The aim of this study was to develop a method to quantify movement variability in the backswing and
downswing phase of the golf swing and statistically assess whether there was any relationship between
movement variability and outcome variability. Sixteen highly skilled golfers each performed 10 swings
wearing retro-reflective markers which were tracked by a three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis
system operating at 400 Hz. Ball launch conditions were captured using a launch monitor. Performance
variability was calculated for each body marker based on a scalene ellipsoid volume concept which
produced a score representative of the 3D variability over the 10 trials. Outcome variability was
quantified as the coefficient of variation of ball velocity for the 10 trials. The statistical analysis revealed
no significant correlations between performance variability for each marker trajectory and outcome
variability. Performance variability in the backswing or downswing was not related to ball velocity
variability. It was postulated that individual players used their own strategies in order to control their
performance variability, such that it had no effect on outcome variability.