The Golf Geek

In my last article I encouraged you to differentiate between your reaction and your response.

A response is measured, considered, chosen.

Reactions are…less so.

A large amount of our frustration arises from the mistaken belief that we’re doomed to repeat our reactions, over and over.

Event “X” causes reaction “Y”, always and forever…and so we’re doomed to our golfing pasts becoming the future.

But that’s not the case.

Not only do we get to choose our response…we can also learn new reactions.

And it’s not as difficult as you might think. All you need is time, and a commitment to change. Read More…

Have you ever read a book on the mental game and thought “that’s not realistic”?

It’s very easy to say  you shouldn’t get angry on the course…but much harder to do.

Even in his pomp, Tiger got mad – why else would he be one of the most fined players on tour? And Greg Norman reportedly pinched himself, hard, under his ribs after a bad shot.

It’s difficult to see this as anything other than anger.

And yet they both did pretty well  by most standards; both are multiple major winners and both were number one in the world in their day. So their anger didn’t seem to have a significant effect on their play.

But it’s different for us…isn’t it?

We’re all too familiar with the anger-induced meltdown – we’ve seen it in our playing partners, we’ve experienced it ourselves. And it doesn’t have to be the classic “club-throwing tantrum” either. That’s the most florid type of breakdown, but far more common is the quiet anger turned inwards as we get progressivley more quiet as the round progresses save for the odd angry outburst after a particularly disappointing shot.

So why does it seem to be different for the professionals?

Why can they seem to get angry, and not let it affect their game? Is it because of their superior skills, be they physical or mental game?

Or is it because they know the difference between a reaction…and a response? Read More…

Caddying is an art.

It’s so much more than knowing the yardages.

The Germans (so often the experts in finding words to say the unsayable) have a term for it: “fingerspitzengefühl”.

Literally meaning “finger tips feeling”, it’s used to denote delicacy and tact, as well as the ability to maintain an analytical awareness of an ever-changing landscape.

While the word might not be familiar to most Tour caddies, the concept is their everyday reality.

They need to know when their player needs them to shut up and hand them the club, and when they need to speak up.

Often the field medics of sports psychology, they perform running repairs on damaged psyches, and drag their players back into the present moment from both past and future.

And they’re an unimaginable luxury for most amateur golfers.

While it would be lovely to have them, few top-class caddies can be tempted at the thought of 10% of a dozen balls here and there.

But that doesn’t mean you can’t benefit from their insight. Read More…

I have a confession to make.

I haven’t been playing much golf recently.

Perhaps this isn’t as surprising as it might first appear. I’ve been working with a few players, amateur and professional, and I’m planning to expand this in the near future.

(interested? I’ll be putting out an email to those who’ve subscribed in the next couple of weeks; places are limited and subscribers will be getting first option…so why not click here to subscribe now, if you haven’t already?).

To ensure I’m giving my very best to my clients, I’m always learning…which, in addition to the demands of family and working life, means there isn’t always as much opportunity to play as I’d like.

But this might all be about to change.

My son has become obsessed with golf.

Read More…

It’s a debate which has been around as long as Tiger made it clear his goal was to exceed Jack Nicklaus.

Let’s leave the question of whether he’ll win 5 more Majors to one side for now.

Could his achievement ever be considered to be as great, or even greater?

The received wisdom is no.

The argument goes a something like this: Nicklaus won 18 Majors despite a number of talented challengers, all multiple Major winners, playing at the same time.

At the start of his career, there was Arnold Palmer, golf’s first superstar, and Gary Player. As his career developed, Lee Trevino came onto the scene, as did Tom Watson and Seve Ballesteros. Read More…