The Mental (and Emotional Game) of Golf
They say God is happiest when His children are at play
…..The Legend of Bagger Vance
This paper, presented by Dr. Mary E. Lowther at the 2005 NET Conference in San Diego, CA, introduces the concept of working with athletes using NET. Most athletes or sport enthusiasts wish to improve the chosen sport, perhaps performing better or enjoying it more.
After a series of NET sessions, a client asked the question: “Do you work with golfers? Golf is such a mental game”. I wasn’t a golfer at the time and questioned if I really could understand the mental game. This project has taken me down a wonderful path…now I am an affirmed golfer.
How you play golf (sports) is how you play life. How you play life is how you play golf (sports). Because the game of golf is like the game of life, golf was chosen to be the subject of study.
Background: According to Dr. Jeffry Blanchard, “there are now over 25 million people playing more than 500 million rounds of golf each year in the United States. When you compare the number of men, women and children who play golf to the U.S. population, you realize that “10 percent of your patients are probably golfers.” He goes on to say: “Golf provides an unprecedented opportunity to grow your practice. Golfers are becoming injured in epidemic proportions. A review of the medical literature reveals that 50 percent of golfers suffer from back pain and other injuries related to swinging golf clubs for hours on end. On a professional level, 30 percent of the tour pros play injured each week. The traditional medical model of rest and medication for relief of pain does not bode well for the injured golfer. Golfers are a fanatic bunch of enthusiasts who are determined to keep playing, despite how they feel. Golfers are looking for qualified specialists who understand golf and know how to help golfers feel better and play better. “(Dynamic Chiropractic, Vol. 22, No. 16, p.14)
Golf is a fascinating research subject. For example, a team of Mayo Clinic experts at the Sports Medicine Center specializing in sports medicine, neurology, sports psychology, and kinesiology, conducted a study in 2003 focusing on just one of the dysfunctions affecting the golfer, the YIPS. After intense study, Mayo found the Yips (uncontrollable movements during putting) exist on a continuum. Focal dystonia is at one end of the continuum and performance anxiety at the other end. The Yips affect between one-fourth and one-half of all mature golfers (Smith et al. 2000). This particular study focuses on anxiety and neuromuscular movement disorders that have wide application to other sports. Lead researcher, Dr. Charles Adler of the Mayo Clinic in
We can do better.
SUMMARY OF THE NET PROCEDURE:
This procedure will allow the NET practitioner to defrag the unconscious human computer of NEC’s, using the patient/client’s sports and pastimes, as an entry point.
Background: Seven golfers were poised in areas of golf concerns, with their golf equipment, and on the golf course. Utilizing Dr. David W. Hoover’s “Tool Time” (Eagles 2000, p. 65), golfers were poised using “tools used in our daily lives“ (in this case, golf ball, score card, golf clubs, etc.) as the entry point, then using standard NET to clear. Also using Dr. Teshna Beaulieu’s work, “Patient Initiated Range of Motion” (Eagles, 2000, p. 1, patient’s initiated a range of motion of an injured joint as an entry point), golfers swung their golf clubs, driving and putting golf balls at the golf course. When the active golf swing or putt showed an entry point, the golfers were poised and cleared, using standard NET. Another valuable technique chosen to balance fundamental energies of the golfer was “The Yin and Yang of It” by Dr. Michael J. Kudlas (Eagles 2000, p. 78). Dr. Kudlas uses Yin/Yang points located medial to the acetabulum bilaterally to elicit an emotional correlation. For the left sided, female YIN, concepts such as: “receptive, allowing, not protecting oneself, surrendering, frozen, etc.” are used to find any weakness. For the right sided, male YANG, concepts such as: “pushy, unyielding, pointed, armored, stiff, etc.” are used. The weakness is then cleared with standard NEAT protocol.
Inside each and everyone of us is one true authentic swing, something we were born with, something that is ours and our alone, something that can’t be taught to you or learned….it is something to be remembered. Over time the world can rob us of that swing, it gets buried inside us….with all our wouldas, couldas, and shouldas, some folks even forget what their swing was like. Now is the time to remember your swing.
Settle yourself and remember…..The Legend of Bagger Vance
RESULTS AND RESULTS USING THIS PROCEDURE:
Discover how to stop thinking without falling asleep.
