Golf as a Game of Passion

WOW! What a Soldheim Cup of golfing passion. Just a week following Y.E. Yang's thrilling triumph at the Players Championship, we get treated to yet another display of skilled professionals letting out all their emotional investments in a hotly fought golf spectacle.

I thought golf was supposed to be played in a calm and distraction free environment? ( The above picture is of the first fairway on a n ideally quiet and serene afternoon at the Richmond Golf Club in the SF Bay Area.)

Perhaps not! This summer's tournaments have begged many questions; Can you play golf well in an adrenaline packed, emotionally pitched manner? How do you stay balanced when all your feeling sensations are running rampant through your mind and body? How can you perform with a focused serenity if the surrounding landscape is constantly erupting in spontaneous noise swings from the roars of excitement to the groans of disappointment? And if so, then how do they do it?!

These tournaments have offered a wonderfully fun and vivid stage for learning. Playing golf will provide continual challenges to our skills at managing our passions and our capabilities when there is a lot at stake. Whether in a board room or a family crisis, how we handle our temperament without losing our ideals and intent is critical not only to our success, but to our long-term satisfaction as well.

Golf is often recognized as a difficult mental sport, not just because it requires a multitude of decisions to be made before every swing, but primarily because you are constantly challenged to negotiate through a mine field (read; "mind field")of potentially ruinous distractions.

The value of of a strong, reliable mental game cannot be under appreciated. Practicing, establishing and developing mental toughness is crucial, but at the same time, learning how to be natural, authentic and free in your demeanor and attitude is equally essential to your success.

These last weeks of golf have provided brilliant examples of dedicated professionals that allowed themselves to pursue their dreams while putting their passions out on the line for all the world to see, judge and remember. What can you take from their performance that will enhance your ability to play at your best? While playing a competitive round, what are your most common challenges to maintaining focus and playing with enthusiasm?

This weekend might be the next, best chance you have. Will you be willing to play with passion and pride and still remember to breathe while you stand over that four footer for par?

KARN, FM 102.9 Fairways and Greens

This last Saturday morning, May 9th, I had the chance to participate in the new Fairways and Greens talk radio program broadcast on FM 102.9 KARN, out of Little Rock, Arkansas. My kudos to Bob Steel and his colleagues for producing a topic packed show dedicated to all the listeners on their way to the golf course on a Saturday morning. (Forty-seven percent of their listeners are golfers!)

My only regret is that there wasn’t enough time. I can now understand why people get trained to deliver sound bites for rapidly sequenced interview questions. Eight minutes isn’t very much time to respond to five questions about the mental game. Libraries are full of books with specific responses to these questions. Coaches take years to counsel their clients in the practical integration of these ideas.

I loved the experience, but thank goodness for the blogosphere! Now, let me step outside of the quick, concise response format and respond with some distinctions.

“Can everyone master their mental game?”

Of course! If you have a mind, then you can learn to use it. But, (and this is a big “but”) mastery of anything is a lifelong pursuit taking dedicated work, great patience and lots of practice. For example, rather than just reacting to all the thoughts in your head, become the author of the thoughts and learn to write your own dialogue.

“How does golf’s mental game relate to the business world?”

Simple. To be consistently successful in golf, you must master the elements of basic business skills; commitment, vision and intention, clarity of focus, certainty of resolve, completing with the past, holding a healthy relationship with results and enjoying the dynamic between prudent risk and creativity.

“How does the mental game help get you back on track after starting a downward trend?”

First of all, understand that “trends” aren’t real. Your game doesn’t go downward or upward. These are concepts. They exist only in our brain’s understanding of what it sees. So, there is no “downward trend” to reverse. The golf ball you are about to hit has no power to change a “trend.” It can only go where you hit it, now!

An important distinction of the mental game is living in the present moment, maintaining a fresh outlook about life in “real” time. In this moment, anything is possible and the past has no bearing on the future, except as a perspective for learning.

"What is a mental game tip you could use out on the course, during a round of golf?

Breathe! This doesn't sound very mental, but the simple act of breathing can be a very mindful act. The practice of deep breathing not only relaxes the physical body, but it allows the heart and brain to be working in sync with each other, creating an optimal opportunity for inspired reflection, ie; "how do I want to play my next shot?"

“What do mean when you say that the heart, the gut and the head each have their own unique voices?”

Remember the last time you stood over a putt with money on the line on a lightning fast green with a particularly severe slope; knees weak, stomach uneasy, hands sweating, heart racing, breathing shallow and the noises in your head confused and relentless?

Our bodies have three distinctly powerful nerve centers; gut (solar plexus) heart and brain. Our bodies have primal reactions to signs of pain or danger, instinctively and immediately in our guts. Our hearts have the unique ability to respond to pleasure, gratitude and joy. The brain is specifically designed to interpret, manage and store all neural signals from our experience. Simply put, the gut reacts, the heart inspires, the head stores and processes information.

