The effect of a client-centered approach on flow states and the performance of three elite golfers

This study examined the effect of a client-centered approach to consultancy on the performance and flow experiences of three elite golfers during golf competitions organized by the European Golf Tour. Interviews were used to explore the experiential knowledge and psychological strategies of each golfer. After gathering this information the first author applied his academic and consultancy expertise to help clients fit their psychological strategies into a preshot routine for putting, driving, iron play, chipping, and sand shots. Their performance and flow state experiences were analyzed using a single-subject, multiple baselines, across subjects design combined with a procedure to monitor clients’ internal experience (Wollman, 1986). The results indicated that all three clients improved their mean stroke average and increased their mean flow scores from baseline to intervention. There were a few overlapping data points between baseline and intervention conditions for the performance scores. The qualitative data provides an insight into how elite golfers use their psychological skills to control psychological states such as flow and enhance performance.

This study examined the effect of a client-centered approach to consultancy on the
performance and flow experiences of three elite golfers during golf competitions
organized by the European Golf Tour. Interviews were used to explore the experiential
knowledge and psychological strategies of each golfer. After gathering this
information the first author applied his academic and consultancy expertise to help
clients fit their psychological strategies into a preshot routine for putting, driving,
iron play, chipping, and sand shots. Their performance and flow state experiences
were analyzed using a single-subject, multiple baselines, across subjects design
combined with a procedure to monitor clients’ internal experience (Wollman,
1986). The results indicated that all three clients improved their mean stroke
average and increased their mean flow scores from baseline to intervention. There
were a few overlapping data points between baseline and intervention conditions
for the performance scores. The qualitative data provides an insight into how elite
golfers use their psychological skills to control psychological states such as flow
and enhance performance.