Functional Link between Cognition and Action: Differences in Golf Putting Performance according to Cognitive Performance in Working Memory

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the functional relationship between cognitive performance and actual performance by analyzing the difference in accuracy and consistency of golf putting according to cognitive ability in working memory. Methods: A total of 20 male college students and 10 female college students, who had never received golf putting training before, participated in the experiment. We first measured the participants’ cognitive performance in working memory for golf putting using a program (MCM; Movement Cognition Measurement) that was developed for the purpose of the study. Based on the measured results, the groups were classified into top 15 participants with high cognitive performance and 15 participants with relatively low cognitive performance. All participants performed 30 putts, 10 times each at distances of 1m, 2m, and 3m, respectively. The measured data were converted into radial and variable error values to analyze the accuracy and consistency of putting performance. In addition, the correlation between the accuracy of cognitive performance and putting performance was analyzed. Results: It was revealed that the group with high cognitive performance in working memory showed significantly higher accuracy and consistency of actual putting performance than the group with low cognitive performance. In addition, there was a significant positive correlation between cognitive performance in working memory and actual putting performance. Conclusion: These results suggest that cognitive performance in working memory can have a positive effect on actual performance, and that as cognitive performance improves, actual performance can also improve. Taken together, the results of this study show that cognitive ability in working memory and actual performance are functionally linked, suggesting that cognitive ability can contribute to the improvement of skill performance.