by Donna Davidge

Last week a student who regularly attends my hatha yoga class came in saying he was particularly sore. It turns ut he had just played tennis for the first time in a long while and was feeling the effects. He said he really needed the yoga class.

Most athletes have heard of the benefits of pre and post stretching exercises though there is some debate as to the benefits of it. In this day and age many people are practicing yoga as their only exercise or as an adjunct to other exercises. Kareem Abdul Jabar was ahead of his time, doing yoga over twenty five years ago and attesting to the fact that it warded off injury, which many of his other colleagues sustained. Both tennis and basketball have the shorter more rapid exertions of muscular energy combined with some longer running. Though it is not actually distant running, the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles definitely happens with this kind of activity. Yoga stretching can counter that effect and also allow you to be more agile on the court.

Let’s look at some yoga postures that might benefit your tennis game. Tennis is known for the condition called “tennis elbow” so any stretches that benefit the shoulders are a good place to start. When shoulders are more flexible then the lesser joints, the wrist and elbow, are less likely to be injured. At the same time you would want to strengthen the shoulder and supporing muscles, which is where the arm balances, which begin in yoga with the basic down dog position, also help. The great thing about yoga is that it is about balance, which means both strength and flexibility. Also the ability to move with your feet firmly grounded can benefit from standing poses such as the warrior, which also stretches the shoulders. Actual balancing poses, such as tree, can keep you from tripping up on the court. Twists are another aspect of yoga that could greatly improve the movements required in tennis. Twists can be practiced from a seated position as well as a standing or kneeling one. They should be rotated from the waist, not the lower back, and standing  or kneeling one. They should be rotated from the waist, and lower lower back, and create a nice stretching of the ribcage that allows the intercostal muscles to stretch. It is always good to have intial instruction from a qualified instructor to make sure you are doing the poses correctly.

The ribcage is also an important thing to look at in terms of breath. Many athletes breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth, working primarily the lungs. Yoga breathing, which takes time and practice, can allow for deeper breathing, expanded lung capacity and oxygenation of the blood. Yoga breathing is not a chest breath but rather a breath that starts in the bottom of the torso, breathing in deeply through the nose, and expands the breath upwards towards the thoracic region, creating an empowered beath in the belly and chest. This deep breath can put more power behind your punch in hitting the ball.

Yoga is defined as the union of mind, body and breath so the meditative aspect of yoga cannot be overlooked in improving any athletic’s focus. Off the court simple one pointed meditations, focusing on an object as simple as a candle flame, or focusing on the breath or even a sound (silently or outloud) are all techniques used in yoga to improve our focus and train the mind to do less wandering.

I asked the student if he had been playing singles, as he sounded like it was pretty intense, and he said no, it was doubles that they were all over the court. So no matter what your level or type of tennis, a good yoga class can likely improve your game. Depending on the type of yoga you practice, and thee are many approaches these days, you might even pay more placement of your feet and joints on the court, another way to fine tune your game.

Donna Amerita Davidge owns Sewall House Yoga Retreat in Maine (www.sewallhouse.com) and has been teaching since 1985 in

My brother, Mark, plays out of the Muttontown Country Club on Long Island. On January 13, of 2007, he and I set out on a journey that would result in him playing as an amateur golfer in the Bob Hope Pro-Am Dessert Classic in Palm Springs. Mark had never played in a golf tournament, let alone one that includes celebrities, professional golfers, press coverage and a national television audience.

I accompanied Mark for a number of reasons: I wanted him to have a fan club: Mark’s birthday is January 19th and we could celebrate it together; and as a publisher/reporter of a sport psychologist magazine, Psyched (www.psychedonline.com) as well as a writer of a column, “Ask Dr. Schienberg”, for Golfing Magazine, I would be able to do some reporting, interviewing and write this story.

A stretch limousine picked us up in Manhattan and we headed towards LaGuardia Airport. In the stretch limo we had our golf bags, suitcases, carry-on pieces and my lap-top computer. It was surreal….like the pro-golfer and his entourage going about their normal lives. We began a trip that had very little to do with life as we new it. We stared out the window, chatted about nothing, and arrived at the airport. We had first class seats on the flights to Chicago and from Chicago to Palm Springs. If you’re going to play with the pros, it is good to get into their experience. Mark needed to believe that he rightfully belonged in the Tournament.