Five questions, five responses and under eight minutes to read, I wonder why it was so challenging on the air? I now have a whole new appreciation for the talking-heads and their talk show soundbites. I guess I would be well advised to quickly schedule a session with a savvy media trainer! I am on my way to the phone book!

Mainstreaming Mastery in the N.Y.Times

Take the mystery out of mastery. Read the New York Times! No longer a fringe, psycho-babble, self-help panacea for all ills, real or imagined, training your brain has gone mainstream. What better public advocate than the sensible, pragmatic and recently retired golfing superstar, Annika Sorenstam? Got a minute? Find the April 13th edition of the online N.Y.Times and check out the article by Bill Pennington on a day spent with Sorenstam.

The key to Annika's teaching method is her dedication to practice, discipline and more practice. But, along with this storied regimen, she adds a cautionary respect for the mind's power to either interfere or enhance the ability of the body to perform, especially under stress. Annika spent many years training under the influence of Lynn Marriott and Pia Nilsson, both leading golf teachers who emphasize the heart, body, mind connection. Sorenstam clearly trusts the innate talents of most players to find ways to excel that are simple and natural.

In her session with Bill Pennington, she guides his learning with the exhortations, "Keep it simple!" "Believe in yourself! "Make it easy!" Watch the video; Pennington, playing the struggling stooge, thinks and thinks and thinks. Annika, the master, simply asks for trust.

Easier said, than done? Not, really. Based on her coaching, Annika must be a proponent of trusting one's "natural knowing." Trusting and becoming increasingly more familiar with that inner capability which is innate and constant. To improve our games, most of us usually rely on the analytical process of our thinking and understanding. Trusting our intuitive powers requires a greater willingness to risk playing outside of the logic of our mind. This is one of golf's intrinsic challenges, balancing the often opposing strengths of our minds, logic and intuition.

This "inner strength" can't be taught, only discovered and realized by each player, as if on a personal quest. Annika's method seems to reinforce the opportunities for each player to bring forth talent that can be relied on, if and only when, it is trusted. "Enjoy the game" and "enjoy the chance to play" are ways to encourage a sense of freedom. The resulting calm and "aliveness" that comes instinctively will enable you to find a greater inner strength. Combine this strength with a determined practice routine and increased understanding of the game, but always rely on what you trust within. To paraphrase Annika, "train your brain to free your mind."

Golf Diet for Champions

Competition is the protein of the improvement diet, providing essential elements for building and sustaining strength. As with any diet, balance is advised. Practice and coaching, study and play are essential for gaining golf competence as well. If our goal is to develop the confidence and consistency that becomes second nature under pressure, then we must routinely submit ourselves to the particular pressures of competition.

Find a competition that intensifies the pressures on your mind. Any sort of pressure might work. For example, I might feel a heightened sense of tension, just because I have put a lot of money on the game. The risk of losing money, creates the feelings of anxiety. I might be more distracted if I am playing with significantly better players, my self image or status in others' eyes now being at risk. Perhaps my goal for the year is to win the Club Championship, then entering this tournament will most certainly invite more pressure. In a tournament situation, all my dedication to improvement will be exposed as either successful or a failure, as I subject my skills to the test.

Competitions are particularly useful because they exist outside of our control. Most of our practice routines comply to our needs and comforts. Routines, by nature, become safe and manageable, so tournaments will require that we extend ourselves outside of our comfort zone. In doing so, we must rely on the skills that have matured and integrated themselves, emotionally and physically. Under pressure, executing these skills deepens our trust and confidence. Performance failures always allow for heightened learning opportunities for the future. Both results will accelerate the development of competency.

In another lifetime, I had a career as an opera singer. This pursuit demanded many long hours of practice in studios, far from public hearing. Skills were developed, mistakes were made, in private, with little risk of embarrassment. But, all the practice would inevitably be tested by performing before the public. This almost always exposed any anxiety or lack of confidence lurking under the surface. The freedom to sing an aria without tension is similar to the freedom to swing a golf club, without tension. Both challenge your freedom to focus on the moment, with clarity, confidence and passion.

Most clubs, men's or women's groups, regional tournament organizers offer innumerable competitions throughout the year, offer scheduled events that will give you a chance to experience the unique challenges of competitive play. Practice hard. Enjoy getting better. True improvement will become more enduring when you submit yourself to the challenges of a competition where you will either win or lose something worth the effort.

Playing the Game vs. Practicing the Game?

Welcome to my life! As a newly obsessed golfing beginner (definition of a beginner - someone who did not start playing when they were a kid) inconsistency seems to be the defining character of my game. On a typical day, I will smack a 3 wood straight down the fairway 250 yards. Then, on the next dogleg, I'll pull hook the ball as if I had never had a swing lesson. Aiheee!

This is just a phase, right? The learning curve will flatten my golf game to a blissful predictability, right?