…The Legend of Bagger Vance
This study shows NET increases enjoyment of the game of golf and decreases golf handicap. It can be applied to any sport or hobby. To qualify, the golfer had to meet certain criteria: have an established handicap, play golf frequently (3 to 4 times per month for 9 months out of the year), report average strokes over last 10 games, consider golf a passion, and be unfamiliar with NET.
Paperwork was filled out prior to the Unconscious Golf Seminar (a 2 hour seminar designed to introduce golfers to the research project, NET, and an invitation to participate), including a Personal Golf Assessment. Before the first individual NET session, qualified golfers filled out other paperwork, including “The 8 Traits of Champion Golfers” (Graham). The interviewer asked: ”How would you like your golf game (your life) to be?“ which identified areas of personal concern. This was recorded in the client’s personal journal. The journal is used to keep track of the multi-layers of an NEC for client review and homework suggestions. This is the client’s property and the client was expected to bring it to each session. Seven “avid” golfers were poised for 6 one hour sessions, three sessions in office and three on the driving range or golf course. Six golfers returned paperwork, with one golfer being disqualified because of false information. The Post NET paperwork included current handicap, average strokes of 10 rounds following the last NET session, and personal comments.
Golfers showed an improvement by decreasing their handicap 2 to 3 strokes. All golfers reported enjoying the game more. Out of 6 golfers, one did not improve. She reported the same statistics, even though this particular golfer continued to take weekly golf lessons from a golf professional during the 7 month study, besides doing NET. She reported “the work we did was helpful for relaxation and peace of mind all around.”
A client, who went through the entire process including 6 NET sessions, later admitted she had told some untruths, and was disqualified from the study. She did not meet the qualifications because she did not have a predetermined handicap and had not keep track of her last 10 game scores as required to participate in the golf study. She spoke of her “desperation” to be in the study, expressing that she “knew” this was part of her healing process. This 49 y/o female had been playing golf for 3 years and had undergone 5 major surgeries during that same time, including a double mastectomy, a hysterectomy, and unsuccessful breast reconstructions. She went on sabbatical from her job as a junior high school band director with 25 years of experience to heal her traumas by pursuing her golf passion. As a child she had experienced physical, sexual, and emotional abuse from several male family members. She would experience severe panic attacks when going to the golf course and then could only play golf with her golf instructor. Emails after her 6 NET Golf sessions include the following excerpts:
Yesterday I played with a confidence and calm I have never experienced. I was in the moment... Halleluiah! Golf is becoming peaceful in my mind …more days of goodness. I am playing my trumpet in church again too.....My last score was 102, can you believe from 152 when I played with you! Wow! New clubs and a better attitude.
I truly was amazed at how much my playing was affected by my self talk. I had no idea how much mental clutter was affecting my golf game. I am much more confident and am really enjoying the game.
The rhythm of the game is like the rhythm of life.
…The Legend of Bagger Vance
Athletes and sports enthusiasts can expect to enjoy the chosen sport with greater confidence and relaxation. If your client has lost zeal for their chosen sport or hobby, due to pain or mental processes, correct the NEC’s then watch them approach their sport/hobby with new passion, fervor, fire, eagerness, and appreciation.
RESOURCES:
Jeffry Blanchard, DC
Encinitas, California
jeff@DoctorForGolf.com
DoctorForGolf.com
Graham, Deborah, Stabler, Jon, Eight Traits of Champion Golfers, Simon & Schuster, 1999
Chopra, Deepak, Golf for Enlightenment, Harmony Books, 2003
Movie: The Legend of Bagger Vance, DreamWorks
Smith AM, Malo SA, Laskowski ER, Sabick M, Cooney III WP, et al. (2000). A multidisciplinary study of the yips phenomenon in golf: an exploratory analysis. Sports Medicine 30(6): 423-437 (Abstract)
Health & Medical News, www.abc.net.au (4/18/05)
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My personal thanks to:
Dr. Dan Monti for his encouragement and expertise.
Dr. Marc Marchese, Department of Human Resources Management, King's college, Wilkes-Barre, PA for his help and expertise in designing the tool "Personal Golf Assessment".