We arrived at our hotel late that afternoon, unpacked, decided to have a quiet dinner at the hotel and try to get some sleep before the first practice round set for the next morning. We didn’t talk about golf that night. Mark didn’t think he would get much sleep. I suggested that if he just got to rest through the night and quiet himself, it would work in his favor. Facing Mark was three days of practice rounds and four rounds of actual tournament play. Each Tournament round would be played on a different golf course: The PGA West, Bermuda Dunes, LaQuinta, and The Classic. The three practice rounds were to be played on there of the courses of the Tournament.

This is a good time to explain how the scoring of this Pro-Am Tournament is constructed. There are three amateurs in each group. The fourth player is a professional. Each group has three amateurs – a high, middle and low handicap player. The three amateurs play together throughout the Tournament rounds and form a team. A different professional is added to the amateur team for each Tournament round.

The first day of practice rounds came and the weather was cool and cloudless. Mark was scheduled to start his first practice round at 9:30 AM. So, we showered, got into our costumes around 7:30 AM, loaded our SUV with his golf bag and got some breakfast at our hotel. We talked about the weather, the beautiful, mountainous surroundings and the opportunity to participate in something so unique. After paying the check, we walked down to the practice driving range next to the course. Mark wanted to find his caddie. As soon as Mark spotted him, I realized that a part of my job was over. It was like turning my responsibility for my younger brother over to someone I could trust. He was in good hands.

I turned my attention to my job as a member of the press covering the event. So, I drove over to the Classic Golf Club, the home of most media activity for the Tournament, got registered and made some good contacts.

Mark and I met up later that day. There was a smile on his face as he exited the golf course. The first practice round was over and he was relieved that he had done as well as he had – not to mention not having embarrassed himself. We talked about the other amateurs that made up his group. Mark had entered the Classic with an 18 handicap. That day he played as well as any of the other amateurs who had lower handicaps. So, he was pleased…very pleased. I was relieved for him.

For your information, in order to be entered as an amateur in the Tournament, you have to have no higher than an eighteen handicap and pay a $5000 entry fee. Mark’s company put up the fee as a gift for his hard work.

The second day was different from the first practice round day. He was much more nervous – the real Tournament was closer. He said, “I want to do well. Yesterday, I just wanted respectability and I got it. Now my team will be expecting the same from me.” The next practice round day went not as well for Mark. The final three holes of the last practice round went very poorly. He was critical of himself. When he gets into that negative mind set, he becomes short with people. The real Tournament was getting closer and closer. The weather had turned nasty and the weather forecast was getting worse. He was in many ways more settled in to the rhythm of a golf day.

His play on the third practice round was somewhere between the first and second day. The bond between Mark the two other amateurs in the group had taken hold. They felt like a team – not just three individual amateurs trying to do their best. The scoring for the team was based on best score for each hole by any of the players in the group. The weight of stress and responsibility was shared by each member. So, they routed for each other. As I watched them walk down the fairways, I could see more smiles, chatter and friendship having a positive effect on their enjoyment and play.

It didn’t seem like a great atmosphere for golf would be present on the first day of real tournament play. But, one of the great things about golf, whether you are an amateur or professional, is that it is played by everyone in the same conditions. No one gets an advantage. The high winds and low temperatures were so uncomfortable at the end of the second round; I hid inside the clubhouse and had myself a hot tea instead of a beer.

An encounter with my new friend Kathleen Bennett (the marketing director of the Classic Club golf tournament) broke the tightness that Mark had fallen into on the first day of Tournament play. It was an hour before his tee off time. She knew the various holes of the Classic Course. So, she started going over them in rapid fire fashion, all the holes and how they could cause different problems…a water hazard here, narrow fairway there…pin placement somewhere else.

You could see the expression on his face changing with every problem that she was laying out for him. “Are you okay?” I asked. “Sure,” he replied. I quickly escorted Mark out to the practice range and turned Mark over to his caddie again. This was good for Mark – to get the round underway by swinging the club on the range and practicing his putting.

So, I went back to the clubhouse to have a cup of coffee. Out of no where Mark appears in the golf shop. I rushed over and asked him, “What’s wrong?” He forgot his belt and needed to buy one. After choosing one, he went out to the driving range again. I went back to my coffee. He ran back into the clubhouse again. What now? He forgot his favorite shoes in the golf shop when he was buying the belt. Thank goodness they were sitting next to the cash register where he put them down while paying for the belt…so much for not being nervous. I wondered what he would have forgotten if he knew he knew he was nervous.

Mark’s practice session at the driving range went very well. He hit some great drives and started to focus mostly on his irons. I went over to the first tee and waited for my brother’s name to be called. It was a half hour later that I heard “On the first tee, representing the Muttontown Country Club from Long Island, New York is Mark Schienberg.” I recognized the name and my eyes shot over to the tee. There was Mark teeing up his drive. I remembered Mark telling me, “I just hope I hit it.”

I may have been more nervous for him than he was for himself. I lapsed into prayer. He hit the ball very well and we both smiled at each other as he headed down the first fairway. I would find out after the round was over that it was Mark’s best drive of the day. It was his iron shots that got him through the round in great stead. Often you don’t know which clubs will be working for you through a round of golf.

The four days of Tournament play was officially underway. He was now going through the real experience. This was very good. By the time this is all over he will know he has been through a significant life event – one he will not be able to forget. He will have learned a lot about himself, golf, playing in a tournament, etc. He is learning to trust in himself – in a way that really matters – by knowing himself under a new circumstance. Don’t short change the situation or yourself by denying the experience of it. It’s a great metaphor for life.

Playing six rounds in six consecutive days, practicing before and after each round and getting good night sleeps between rounds was not easy and often resulted in physical exhaustion. However, what was more difficult was the mental exhaustion. If you are a professional golfer, you may be used to this kind of grind. But, if you are an amateur golfer, you may have never experienced this degree and length of mental focus. As an amateur you may play four rounds in a week at most. There is a need to take some mental and physical time off. But, you can’t – not the way this tournament is set up – day after day – round after round – the focus required is constant – weathering the ups and downs – maintaining focus regardless how the conditions are and how others are playing, etc. Learning how to manage the prolonged mental stress is vital. It is important to take time to practice relaxation techniques as much as you practicing the physical skills of playing golf.

At the end of the third day of tournament play, Mark had transformed himself into a person who walked and talked like a man who belonged in a tournament of this magnitude. I had to leave Palm Springs one day before the end of the last day of play. It was upsetting to not see him finish. But, there were no flights on Sunday and only one flight was available on Saturday. I had to be back in New York and be at my other work by Monday. I was assured that Mark would do fine on the last day even though he was still muttering “I will not do this again.”

Mark’s team of amateur players had been assigned four different professional golfers to play with – a different pro for each day of play. Kirk Triplett filled out the four some on the first day. Wearing a great hat and a big smile, he was as friendly and helpful as any amateur could wish to partner up with. He gave pointers, patted guys on the back and made Mark feel as relaxed as possible. It was great that Triplett was the first pro. In the second round, the amateur group played with Briny Baird. Other than for also wearing a sombrero, he in no way was like Kirk. Briny just played his game with almost no interaction with his amateur playing partners. He wasn’t nasty – just not social – all business.

So, the three amateurs again felt that they were the team. The third and fourth days brought Cameron Beckman and Kevin Sutherland to the group. They were very much like Baird. They were there to win a Tournament and make some dough – not create new friends. Therefore, the last three rounds were not as much fun. It became a more serious experience and the focus was on doing the work of playing in a golf tournament as a team of amateurs, playing against other amateur teams. This was more like the real deal of playing in a professional golf tournament. There was much the guys learned from that as with Kirk – just different learning.

By the way his team had scored 29 under par for the Tournament. They were not far from the winning the trophy for the best amateur team. Very respectable! He had played the same courses with the likes of Phil Michelson, Jeff Sluman, Justin Rose, etc., and held his own. Good for you Mark!!!

When Mark and I met up two days later, his tune had changed. He confessed that “I will do the Tournament again next year.” It was not hard to imagine that when he got back to the Muttontown Country Club on Long Island, he would be striding down the course with a pride that he hadn’t had before. It was great to have shared the ride with him. It brought us even closer than we had experienced before. He was thankful that I had been there and I was happy that he let me share it with him.

Answer by Paul Schienberg, PhD: Well yes. Here is a thought. Trust your clubs! Somewhere inside your neurological system may exist a belief that unless you swing hard, muscle your shots, swing with a lot of club speed through the ball, you will not get the results you fantasize about. Most of us played baseball as a kid…swung the bat from our heels, as hard as we could and watched the baseball fly over the fence. Or, maybe we watched golf on TV and began to believe that swinging like Tiger Woods would get us his results. I’m suggesting that instead of your body working so hard, let the clubs do the work for you. They were designed by people who know how to build a club that would get the ball where it was intended to go. Try the following mantra: let my club take my ball where I want it to go. Whether it is a driver, long or short iron, or sand-wedge, they are designed correctly. Don’t try to make it happen. Be easy with it. Feel the flow of your body and arms – not the speed of their movements. When we don’t trust our clubs, we put too much effort into our swing. It is the appreciation of the ability already built into those clubs that will make it work. The smooth, tender and sensitive relationship to each club that lets them work as they are designed to work. By the way, it is interesting to watch some women play on the same golf course. They are less likely to fall into the mistake of over-swinging. They don’t think of killing the ball, but they often let their club do the job it was built to do. Do not worry. Your mind is attached to your body. It needs to send a belief message to your body that creates a harmonious relationship – not an over-powering one.

