Golf Psychology Online

Some years ago I picked up a book on “The Alexander Technique” the technique takes its name from F. Matthias Alexander a 19^th century Shakespearean actor who developed vocal problems for which his physician could find no physical cause. Alexander discovered, from observing himself in multiple mirrors, that, he was needlessly stiffening his muscles in preparation to speak and this was the sole cause of his vocal problem. The book I read approached the technique very much from a thespian’s view point but I did feel there were benefits that could be applied to golf but for whatever reason I forgot about it and took it no further, until now.

Thanks to Roy Palmer’s book, “Golf Sense, Practical Tips On How To Play Golf In The Zone” I now very much understand how the technique can be applied to golf, and just about every other sport.

 

How often do we hear golf commentators use that trite statement “he just needs to stay in the present”, easy to say but one of the hardest things to do, especially when faced with an 8 foot left to right downhill slider for victory. In the work I do with players and in the workshops I present I provide tools to help quieten the mind to give people a better chance of “staying in the present” Roy’s book is crammed with practical exercises and tools to help you achieve just this state.

 

The quickest way to change how you feel is undoubtedly through the body, we really need to learn to listen to the wisdom of our bodies, Fritz Perls said “we need to stop thinking and come to our senses”. But to do this we need to tune into our body first and understand what is really going on, what we think we do and what we are actually doing are usually 2 very different things. In his book Roy provides many exercises that will allow you to become much more in tune with yourself and get you self-observing your behaviour, if you want to change your behaviour, first you must observe it. The great Australian bowler Shane Warne said that the single biggest benefit to his career from his time at the Australian Institute of Sport was learning to take control of his body language. With the tools provided in “Golf Sense” you will definitely find yourself able to take more control of yours.

 

During a round of golf you are actually playing the game for no more than 15% of the time, do you think that 85% of the time can have an influence on that 15%? Of course it can, and does, using the exercises in Roy’s book you will discover the tools to enable you to switch off and on to the moment much more easily. In 2000 having played some of the greatest golf of his career Tiger Woods said that having realised that it was not possible to concentrate for 5 hours the greatest skill he had learnt was the ability to switch off and on between shots.

 

Roy also maintains an excellent website full of useful resources articles and tips. I highly recommend this book, follow the exercises explained by Roy and you will find yourself walking taller, getting to the “zone” more often and definitely enjoying your golf a whole lot more.

 

You can find Roy’s book HERE (USA)

HERE (UK)

 

About Roy Palmer

Roy is a teacher of The Alexander Technique. He has over thirty years experience of competitive sport and has spent the last fifteen coaching golfers, tennis players, athletes, footballers and people from many sports on how to achieve a peak performance. Roy’s approach combines the mind and body using practical techniques to help players get into the right state of mind to perform at their best.

 

Tags: Golf, Golf Psychology, Golf Tips, mental game

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