Aug 17 2006
Does your Golf Game have you feeling “Bearish?”
If you’ve been to our home page, you’ve probably seen our friend “Backkom Bear.” If you know this bear’s history, you know that he has a way of making things more difficult than they need to be — oftentimes even down right painful. But what that bear doesn’t know is that there is a cost for each of those outbursts, and perhaps an even bigger toll for other emotions which aren’t expressed. If you, or someone you know (wink, wink…), has a tendency to throw things, hit things other than golf balls with golf clubs, kick, scream, or otherwise throw tantrums on the golf course — even justifiable tantrums like Backkom Bear’s — then a slightly more “enlightened” approach will not only lower your score dramatically, but may even save your life.
The American Medical Association (AMA) has estimated that perhaps 95% percent of all visits to the doctor’s office are due to stress-related complaints. So where does the stress come from? The fact is that if you are angry, frustrated, or experiencing any uncomfortable or negative emotional state, you are experiencing some version of the stress response. When things don’t go the way we want or need them to go, it is a natural part of our being (specifically, our brain and nervous system…) to “sound the alarm” and get our bodies ready to respond or run away — this is why the stress response is sometimes called the “fight-or-flight” response. The feelings and emotions you experience during stress are signals for you to change something, or change the way you are viewing and experiencing something.
The signals are uncomfortable, distracting, and even painful, because they demand immediate attention. Continuing to allow a game, such as golf, to elevate your blood pressure and stress hormone levels is without a doubt a very dumb thing — the kind of thing that will not only shorten your life, but will diminish the quality of your remaining years with health problems and a poor temperament. Don’t fool yourself; anger does not help you focus, or concentrate — it actually makes those things very difficult. If you are not in control of your emotions, you are not in control of anything — especially your health and performance both on the course and off. Stress is a killer; and if you are smart, you will learn to recognize emotional outbursts as life-diminishing events (as well as performance-crushers!) and take definitive steps to avoid them altogether. It isn’t your fault you get stressed out; everyone does. But if you want something more, or better, for yourself, your golf game, or your life, you must take steps to learn how to recognize and release stress — not just cope with it. Coping with stress only leads to bigger problems later.
Learn to relax; learn some form of stress management or relaxation technique and use it when you see the warning signs — cussing, kicking, screaming, throwing, biting, etc. Stress is a known causative factor of practically every known disease process and illness; it is also the cause of the “Yips,” “E.D.,” and other performance-related difficulties. (That’s right, America! For those of you who were paying attention, Enlightened Golf can even improve your marriage!) Learning emotional self-management on the golf course can improve every area of your life; being in control of your emotions is the key to any kind of long-term success.
Performance anxiety affects everyone; some people, however, have tools to help them overcome the affects of anxiety and stress. You can go to the Enlightened Golf home page and sign-up for a free e-book and sports hypnosis audio. Listening to the audio program will teach you how to relax. Just remember how it feels to relax, and what you are thinking to feel that way. Then, next time you are stressed, remember the feeling of being relaxed and in control. Think the same thoughts you used to relax, and as long as you don’t let your attention return to the original stressful thoughts, you will remain relaxed and stress-free.
Stress is no joke; but it is easy to recognize and manage with the right tools and knowledge. Don’t underestimate the cost of emotional stress not only in your golf game, but in all areas of your life — especially your health and happiness. Check the Enlightened Golf site regularly for more tips on mastering your emotions and the mental game of golf and life.
Pete Koerner, Sports Performance Consultant