Frontal Midline Theta is a Specific Indicator of Optimal Attentional Engagement During Skilled Putting Performance

The purpose of this study was to determine whether frontal midline theta activity (Fm theta), an indicator of top-down sustained attention, can be used to distinguish an individual's best and worst golf putting performances during the pre-putt period. Eighteen golfers were recruited and asked to perform 100 putts in a self-paced simulated putting task. We then compared the Fm theta power of each individual's 15 best and worst putts. The results indicated that theta power in the frontal brain region significantly increased in both best and worst putts, compared with other midline regions. Moreover, the Fm theta power significantly decreased for the best putts compared with the worst putts. These findings suggest that Fm theta is a manifestation of sustained attention during a skilled performance and that optimal attentional engagement, as characterized by a lower Frne power, is beneficial for successful skilled performance rather than a higher Fm0 power reflecting excessive attentional control.