The Learning Curve of Golf - learning and improving is an essential part of the game. But, you can always get better. Getting better is addictive and can lead to a passionate obsessiveness, because the better we get, the better we want to get. There is never an end to "getting better." Because we are never really satisfied for very long, "getting better," is a driving motivator for serious players.

The learning curve roller coaster is one of the intrinsic challenges of golf. It is most obvious in my game when I get better because I eagerly try new shots that are not in my skill set and I consequently play worse, IE; make more mistakes, score higher. This has the immediate effect of driving me to yet another practice round.

Herein lies another one of the traps of the learning curve. It is very difficult to play a round of golf and not try to improve on every shot. This is not a bad intent, but it really changes the game. It quickly turns a game into a practice round as opposed to a "lowest score" game. The drive to get better can easily run contrary to the hopes to score low. And, if you 're not careful, you play most of the round in the "in-between zone," wondering why you are so frustrated and unfulfilled.

Thank goodness for the 19th Hole! Managing my reactions to the encouragements and disappointments of playing in the learning zone requires an ample supply of patience and forgiveness. And, sometimes that cold beer just tastes sooo good.

Accenture High Performance Delivered by a Tiger

I must admit, I know really nothing about Accenture. I don't know what they do, where they do business, who they serve, nada. But, what I do know is that they recognize character when they see it and have captured it beautifully with their Tiger Woods campaign.

They have connected Tiger and Accenture in a powerful and impressive fashion. You can't open a Wall Street Journal or a New York Times without seeing one of their full page ads. Walk through any international airport and you will see several large illuminated plasma screens with striking pictures of Tiger in some golfing situational predicament. They have the Tiger's tail and are wisely making the most of the ride.

Obviously, Tiger's image is worth plenty, (they must be paying dearly) but, what is most impressive about Accenture's strategy is that they have brilliantly used Tiger's famous mental character to define the company's business essence.

(PICTURE) Tiger, hands on hips, deep in thought, standing in waist high grass considering his next move
(CAPTION) "It's not a setback. It's a test."
What do we know? Accenture is all about the challenge and the "can do" spirit to handle any difficulty.

(PICTURE) Tiger standing with one leg on a rock, the other in the pond, tree to his right and trees over the ball
(CAPTION) "Attitude 50%; Aptitude 50%"
What do we know? Nothing is impossible. Accenture has the confidence to risk and the strengths to succeed.

(PICTURE) Tiger holding U.S. Open trophy for all to see, big smile, red shirt
(CAPTION) "Outperforms Competitors: 49%; Outperforms Self: 51%
What do we know? Accenture knows how to compete, loves the "game" and will never rest on its laurels.

Whether or not you ever do business with the Accenture people, you can at least make use of their clear and insightful descriptions of what it takes to succeed in the world. Personally, I wish Tiger all the good fortune he has earned. He may be one of the clearest examples of the character of extraordinary success. Yet, beyond the silvery celebrity of his image, all of us can grasp the simple elements of character that can brighten our own lives and perhaps, our golf games.

Happy New Year! Every Stroke!

OK. Now that you have enough time to digest the Holiday's indulgences, it is a perfect time to talk "turkey" about one of the great and greatly abused traditions of the New Year period, New Year's Resolutions. Here's my new resolution; write shorter blog posts! We'll see how long that lasts!

Honestly, how long does your usual new year's resolution last? A couple of weeks, maybe a couple of months? After a few decades of obligatory pretending, you've probably just given up the practice. Right? Well, maybe it is time to reconsider the merits of long standing tradition. There must be some practical value?! For the sake of this blog site, let's start with something simple, like your golf game!

Without delving into the psycho-phenomenology of the golf swing, it is sufficient to examine the simple act of letting go of the past and starting all over again as a basic element in playing golf well. Most great golfers have learned the skill of letting go of their last shots. A basic "golf for success" rule: Let go of your last shot!

The reasons for this are easy to understand. Carrying "energy baggage" (mental, physical or emotional) into the future will only obstruct the chances of something truly new and possibly exceptional, to occur. Have you ever tried to start an intimate relationship with someone new before you had actually completed on the mess of the last one? It takes a lot of extra work. Or perhaps your last missed putt nags your mood all the way onto the next green as you tried to calmly focus on making the next new putt. It is tough to accomplish.

New Year's Resolutions were invented to offer a socially and chronologically convenient opportunity for us to make peace with the past. It is a ritualized chance to say goodbye, declare completion and let go! When we clear the past, it is much easier for us to be genuinely enthusiastic about the next new chance.

Imagine starting every new round with a clear, clean conviction of intent? How extraordinary would it be if you could play the game and make little declarations of freedom, optimism and intent throughout your entire round? Every shot becomes a new chance. Next time you are out on the course, try it. Only now, we'll refer to this process as a "New Shot Resolution".