AND “golf putting”. The total number of studies screened for this review was n = 897. Among these articles, only n = 63 were assessed for eligibility. The number of articles were reduced further to n = 25 and included in the qualitative and quantitative synthesis. <strong>Results:</strong> Out of the initial n = 897, n = 834 records were excluded. After the articles were assessed for eligibility, n = 17 articles were excluded for not meeting the inclusion criteria. The studies included demonstrated that kinematic approaches can help improve accuracy and precision of golf putts which help to increase the success rate of putts and reduce overall scoring. Elite golfers have a more accurate direction and face angle when compared to amateur golfers. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> This systematic review and meta-analysis suggests that kinematic assessments of face angle at impact, putter path, the vertical spot and backswing are critical determinants of a golfer’s success and are useful indicators to help improve accuracy and precision of golf putts. This study also noted that elite golfers had slightly less velocity but more precise putter face angles at impact which increased their accuracy in completing more successful putts than amateur golfers.

The effect of listening to preferred music after a stressful task on performance and psychophysiological responses in collegiate golfers.

BackgroundThis study explores whether listening to preferred music after a stressful situation affects putting and swinging performance, heart rate (HR), HR variability (HRV), and anxiety among amateur golfers.MethodsTwenty healthy amateur collegiate golfers voluntarily participated in this study (age 20.1 ± 1.17 yrs., height = 173.8 ± 7.74 cm, body weight = 72.35 ± 12.67 kg). Pre- and post-intervention HR and HRV measurements were taken, along with a self-report of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-S) and Triple Factor Anxiety Inventory (TFAI). Participants were exposed to a stressful situation through the Stroop Colour and Word Test (SCWT) and then instructed to perform three golf-practice sessions in a golf simulator, separated by 48–72 hours of recovery, under different conditions: control, pre-task music, and synchronised music.ResultsNo significant difference was identified between the experimental conditions for swinging (in terms of total distance (p = 0.116), carry distance (p = 0.608), speed of the ball (p = 0.819), and launch angle (p = 0.550) and putting performance (the number of successful putts on target (p > 0.05) and distance error between the target and ball (p = 0.122). No main effect for condition and time of intervention, as well as no interaction between these two factors was found for HR, HRV, and STAI-S (p = 0.116). However, the pre and post-intervention percentages of physiological items of the TFAI indicated a large, significant difference in synchronised music trial (p = 0.012, pre-task trial = −1.92% < control trial = 0% < synchronised trial = 4.58%).ConclusionsThe results imply that following a stressful situation, listening to preferred music before and/or during golf has no immediate effect on golf performance, anxiety, and psychophysiological responses in collegiate golfers.

Neurophysiological evidence of how quiet eye supports motor performance.

Prolonged quiet eye (QE) duration is associated with greater performance in various types of targeting and interceptive tasks. However, the mechanism by which QE affects performance remains debatable. This study aimed to test the validity of the pre-programming and online control hypotheses using electromyography (EMG), electrooculography (EOG) and electroencephalography (EEG) during a golf putting task. Twenty-one college students were recruited for this study. Each participant performed 100 golf putting trials during which the putting performance, EMG, EOG, and EEG signals were recorded. The QE duration including the pre- and post-movement initiation components, and movement-related cortical potentials (MRCPs) were analyzed off-line. We found that successful putts were associated with longer QEtotal (the total QE duration from QE onset to QE offset), QEpre (QE occurring before movement initiation), and QEpost (QE occurring after movement initiation) durations than failed putts. Greater cortical activation in the MRCPs was observed within the prefrontal, premotor, and parietal cortices during successful putts compared with failed putts. These findings suggest that QE serves both pre-programming and online control roles in supporting golf putting performance.