Schienberg: Golf can play an enormous part in children’s development and personality development. What role has it played in your life?

Lopez: You know I grew up not having a father. Golf is the father I never had. It taught me honesty and respect and discipline and it taught me to control my temperament. I never got that advice from a human being or from anyone in my family. I hit lemons in the backyard as a kid. I had Christmas and played golf for the first time in 1981. I have not put a golf club down since. It is the tissue that keeps my body connected and I don’t ever imagine living without playing.

Schienberg: Did it turn something about you around?

Lopez: Oh yeah, everything we play when we are growing up, is team related. In this game (of golf) you can find all the answers yourself. You don’t need to throw the ball in the air and play catch with yourself. You get a bucket of balls and go out there with your clubs, and you hit and learn and you get better. And there’s no top. You can be as good and continue to get better and the reward is in every swing. There’s a possible reward in every swing.

Schienberg: There’s a new chance?

Lopez: There’s a new chance! Exactly! And that’s why I’ve gotten very involved with promoting the “First Tee.” The “First Tee” was not around when I was growing up.

Those core values were everything I learned from playing golf. And if the kids learn it at a better age, maybe one or two will ever be professional golfers, but they will become better people. And that’s what golf teaches that no other sport does teach as well.

Schienberg: And it clearly did that for you?

Lopez: Absolutely! I am living and breathing proof. Great temperament! I am a Taurus. I was a hot head as a kid. And that’s all gone. Whether I’m playing good or bad you can never tell because I’m always happy.

Schienberg: You can never be a hot head and play great golf?

Lopez: You can, man! It’s like life. You got to see where the trouble is in every shot and you look at it the course and the shots as a series of challenges.

Schienberg: And how to meet and fix the challenges of life tasks? And that’s how you got here!

Lopez: And I love it! And I wouldn’t have achieved so much if I had not started to play golf. I’m playing man. I’m playing. Life is great and golf has been one of the great parts of it for me.

Schienberg: What do you think of the demographics of golf?

Lopez: We got more people from diverse backgrounds that are younger than ever coming to watch golfers play and play themselves.

At The 2007 Bob Hope Pro-Am Dessert Classic

Jesper Parnevik hit an extremely large number of golf balls with one club. He was clearly trying to work out something that he didn’t like in the morning practice round. Jesper looked frustrated with each shot, even though from this amateur golfer’s point of view, they seemed to be flying beautifully. At some point, Jeff Sluman, who was practicing at the next driving range tee, came over to where Parnevik was swinging. They talked and laughed. It seemed to break the ice surrounding Jesper’s head. Parnevik loosened up as the two men were gabbing. It was evident that there was a long standing camaraderie between them.

I got an opportunity to ask Jeff Sluman about the interaction between him and Jesper. “Did you give him some needed advice?” Sluman shook his head and said, “No. You can’t talk to Jesper about his game. He won’t listen. I just get him to relax by making him laugh. You see, his father was a comedian and he loves to laugh. It takes the pressure off of his game and he plays better. I’ve known him a long time and I see when he’s getting twisted up.”

Schienberg: “Yes, I can see you are good friends. While I’ve got you, I’d like to ask you about the mental aspects of your game?

Jeff Sluman: Sure. Give it a shot. I’m not a deep thinker.

Schienberg: How have you changed emotionally while playing golf?

Jeff Sluman: I’m a much more relaxed player today. It’s become my personality. I had been a fiery guy when I was young. I’d get frustrated; loose my cool and my stroke. Now, I concentrate on being calm. It does not take any effort now to remain tranquil even when things don’t go so right on the course. It just didn’t help my game nor did I like being that person who lost control and got so upset.

Schienberg: What do you think about re-doing golf swings?

Jeff Sluman: I don’t think it is a great idea to do major changes in a golf swing. Every player has the swing that fits his makeup – both physically and mentally. A tweak here or there is one thing, but it is more likely to create bigger problems if large changes are undertaken. I’ve known more players to get injured and screw their brains around when they change their swing so much. If things are not going well for me, it usually means that I’m not following my pre-shot routine – even if I think I am. So, I become more diligent about it.

Schienberg: Tiger’s not here. How does it affect you?

Sluman: Not very much.

Schienberg: Let me put it differently. What’s it like to play with Tiger?

