ABSTRACT
This study sought to gain a preliminary descriptive analysis of a small group (n = 16) of elite European Ladies Tour Professionals conducted during the week of the McDonalds Championship of European, at Gleneagles GC. The focus was on putting routines and performance on a competition putting green. Non pressured practice and pressured conditions were created through manipulation of information to the participants and comparisons between the conditions on performance success, confidence, evaluation, routine and heart rate were made. A second aim was to compare the most successful (ultra elite) with relatively less successful (elite) performers in an attempt to identify discriminating factors in putting performance. The results confirmed that professional women golfers have highly structured and consistent pre putting behaviours with a tendency to perform better under pressured conditions. Some differences emerged between the two groups indicating the superiority of the ultra elite performers, even in manufactured conditions.