Optimising golf putting

ABSTRACT In the current study, we implemented the three key factors (i.e., enhanced expectancies [EE], autonomy support [AS], and external focus [EF]) of the OPTIMAL theory [Wulf, G., & Lewthwaite, R. (2016). Optimizing performance through intrinsic motivation and attention for learning: The OPTIMAL theory of motor learning. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 23(5), 1382–1414. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-015-0999-9]. Following the findings in an earlier study that the simultaneous use of EE, AS, and EF during practice resulted in learning advantages, we explored whether the implementation of EE, AS, and EF in a consecutive manner during practice would be beneficial for the learning of golf putting. Optimised and control groups first completed a pre-test under neutral conditions. Optimised group participants were then provided a different condition for each of three acquisition blocks in a counterbalanced order: (a) positive feedback (EE); (b) choice of golf ball colour (AS); and (c) instructions to focus on a pendulum-like swing motion (EF). Control group participants practised under neutral conditions. The optimised group outperformed the control group during practice and on a delayed retention test, as measured by accuracy score and number of successful putts. Additionally, optimised group participants reported higher levels of confidence and positive affect after practice, and they were more confident prior to the retention test, as compared to control group participants. Our findings indicate that the key motivational (EE and AS) and attentional (EF) factors of the OPTIMAL theory can be applied individually in a sequential fashion, and in any order, throughout practice to benefit skill learning.

Reliable measurement in sport psychology: The case of performance outcome measures

ObjectivesThe present research addresses a neglected aspect within the current Zeitgeist of improving methodological standards in (sport)psychology: reliable measurement. We discuss and highlight the importance of reliable measurement from different perspectives and empirically assess reliability of three commonly used performance outcome measures in order to give guidelines to researchers on how to increase reliability of measurements of performance outcomes. MethodIn three studies we estimate 5 different reliability coefficients for three performance outcome measures based on 14 golf putts (study 1; N = 100), 14 dart throws (study 2; N = 200; 100 sports students; 100 non-sports students) and 14 free throws in basketball (study 3; N = 192; 100 non-basketball players; 92 basketball players). ResultsThe highest reliability was the odd-even reliability for darts for the whole sample (0.888), followed by golf putts (0.714 for distance from the hole, 0.614 for successful putts) and free throws (0.504 non-basketball players; 0.62 for basketball players; and 0.826 for whole sample). ConclusionsBased on theoretical considerations and our empirical findings we give practical guidelines to improve reliability for performance outcome measures in sport psychology.

Correlation analysis of EEG alpha rhythm is related to golf putting performance

Abstract It is aimed at finding the correlation between golfer’s performance and EEG signals from the successful and unsuccessful putts. To address this issue, the inertial motion capture(mocap) system and wireless Emotiv equipment have been introduced to collect simultaneously the golfer’s performance data and EEG signals in 6 right-handed expert golfers and 6 right-handed amateur golfers. Inertial mocap modules were placed on right arm, right leg of subjects and the club-head. Subjects stood upright on a golf green simulator while playing 80 golf putts with Emotiv recording simultaneously. Then, wavelet packet decomposition(WPD) was used for extracting the alpha wave: low-frequency(8–10 Hz) and high-frequency(10–12 Hz). The correlation of alpha rhythm power spectral in two electrodes should be estimated to analyze the relationship between successful and unsuccessful putts and EEG signals. The results of the statistical variance indicated that AF3-AF4(left ahead frontal-right ahead frontal areas) and O1-O2(left occipital-right occipital areas) had a higher spectral correlation of alpha rhythm in successful putts than that in unsuccessful putts. Alpha rhythm (8–12 Hz) in the successful putts was higher than that in the unsuccessful condition and fluctuated obviously. F3-AF3(frontal-ahead frontal areas), F3-O2(left frontal-occipital areas), F4-F8, F4-O2(right frontal-occipital areas) and F4-AF3 had a higher negative correlation of successful putts from -2 s to zero time than that from the -5 s to -2 s of the putting time. P7-AF3(parietal-ahead frontal areas) had a higher negative correlation of both successful putts and unsuccessful putts from -2 s to zero time than that from the -5 s to -2 s of the putting time. P7-O2(parietal-occipital areas) had a higher negative correlation of successful putts from -2 s to zero time than that from the -5 s to -2 s of the putting time. P8-AF3 and P8-O2 had a higher negative correlation of the successful putts from -2 s to zero time than that from the -5 s to -2 s of the putting time. Experimental results of the club-head putting acceleration showed that the putting acceleration of overall high-skilled golfer was more stable than that of amateur golfers’, that had a higher successful rate of putts. Statistical results of putting acceleration of the professional players and amateur players indicated that professional players had a higher successful and stable putts than others. Experimental results demonstrated that alpha rhythm plays a major role in cognition, judgment, sensory and motor.

