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!