Effects of EEG Biofeedback on Golf Putting

Although there is research demonstrating that EEG biofeedback training (EBFT) can be used to train brain activity frequency, currently, there is little research showing that EBFT can be used to moderate sport performance. In related research, action imagination has been demonstrated to moderate brain activity frequency, with imagination causing a suppression of mu rhythm, and an improvement in performance. Using the link between brain moderation and performance increase from the literature of action imagination use, we tested the hypothesis that changes in mu rhythm caused by EBFT may improve golf putting performance. Twelve right handed male golf players, with a handicap of 18 and below participated to the experiment. Golf putting performance was measured using an ultra-sound measurement tool (SAM Putt Lab). Participants performed golf putts to a hole 3.1m from a starting position, for two sessions, pre- and post- the EBFT. For each session, the player performed 5 practice putts, followed by 2 sets of 10 putts recorded by the SAM Putt Lab, with a break of 2 minutes between the practice and the sets. After each session, motor imagery was assessed using the Motor Imagery Questionnaire-Revised (MIQ-R). The EBFT consisted of participant’s doing two different tasks, where the participant controlled a Pac-man or a music player by reducing mu rhythms in the brain under bilateral electrodes sited at C3 and C4. Comparison between Mu rhythms during EBFT and pre-EBFT showed that only 8 participants managed to reduce their Mu rhythms during EBFT, whereas 4 participants showed no reduction. We then split the players into two groups (mu rhythms reduction versus mu augmentation) and data were analyzed using either Mann-Whitney test or a mixed method ANOVA, comparing golf putting performance post- compared to pre-EBFT, and testing differences in the two groups. Results showed significant differences between the two groups for the face at impact and face rotation consistency performance. For the first time, this provides evidence that Mu rhythms might be linked to consistency in sports performance. We then discuss the results, and present some limitations of the study. In particular, we propose that visual-motor imagery might act as a predictor of subjects’ abilities to modulate Mu rhythms.