September 30, 2016

Psychological states key to Ryder Cup

Winner likely to be 'making it happen'

As golfers descend on the fairways for the 2016 Ryder Cup, researchers at the University of Wollongong (UOW) are working on developing a better understanding of how the mind of an elite athlete works during exceptional performance.

Dr Christian Swann from UOW’s Early Start Research Institute has always been fascinated by this particular field, and has conducted research into the various psychological states athletes experience during performance.

“The temporary, brief, subjective experiences that happen during exceptional performance are often referred to as ‘the zone’,” Dr Swann said.

“However, our research is suggesting that more than one ‘zone’ exists.”

This weekend, as the best golfers in the world tee off in Minnesota, USA, Swann says that many of them will experience two very different psychological states, which will play a big part in who wins the Ryder Cup.

“We’ve identified that professional golfers have two different ‘zones’, which they describe as ‘letting is happen’ and ‘making it happen’.”

“When a golfer is ‘letting it happen’ they are performing in flow, which means they are on autopilot, are totally confident in their abilities and they are fully absorbed in what they are doing without thinking about it.”

Dr Swann describes the other state, ‘making it happen’, as a more conscious effort to perform under pressure.

“This state is more effortful, deliberate, consciously controlled and intense. Whoever has the putt to win the Ryder Cup is likely to be trying to ‘make it happen.’”

At UOW, Dr Swann is currently working on a larger study of psychological states across different sports and standards, and investigating how to help athletes and exercisers make the most of their activity by managing these states.

The research was published recently in the article, 'Psychological States underlying Excellent Performance in Professional Golfers: “Letting it Happen” vs. “Making it Happen”', in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise.