The psychology of Golf

It has been suggested many times that golf is a mental game, especially once you have the basic techniques under your belt. Your body knows how to make the perfect shot, you have made a few of those already, but your mind is what stops you from repeating this time after time.

Psychologist Joan Arehart-Treichel addresses the phenomenon in detail in her article published by Psychiatric News.

Some Golfers Find Analysis Par for the Course -- Arehart-Treichel 40 (5): 21 -- Psychiatric News

Golf is an effort to master one's environment, Katz reported. The drive to master one's environment is fundamental to building an ego. Therefore, a big part of one's self-respect is involved in playing golf.

Emotional equilibrium is also crucial for the game, Lebovitz pointed out. Thus, when psychological issues intrude on one's golf game, they can really mess it up, several anecdotes reported during the session revealed.

One concerned a high school student, "Jim." He was anxious about his putting ability and wanted to quit playing golf. During analysis, Jim revealed that his father wanted him to go to college on a golf scholarship, yet he did not want to do so and feared telling his father that. His conflict over the matter was interfering with his golf game.

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