OPTIMAL golf

Resources for golfers and golf instructors

Presentation

Gabriele Wulf’s keynote presentation at the 10th World Scientific Congress of Golf, Sioux Falls, SD (September, 2022): “Optimizing golf performance”

Podcasts and Videos

GolfSmarter podcast — Their Research Shows That Thinking About The Mechanics During Your Golf Swing Is Counter Productive (Episode 853), Gabriele Wulf and Rebecca Lewthwaite, July 2022.

Swing Thoughts podcast: Interview of Gabriele Wulf and Rebecca Lewthwaite (Show 43)

GolfScienceLab podcast — What every golfer ought to know about FOCUS with Dr. Gabriele Wulf

GolfScienceLab podcast — The unknown truth about learning golf and motivation with Dr. Gabriele Wulf and Dr. Rebecca Lewthwaite

Tony Luczak, The CLUB ONLY Lesson Challenge: External Focus

Articles

EXTERNAL FOCUS

An, J., & Wulf, G. (2024). Golf skill learning: An external focus of attention enhances performance and motivation. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 70, 102563.

External focus instructions enhanced the learning of a golf pitch shot. In addition, they increased self-efficacy and positive affect, and reduced negative affect, relative to internal focus instructions.

An, J., Wulf, G., & Kim, S. (2013). Increased carry distance and X-factor stretch in golf through an external focus of attention. Journal of Motor Learning and Development, 1, 2-11.

Jongseong An
An, Wulf, and Kim (2013) demonstrated that a single external focus cue resulted in enhanced movement form (X-factor stretch) and greater carry distance.

Wulf, G., & Su, J. (2007). An external focus of attention enhances golf shot accuracy in beginners and experts. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 78, 384-389.

Wulf and Su (2007, Experiment 1) found that novice golfers showed greater chip shot accuracy with external focus instructions.
Wulf and Su’s (2007) Experiment 2 showed that even expert golfers benefited from an external focus on the club, compared with no focus or internal focus instructions (see above).

Wulf, G., Lauterbach, B., & Toole, T. (1999). Learning advantages of an external focus of attention in golf. Research Quarterly for Exercise and Sport, 70, 120-126.

ENHANCED EXPECTANCIES

Palmer, K., Chiviacowsky, S., & Wulf, G. (2016). Enhanced expectancies facilitate golf putting. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 22, 229-232.

Enhancing expectancies by using a relatively liberal definition of success (large circle group) led to more effective learning (i.e., retention, transfer) than a success criterion that was more difficult to meet.

Chauvel, G., Wulf, G., & Maquestiaux, F. (2015). Visual illusions can facilitate sport skill learning. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 22, 717-721.

Guillaume Chauvel

AUTONOMY

An, J., Lewthwaite, R., Lee, S., & Wulf, G. (2020). Choice of practice-task order enhances golf skill learning. Psychology of Sport and Exercise, 50 (Article 101737).

OPTIMIZED CONDITIONS (External Focus, Enhanced Expectancies, and Autonomy)

An, J., Chua, L.-K., & Wulf, G. (2021). Optimizing golf putting. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 19, 882-894.

OPTIMAL Wulf, G., Orr, S., Chauvel, G., & Lewthwaite, R. (2018). Optimizing golf skill learning. The PGA Professional, 14, 51-53.

OPTIMAL Wulf, G., Orr, S., & Chauvel, G. (2017). Optimizing golf skill learning. In M. Toms (Ed.), The Routledge International Handbook of Golf Science (p. 88-97). London: Routledge.

Steven Orr