Comments on: What is the Worst “Lie” in Golf? http://thementalgolfpsychologyreview.com/mental-golf-reviews/what-is-the-worst-%e2%80%9clie%e2%80%9d-in-golf/ A discovery of many insightful sports psychology and cognitive golf preparedness programs offered today, along with many mind awareness and increased swing performance concepts. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:39:41 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Ray Mulry, Ph.D. http://thementalgolfpsychologyreview.com/mental-golf-reviews/what-is-the-worst-%e2%80%9clie%e2%80%9d-in-golf/comment-page-1/#comment-43 Ray Mulry, Ph.D. Fri, 04 Sep 2009 20:39:41 +0000 http://thementalgolfpsychologyreview.com/?p=141#comment-43 I very much agree with your emphasis on the importance of self-defined goals and would only add, the behavorial skills required for achievement of these goals. My own background in Cognitive Behavioral Psychology and specifically Rotter's Social Learning Theory (e.g., the first cognitive behavioral psychological model) emphasizes goal directed behaviors and their specific relation to specific reinforcements. Example: If the reinforcement you seek is breaking 80, you need the skills required for this, contrasted with skills required for breaking 100. Golf is mostly a game, but one reflecting stylistic and personal approaches to challenge, on and off the course. The personal skills applied in golf (i.e., dealing with frustration, breathing, tension management, etc.) all bear directly on how we deal with stress and conflict off the course. As a Clinical and Sport Psychologist, I have always emphasized sports as tools for personal progress over "winning within competitive environments". At the risk of promoting my own work, I have dealt with most of these subjects in my book Teeing Off With The Masters: A Sport Psychology Novel, and would very much welcome your feedback. Best regards, Ray I very much agree with your emphasis on the importance of self-defined goals and would only add, the behavorial skills required for achievement of these goals.

My own background in Cognitive Behavioral Psychology and specifically Rotter’s Social Learning Theory (e.g., the first cognitive behavioral psychological model) emphasizes goal directed behaviors and their specific relation to specific reinforcements. Example: If the reinforcement you seek is breaking 80, you need the skills required for this, contrasted with skills required for breaking 100.

Golf is mostly a game, but one reflecting stylistic and personal approaches to challenge, on and off the course. The personal skills applied in golf (i.e., dealing with frustration, breathing, tension management, etc.) all bear directly on how we deal with stress and conflict off the course. As a Clinical and Sport Psychologist, I have always emphasized sports as tools for personal progress over “winning within competitive environments”.

At the risk of promoting my own work, I have dealt with most of these subjects in my book Teeing Off With The Masters: A Sport Psychology Novel, and would very much welcome your feedback.

Best regards,

Ray

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