Sluman: Well, let me put it this way. Tiger is focusing on Tiger. He’s not interested in what you are doing. He is totally focused on himself and his play. I try to do the same thing, but it is very different with him in my pairing. It is almost impossible to ignore what he is doing. In part, it is his personality, charm, complete composure and ability to make remarkable shots. It’s like you just feel compelled to be a spectator even though you are playing the game

At the 2007 Bob Hope Pro-Am Dessert Classic Golf Tournament

Phil was asked about his somewhat erratic play after the loss at Wingfoot. Did he think about the loss at the Open? Was it driving him to distraction? Phil said he didn’t think about the loss at Wingfoot until after the entire season of golf had been completed. His erratic play was not in any way related to being upset at the loss. In fact, he said there were two majors where he played at a level that was okay with him. Although he didn’t win in either tournament, he played well enough to be satisfied with his play. His tone of voice and facial expression were less convincing. He said that the biggest problem he has had over the past two years was being terribly out of condition. In fact, Phil does look like he has lost a considerable amount of weight. He sees his game improving from now on because he has become so dedicated to getting and staying in much better shape. He felt that when he wasn’t in shape it was more difficult to get the head of the club to be square with the direction he wanted the ball to go.

Phil shared his thoughts about the new square driver. He exclaimed that the square driver is a great way to go if you want to hit the ball long and straight. If, on the other hand, you like to hit a fade or a cut drive, stay with the round headed driver. Some holes are made for a straight drive and others are calling for movement on the drive. This is why he has carried both the square headed and round headed drivers in his bag.

He also touched on Michelle Wie. Phil noted how impressed he is by her maturity. He appreciates her decision to go to college at Stanford and not go out for the professional money. She is sixteen years old and Phil hopes that his daughters make the same kind of mature decision that Ms. Wie made.

When asked about his approach to playing the Tournament, Phil focused on needing to get very low scores. He sees that there are many birdies to be had, the holes are not long, the greens are easily reachable and so there will be many opportunities to make under par putts. If he is not in a position to make those putts for low scores, and he doesn’t sink them, it is unlikely that he will come close to winning. The emphasis needs to be on putting, not driving.

Phil found the Bob Hope Pro-Am Dessert Classic to be mentally and emotionally exhausting. The pro-golfers had to play 3 practice rounds and 5 tournament rounds – four of the five rounds were played with three amateurs. The final round of the tournament was played with professional golfers only. This was the first tournament of the season and he didn’t feel mentally equipped to handle it. He complained about the weather conditions as well. The conditions were awful. Southern California had been having very cold temperatures. It even snowed in Malibu. There were two days of cold drizzle, and two days of high winds out of the dessert. Phil was drained by the intense focus it took to play each shot. During the final round, Phil hit three balls in the water. So, there were at least three factors that he sighted for his mental exhaustion: the weather, playing with amateurs and the requirement of so many rounds of golf in consecutive days at the beginning of the golf season.

AN EXPERIENCE AT THE DRIVING RANGE ENLIGHTENED ME. I KEPT HITTING THE BALL OFF TO THE LEFT. I AM A LEFT HANDED GOLFER. AN INSTRUCTOR STANDING TO ME ASKED ME IF I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT I WAS DOING WRONG. I SAID, “SURE.” HE TOLD ME, YOU ARE NOT SWINGING THROUGH WITH YOUR HIPS, BACK FRONT SHOULDER. I THOUGHT I WAS, BUT WHEN HE PHYSICALLY SHOWED ME WHAT I WAS DOING I REALIZED I WASN’T . AFTER PHYSICALLY MOVING MY BODY IN THE CORRECT WAY I STARTED HITTING THE BALL STRAIGHT. HE ASKED ME, “DO YOU PRACTICE YOGA.” “NO.” I SAID. HE SAID, “GO TO SOME CLASSES, YOUR OWN MAT AND DO SOME OF THE POSES REGULARLY. YOU ARE SO TIGHT.”

BREATHING AND YOGA

THE BREATHING YOU LEARN IN YOGA HELPS YOU RELAX, AND THE STRENGTH AND BALANCE YOU GAIN IMPOROVES YOUR SWING.

YOGA ALSO RELEASES TENSION IN THE LOWER BACK, NECK, SHOULDERS, HIPS AND GROIN AREAS THAT CAN BE TIGHT FOR YEARS.

BREATHING IS THE FIRST AND FOREMOST THING IN GOLF AS IN YOGA.

DO YOU KNOW WHEN YOU BREATHE DURING YOUR GOLF SWING?

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW IF OR WHEN THEY’RE BREATHING.

WHEN YOU HOLD YOUR BREATH, WHENEVER YOU UNDER STRESS (STANDING ON THE FIRST TEE OR OVER A DIFFICULT PUT), YOUR HEART ACCELERATES.

AN ACCELERATED HEART CAUSES TENSION IN THE MUSCLES AND AN INABILITY TO CONTROL YOUR EMOTIONS AND YOUR MENTAL FOCUS AND LEARN DIAPHRAMATIC BREATHE.

THE SWING AND YOGA

THE SWING ITSELF IS AN EXPLOSIVE MOVEMENT FROM A STATIC POSITION, TAKING PLACE IN LESS THAN TWO SECONDS.

FORCE AND COMPRESSION ON THE SPINE OFTEN CREATES AN AWKWARD ROTATON.

EVERY MUSCLE AND JOINT IS WORKING ON THE GOLF SWING AND THUS THERE’S LOTS OF INJURIES.

POSES FOR GOLFERS

A MODIFIED COBRA POSE.

THE MOST COMMON INJURY IS IN THE LOWER BACK – 63 PERCENT OF GOLFERS PLAY WITH AN INJURED LOWER BACK.

LY ON YOUR BELLY WITH YOUR PALMS NEXT TO YOUR CHEST, FINGERS FACING FORWARD, ELBOWS HUGGING THE
SIDES OF YOUR BODY LIKE A CRICKET AND LIFTING THE CHEST SLIGHTLY.

START TO BUILD STRENGTH IN THE LOWER BACK, FLEXIBILITY IN THE THORACIC SPINE OPENING THE CHEST.

A ROUNDED SHOULD AND INFLEXIBILITY IN THE MUSCLES IN THE BACK WON’T GET A FULL ROTATION, AND YOU WILL BE UNABLE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ANGLE IN THE SPINE THROUGH THE GOLF SWING. THE SPINE IN THE CORRECT POSITION NEEDS THE LEAST AMOUNT OF ENERGY TO ROTATE.

II. I LIKE THE ALLIGATOR TWIST, IN WHICH YOU LIE ON YOUR BACK, ARMS PERPENDICULAR TO YOU BODY, PALMS UP. PLACE YOUR RIGHT FOOT JUST ABOVE THE LEFT KNEE AND TWIST THE LOWER BODY TO THE LEFT WHILE KEEPING THE RIGHT SHOULDER DOWN.

III.DOWNWARD FACING DOG IS A VERY GOOD POSE.” TARGETS FROM THE FEET UP, FLEXIBILITY IN THE FEET THE ACHILLES TENDON, CALVES, HAMSTRINGS, HIPS, LOWER BACK, MID BACK, SHOULDERS, ARMS AND WRISTS.

THIS POSE PROMOTOES FLEXIBILITY IN THE HAMSTRINGS (MOST GOLFERS HAVE TIGHT HAMSTRINGS) .

THEY CORRELATE TO THE HEALTH OF YOUR LOWER BACK AND THEY HELP SUPPORT YOUR KNEE FLEXION WHEN IN AN UNSTABLE LIE, WHEN YOUR FEET NOT LEVEL.

IT PROMOTES STRENGTH IN THE SHOULDERS, THE ARMS FOR DISTANCE OFF THE TEE.
FLEXIBILITY IN THE HANDS AND WRISTS IS CRITICAL. THEY ARE YOUR ONLY CONNECTION TO THE CLUB. INJURY

AMONG HANDS AND WRITS IS THE NUMBER THREE INJURY AMONG GOLFERS.

IV.TREE POSE. PUT A GOLF BALL ABOUT THREE FEET IN FRONT OF THEIR MAT. GO FROM LEFT SIDE TO RIGHT SIDE. IT HELPS WITH BALANCE AND FOCUS. TRAINS TO KEEP FOCUS ON THE PRESENT.

Maxine Roberts, “Yoga for Golfer”, (McGraw-Hill, 2004). She is a columnist for GolfChannel.com, and a yoga teacher.

At the end of the third round of the 2007 Bob Hope Dessert Classic in Palm Springs, Cameron Beckman and I had a chat about the mental side of his golf game. He had just finished hitting a hundred or so balls on the practice tee. Cameron was very accessible and friendly after finishing a round that was 2 under par.

I introduced myself as a reporter who wanted to ask a few questions.

Schienberg: Tell me a little about the mental side of playing golf from your point of view.

Beckman: Just to stay relaxed. If I’m not relaxed, get relaxed.

Schienberg: How do you get relaxed?

Beckman: I think I’m one of those lucky people who have an innate ability to be a relaxed person. If I’m not relaxed, I do a lot of deep breathing, get a massage, do some stretching and focusing. Hitting many golf balls before the round also relaxes me. The golf course is where I feel most at home. It is where I work, but it feels so familiar to me now, that it is home.

Schienberg: What if you are in the midst of playing your round and you find that there is a club that is not working for you that day? How do you handle it?

Beckman: I just don’t use it. I create my shots around having to use that club. As I look at a hole, I strategize how I can place my shots so I don’t have to use that club. It takes some doing. But, it really isn’t that difficult.

Schienberg: Speaking of shot strategies. Do you use visualization as a method of preparing to play a hole?

Beckman: The only times I use visualization is when I’m pitching or putting. I see before hand how the ball will bounce or roll with the terrain of the land and the grass. I see where I want the ball to land, how many bounces till it gets close to the pin, how much roll I want to create. I take some practice strokes and get the feel of the club and its speed before striking it.

Schienberg: How about before you drive or hit a long iron shot?

Beckman: When I’m up at the tee, I will remember another shot I had taken – not necessarily in the round I’m playing. Sometimes I take the memory from a completely different round or tournament. I put that image in my head as I’m taking my practice swings or looking down the fairway. It is a very positive image and it gives me confidence that I can do it here.

Schienberg: What do you do mentally after you’ve hit a bad shot?

Beckman: Golf is my career. I will play man rounds and many more shots. So, if I hit a bad shot, I know I’ve got many more to play. I don’t take each shot so seriously – like it’s my last shot ever. I put it in perspective.

Schienberg: How did you play today?

Beckman: I didn’t play well today. I just toughed it out. I played through it and tried to get my focus as well as possible under the circumstances.

Schienberg: Did you have a feeling of how the round was going to go before you went to the first tee?

Beckman: Yes, I didn’t feel like it is going to work for me today. I sort of know right away whether I feel in the groove or not. It’s just a sense I have about it. I don’t fight it. I concentrate on the other sides of my game that will go better.

Schienberg: Thanks for your time today.

Beckman: No problem. Nice meeting you.

The Commerce Bank Championship was played from June 27 – July 2, 2006 on the now prestigious Eisenhower Park. The public facility was the home of the 1926 PGA Championship with legendary Walter Hagan. I was able to engage Charles Coody on the way to the practice range. He proved to be an easy going, veteran who shared his wisdom and experience about the mental side of his golf game. Here is that conversation.

Schienberg: I’d like to ask you a couple of questions about the mental side of your golf game.

Coody: Okay.

Schienberg: How about three or four questions?

Coody: I thought you wanted to ask two questions.

Schienberg: I thought I would push it.

Coody: Now we are up to 4.

Schienberg: If you don’t stop me, I might ask to spend the whole evening talking about golf with you. What do you do to mentally prepare yourself for the game today?

Coody: I always felt that to concentrate the best, your mind needs to be free.

Schienberg: And if you find it clogged with stuff?

Coody: If you’ve got things on your mind, they have a tendency to work their way into way into your round at the wrong time.

Schienberg: Is there a way you get into the present after you’ve hit a bad shot?

Coody: That’s the most difficult part of the game for just about everyone – the acceptance of adversity and being able to overcome it. With every player there’s some days you can do it better than other days. There’s very few people that can have a bad day and be able to recover from that.

Schienberg: Gary Player told me that golf was 90% mental.

Coody: Chi Chi says the other 10% is in you head.

Schienberg: But, most of the focus is on the technical part of the game.

Coody: I think golfers get too technical. The main thing is to have a creative imagination and a positive sense on a golf shot. If you can’t create a good shot in your mind, you’re not going to create one with your swing.

Schienberg: So, do you accomplish that when set up for each shot.

Coody: I’m always trying to think of how I want the ball to fly – what I want the ball to do.

Schienberg: And you see it before you hit it?

Coody: I can always see what I want, but I don’t always get it. Most of the time, I can visualize it.

Schienberg: There are days you visualize it better than others?

Coody: Obviously, it’s like a picture that some days are clear and other times the reception is blurry.

Schienberg: Do you ever get so frustrated with a particular club not doing what you want it to do.

Coody: Almost every time I play.

Schienberg: Do you make believe it is not in your bag?

Coody: No. It just seems like it’s that particular club that’s always coming out of my bag for some reason. Some days you might be hitting the driver, like Mickelson in the 2006 U.S. Open. He hit the driver bad all day. It wasn’t just on the 18^th hole. It was like a snake in his hands.

Schienberg: Michelson had said he had spent hours working on his recovery shots necessary after bad drives. What do you think of that approach?

Coody: That’s a negative. I don’t think it’s a good way to go. He certainly can do what he is talking about. But, if you are focusing on recovery, then you are focusing on you’re going to be there in a bad spot to begin with. It’s not that it’s bad to practice some of those shots, but, I wouldn’t want my mind to anticipate being there.

Schienberg: You hear so much about great recovery shots. Some players talk about driving it as far as they can wherever it goes and the second shot is about an incredible recovery shot onto the green.

Coody: When your goal is to drive it as far as possible, the ball will move around a lot. It’s a better game to hit it shorter and in the fairway. Imagine how much it would have curved if they had hit like that 30 years ago. They would curve it off the golf course. Now, they make clubs and balls that are designed to correct for accuracy.

Schienberg: There is a “utility club” that has been nicknamed “The Forgiver.”

Coody: “The Forgiver?” I got to get myself one of those.

Schienberg: Thanks for your time.

Coody: No problem. I enjoyed it.

The Commerce Bank Championship was played from June 27 – July 2, 2006 on the now prestigious Eisenhower Park. The public facility was the home of the 1926 PGA Championship with legendary Walter Hagan. I was able to engage Tom McKnight on the way to the clubhouse. He proved to be an open, knowledge filled, and amiable person, even after a so-so round of golf.

Here is a transcript of that conversation.

Schienberg: Do golfers really believe that the mental part of the game is really that important? If you think it is that important, do you go through specific mental steps to prepare yourself for playing?

McKnight: When you play at this level, you know it is 90% of it.

Schienberg: Why is it that so much focus is on technology of golf clubs and balls?

McKnight: A golfer tries to get the best equipment available. When you are working on your game, you are trying to work on the mental part of the game, swing thoughts and what is occupying your mind. Also, I ponder, what can I do that will work today? What can I do to keep my mind clear and focused? What I need to focus on is what is going on now – not on a bad shot or some other negative thoughts.

Schienberg: Do you do things to improve your mental game?

McKnight: Yeah, I practice on trying to focus on things whether it’s through my routine or certain swing thoughts. Under pressure your mind can start to race a bit and you tend to forget what you should be thinking about. At this point, as you are walking the fairways, think about your breathing or look at the tops of trees and watch the formations of the leaves. Get your mind back to what you are doing. The negative thoughts can get in your head and just stick like glue. You have to put intentional effort on getting your mind back to the positive attitude toward your game.

Schienberg: And, when the bad thoughts are there when you get to the course? You need to clean them out?

McKnight: Absolutely, it’s not just on a day to day basis. It may be a shot to shot. I can be playing along great and I hit a bad shot and next thing I know I lost it mentally. It feels like I’m playing in the dark all of a sudden. You lose your tunnel vision on your target. Sometimes it’s hard to regroup and get it back. The better players are the ones that do it the best.

Schienberg: Does visualization play a part in getting it back or correcting the problem? And how?

McKnight: I doubt there is anyone out here (The Tour) that doesn’t do that to get back on track. The ones that can focus the clearest are the ones that hit the best shots.

Schienberg: When you visualize do you not only see the flight of the ball, but also hand, club, or body position?

McKnight: Actually, I just visualize ball to target – not really my swing. You may feel like you are looking at yourself as you swing – but not before you swing – like visualizing my hands here or club there – you can get yourself in so much trouble by doing that – it just doesn’t work.

Schienberg: What do you do if a particular club isn’t working for you that day? Do you just forget it’s in your golf bag?

McKnight: Never did anything like that. I never guarded against using a particular club. Some clubs might have a tendency to hook more that others or cut more that others. Never avoid using a club. If you hit a bad shot, you hit a bad shot.

Schienberg: How did it go for you today?

McKnight: Not very good. I was even par.

Schienberg: Then you are still in the hunt.

McKnight: I got off to a bad start at 3 over and finished strong.

Schienberg: Is there someway you are thinking about your round tomorrow that might get you off to a better round?

McKnight: No. It’s just a matter of trying to be better focused. No matter where you hit it, just keep going and playing it and trying to do the best you can with it. It’s funny. I was just talking with Graham Marsh. We were going through the same conversation, he and I, and he shot two under today. We were talking about the mental aspects of it and how I can overcome some of the problems. I asked him for his opinions about a couple of things.

Schienberg: Did he have any good ideas?

McKnight: Oh yeah. He’s a seasoned veteran. He’s been around for a long time as a player. It is a good to pick up a tidbit of information about what’s troubling you.

Schienberg: Thank you for your time. Good luck tomorrow.

McKnight: You are welcome.