The Effects of Increased Body Temperature on Motor Control during Golf Putting.

This study investigated the effect of increased core temperature on the performance outcome and movement kinematics of elite golfers during a golf putting task. The study aimed to examine individual differences in the extent to which increased temperature influenced the rate of putting success, whether increased temperature speeded up the timing of the putting downswing and whether elite golfers changed their movement kinematics during times of thermal stress. Six participants performed 20 putts to each of four putt distances (1, 2, 3, and 4 m) under normal temperature conditions and when core body temperature was increased. There was no significant difference in the number of successful putts between the two temperature conditions, but there was an increase in putterhead velocity at ball impact on successful putts to distances of 1 and 4 m when temperature was elevated. This reflected an increase in swing amplitude rather than a reduction in swing duration as hypothesized. There were individual differences in the motor control response to thermal stress as three of the golfers changed the kinematic parameters used to scale their putting movements to achieve putts of different distances at elevated temperatures. Theoretical implications for these findings and the practical implications for elite golfers and future research are discussed.

Geometric Aspects of Strategic Putting

Putts comprise the plurality of strokes in a round of golf. This research studies putting using imagery, physics, and results taken from the golf literature. Putts are restricted to balls rolling on a horizontal uniform surface. The hole is assumed to be virtual with the success of putts (successful putts are those which would be captured by the hole if it were real) being indicated by their stopping points. The collection of all such stopping points may be encapsulated thus producing a region of success. The mathematical representation of the perimeter of this region is developed. The speed of the putting surface as given by the Stimpmeter reading is a parameter in the formulation. Particularly desirable stopping points within the region of success are indicated.

Motor control strategies and the effects of fatigue on golf putting performance.

This study investigated the strategies used by elite golfers to scale their putting actions to achieve putts of different distances. There were three aims; to determine if putting actions are scaled by manipulating swing amplitude as predicted by Craig etal. (2000), to establish the test–retest reliability of the Craig et al. model, and to evaluate whether elite golfers changed their putting scaling strategies when fatigued. Putting actions were recorded at baseline (time 1) and 6 months later (time 2) and after walking at 70% of maximum heart rate for 1 h (time 3). Participants performed a total of 80 putts which varied in distance (1 m, 2 m, 3 m, and 4 m) at time 1 and time 2, and 100 putts to the same distances when they were fatigued (time 3). Multiple regression was used to examine how the golfers systematically changed the movement control variables in the Craig etal. (2000) model to achieve golf putts of different distances. Although swing amplitude was a strong predictor of putterhead velocity at ball impact for all of the participants at baseline (time 1), each golfer systematically changed aspects of the timing of their action. A comparison of the regression models between time 1 and time 2 showed no significant changes in the scaling strategies used, indicating that the Craig etal. (2000) model had good test–retest reliability. Fatigue was associated with a decrease in the number of putts that were successfully holed and significant changes in the scaling strategies used by three of the golfers, along with a trend for increasing the putterhead velocity at ball impact. These motor control changes in performance when fatigued were evident in successful putts indicating that even when these elite golfers were able to achieve the goal of holing the putt, moderate levels of fatigue were influencing the consistency of their performance. Theoretical implications for the Craig etal. (2000) model and practical implications for elite golfers are discussed.

