The Hot Hand, Competitive Experience, and Performance Differences by Gender

Abstract

Using data on junior golf tournaments, we find evidence that the "hot hand" does exist, and that its prevalence decreases as golfers gain experience. This provides an explanation as to why studies that consider professional athletes conclude that the hot hand does not exist. We also show that females are much more likely to experience the hot hand compared with similar males, and provide evidence that this disparity is driven by differences in competitive experience. As golfers' experience increases, gender dissimilarities disappear. We argue that exposure to competition may also drive other gender differences identified in competitive environments.

Keywords: gender, hot hand, competition

JEL Classification: J16, J7