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- Lou Stagner's Newsletter #107
Today’s issue is brought to you by StrackaLine Green Books:
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Weekly Quiz!
To see the correct answer, click the “CONTINUE” button at the bottom of the next page.
Good luck! 😀
From 120 to 129 yards in the fairway, a scratch player will get down in two shots about 9% of the time. What percent of the time will they get down in four or more shots from that distance in the fairway? |
Train Your Brain, Trim Your Strokes
Most golfers work tirelessly on swing mechanics, fitness, and equipment, yet the engine that coordinates every movement (your brain) often gets no scheduled practice. A peer-reviewed case study led by Dr. Leslie Sherlin with co-authors Dr. Ford, Dr. Baker, and Dr. Troesch put that oversight under a microscope. Working with sixteen Division 1 athletes on the UCLA women’s team, their group tested a structured “performance brain training” program powered by a Versus wearable EEG headset.
What the researchers did
The players were randomly split into two groups. Group 1 completed three fifteen-minute neurofeedback sessions each week for eight weeks while Group 2 practiced as usual. After the first eight-week block, the two groups switched roles. This crossover design ensured every athlete eventually served as her own control, limiting the chance that outside factors such as coaching tweaks or hot streaks could cloud the results.
What happened on the scorecard
Across the squad, greens in regulation climbed by about twelve percent and the average number of three-putts per round fell almost ten percent. Follow-up testing eight weeks after training ended showed the improvements were still there, suggesting the brain gains stick rather than fading like a quick swing tip. An athlete who had been sixth on a five-player traveling roster even posted the best individual score at the NCAA Championship once she finished the program.
How neurofeedback works
Real-time mirror: EEG sensors read the brain’s electrical patterns and feed them to a phone or tablet.
Gamified feedback: The athlete plays simple video games that move an onscreen character only when the desired brain state appears. Lose focus or spike stress and the onscreen character stops moving.
Repeat to adapt: Hundreds of short reps teach the brain to shift quickly between calm and high focus, just like a range session teaches muscle patterns.
Building a “neuro range” routine
Baseline first. Run an initial assessment to identify weaknesses such as slow stress recovery or short focus endurance.
Short but steady. Schedule two to four fifteen-minute sessions per week, the same time you might normally scroll social media.
Link it to pressure. Follow each headset session with putting drills or a money match so the trained mental state gets tied to real-world stakes.
Track your own proof. Log greens hit, three-putts, and dispersion every couple of weeks. When the numbers move, motivation follows.
Who should pay attention
Coaches and program directors: A team-wide pilot offers evidence-based gains that athletic departments can appreciate. The crossover study shows improvements appear when athletes start training and not before, a key selling point.
Competitive amateurs: If your physical fundamentals are solid but tournament scores lag practice rounds, consider shifting ten percent of practice time to neurofeedback.
Equipment enthusiasts: A sharpened mental state lets you unlock every yard your clubs are built to deliver. Brain training acts as a performance multiplier rather than a replacement for physical upgrades.
Looking ahead
Sherlin and colleagues demonstrated that structured neurofeedback can translate into measurable, lasting performance gains on the golf course. New studies are already exploring single-session tune-ups and refined EEG targets that might produce results even faster.
Remember that the most portable training aid in your bag sits between your ears. Give it a dedicated practice plan and watch the scorecard notice.
Finally...
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Have a great week!