Center of Pressure Excursion during the Golf Putting Stroke in Low, Mid and High Handicap Golfers

Golf handicap is significantly correlated to putting performance with low handicap golfers (LH) demonstrating increased putting accuracy compared with high handicap golfers (HH). Smaller center of pressure excursion (CPE) during putting has been demonstrated by LH golfers, suggesting balance is important during successful putts. The aim of this study was to examine CPE in low, mid and high handicap golfers about the mediolateral axis (ML) and anteriorposterior axis (AP). Nineteen subjects participated in the study; subjects were split into LH, mid handicap and HH groups. Subjects completed five successful 2.5m putts, standing on an RS FootScan. The LH group demonstrated significantly smaller CPE in comparison with the HH group about the AP axis, for all three phases of the putt. No significant differences were found between the groups about the ML axis. The reduction of CPE about the AP axis suggests increased balance in that direction, which may contribute to increased accuracy. Coaches should place emph...

The Movement Kinematics and Learning Strategies Associated with Adopting Different Foci of Attention during Both Acquisition and Anxious Performance

Research suggests that implicit strategies adopted during learning help prevent breakdown of automatic processes and subsequent performance decrements associated with the presence of pressure. According to the Constrained Action Hypothesis, automaticity of movement is promoted when adopting an external focus of attention. The purpose of the current experiment was to investigate if learning with an external focus of attention can enhance performance under subsequent pressure situations through promoting implicit learning and automaticity. Since previous research has generally used outcome measures of performance, the current study adopted measures of movement production. Specifically, we calculated within-subject variability in trajectory velocity and distance traveled every 10% of movement time. This detailed kinematic analysis allowed investigation into some of the previously unexplored mechanisms responsible for the benefits of adopting an external focus of attention. Novice participants performed a 2.5 m golf putt. Following a pre-test, participants were randomly assigned to one of three focus groups (internal, external, control). Participants then completed 400 acquisition trials over two consecutive days before being subjected to both a low anxiety and high anxiety (HA) transfer test. Dependent variables included variability, number of successful putts and mean radial error. Results revealed that variability was greater in the internal compared to the external and control groups. Putting performance revealed that all groups increased performance following acquisition. However, only the control group demonstrated a decrement in performance in the HA transfer test. These findings suggest that adopting an appropriate focus of attention during learning can prevent choking; with an external focus inhibiting the breakdown of automatic processes and an internal focus acting as a self-focus learning strategy and thus desensitizing individuals to anxiety effects.

A35 物理振り子とパッティング動作の比較(ゴルフ2)

"A pendulum stroke" is used by many golfers. The purpose of this study was to understand human motor control by comparing human putting movements and the physical pendulum of firmly fixed putter. Three experienced professional golfers participated in this study. They executed ten putts as accurately as possible, in order to reach a target distance of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10m. Movement pattern characteristics were assessed by kinematic analysis. In addition, putts of the same distance were tried using the physics pendulum. It was found that the putter head speed, at the time of impact in the physics pendulum putt, exceeded that for humans. On the other hand, for ball speed after impact, the human's putting was faster than that of the physics pendulum's. The difference between human putting and the physics pendulum was shown. However, it was understood that successful putts are achieved by having skillful motor control.

Relation of Eye Dominance with Performance and Subjective Ratings in Golf Putting

Previous research has discussed the interaction of hand preference, eye dominance, and sport performance. In this study, the relation of eye dominance with performance and subjective ratings in golf putting was investigated. 47 right-handed Japanese students from a college of physical education putted 10 balls to a drawn circle 3 m away, each under right-handed and left-handed stance conditions. Putting performance was measured by the number of successful putts. After putting in each condition, they rated subjective visibility and feelings of hitting. Analyses indicated that right-eyed subjects had significantly better performance using the right-handed stance than the left-handed stance, whereas left-eyed subjects showed the opposite. Most subjective ratings were more positive with right-handed stance for both right-eyed and left-eyed subjects. These findings suggest that eye dominance could have some influence on putting performance of Japanese novice golfers.