Sports psychologist, John Mathers, who assessed the performance of elite golfers in a series of experiments, discovered that missing a putt under stress conditions was more likely to result from an error in green reading or commitment to the putt, than a breakdown in stroke technique.

Mr Mathers said: "Most golfers find that they tend to putt more poorly under the stress conditions associated with a tournament. However many players don't seem know where they are going wrong. We found that it was the decision-making abilities, rather than the stroke technique, that deteriorated under pressure. Stressful situations seemed to cloud their judgement about the best line to choose and force to apply to the ball for a given distance of putt."

The answer to improving your putting skill under pressure, could therefore lie in practicing stress reduction and focusing techniques rather than practising the technical elements of your putting stroke.

Mr Mathers added: "Mental skills training, where players are taught to control their thoughts, could be the answer. We have thought this for a long time, but this is the first time we have had significant scientific evidence to support the case."