Abstract des Autors

The effects of performance pressure on the putting kinematics of 13 expert golfers was investigated. Golfers varied substantially in their response to the pressure with three having significantly increased putting errors (i.e., choking), three having significantly decreased putting errors (i.e., clutch performance) and the remainder showing no significant effect of pressure. Putting performance was significantly related to several kinematic variables. In particular, the relationship between downswing amplitude (DA) and putting distance was weaker for those golfers that choked under pressure as compared to clutch performers. The change in the DA-distance relationship associated with the introduction of pressure was significantly correlated with the change in accuracy (r = -0.58). These effects of pressure on putting kinematics are qualitively similar to the effects produced by directing attention to skill execution with a secondary task and thus provide further support for the explicit monitoring theory of choking under pressure. Verf.-Referat