[audio:http://www.psychedonline.com/mp3/TJ-021910.mp3]

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.

What is the real story? It is that he was contacted by the Yankee general manager at Fenway Park, home of the Boston Red Sox. What was he doing there? He was thinking of doing his resurrection up there. Also, he was considering his most holy appearance in Houston. So, why did he choose the Bronx to perform this miracle? How does $28,000,000 sound as a very good explanation.

I’m certainly a respectful appreciator of the achievements of Roger Clemens. He has been a magnificent pitcher and deserves to be in the Hall of Fame. But, this latest stunt has cast a darker shadow on his image. He said his good byes and everyone wished him well. He already road into the sunset as a pitcher. Everyone cried their tears. Now he wants baseball fans to be so excited about his return.

As a child I wanted to trust my heroes. When they said something I listened. I looked to them for a moment of truth about how to conduct myself as a man. Say it ain’t so, Roger. When Mattingly said his good byes, he came back as a coach. This was a model for what life is about and how to deal with the existential realities of life. This helps children deal with the stages of development.

When Roger announced that he couldn’t resist rejoining his pals to save the team and give the fans another championship he is disingenuous. His ego could not be so large as his behavior indicates or could it be? Does he really see himself as a savior? He owes his ex-teammates and fans a more honest expression of motivation. What does this do to the morale of a team? What does it do to the kids who have been Roger Clemens fans? I am suggesting Roger is only serving Roger, not his team, his fans or baseball itself.

by Paul Schienberg, PhD

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

Thousands of middle school football games get played across the country every weekend. Coaches and players spend hours trying to figure out ways to beat their opponents. Teams sometimes run up winning scores so that contracts are renewed, scholarships are offered, and players will be rewarded with gifts of all kinds.

Something happened in a football game a couple of weeks ago that reminds us of more important life-gains to be acquired by participating in sports. One such incident occurred in a small town outside of New York City. Somers Middle School was playing John Jay Middle School.

The Somers coach, Bud Von Heyn, asked Jeff Tepper, the coach of John Jay for a favor. After Jeff agreed, Bud gathered his players and told them to run the E.J. Shuffle play. Jeff passed the instructions onto his team.

The E.J. Shuffle would begin on the John Jay 35- yard line. E.J. Greczylo, a 15 year-old eighth grader, would be part of this one play and no other – no other for his entire football career. He was instructed by Coach Bud where to position himself in the backfield and to follow the fullback where ever he goes.

The players on both sides of the line of scrimmage took their positions; the ball was snapped to the quarterback, who then gave it to E.J. – a strong looking young boy with an awkward style of running. He held the ball beside his stomach, ran toward the sideline and then toward the goal line.

Everyone in the crowd, and players from both the John Jay and Somers bench cheered for E.J. The opposition players made like they were trying to tackle him, but either tripped or lunged ineffectively. Everyone was into the act. The attempt was to make one kid feel good – E.J. who suffered from Down syndrome. You see football was E.J.’s dream and he was taught by his parents to follow his dreams. At Somers, children who are disadvantaged are treated like the other children. So, when E.J.’s teacher let the coach know of his dream – to play football, started to practice with the team.

Obviously, there are some ethical questions raised. One is that E.J. wasn’t really treated like the other players on the team. Ok, that one is obvious. Sometimes we are faced with two ethical dilemmas simultaneously. I believe they made the right choice. E.J. was not deluded about his abilities. He didn’t expect a football scholarship to arrive from the University of Miami. He got what was going on. But, it was a thrill non-the-less. Everyone got taught a great lesson and did something that will make them feel like winners the rest of their lives. There was never a better touchdown scored. It was the first time in football history that both teams won.

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.

I. THE NATURE OF GROUPS

A. Definition of a Group

1.The common fate of members serves to highlight the nature of a group.
2.Groups are a source of strength.
3.Groups are characterized by a social structure (roles, norms, status differences and positional differences).
4.Groups are characterized by a variety of group processes such as communication, cooperation, task and social interactions, etc.
5.Members of a group engage in a way that they consider themselves to be part of a “we” that differentiates them from “they”.

B. Definition of a Sports Team
1. Collection of two or more athletes who possess a common identity.
2. They have common goals and objectives.
3. Share a common fate.
4. Exhibit structured patterns of interactions and modes of communication
5.Hold common perceptions about group structure
6.Personally and instrumentally interdependent
7.Consider themselves to be a group.

II. Population of a Sports Team
A. Basketball team
1.A basketball team has a collective identity in that individual players, teammates and non-team members all view the group as distinguishable from other units (Los Angeles Lakers).
2.The team has short-term objectives (practicing blocking out for rebounds) and long-term goals (winning the championship).
3. Usually each team has a unique playbook that new players must learn before they can play. Each play might have a name and signal that only the team’s players know.
4. A specific amount of players are allowed on the court. Interaction with the competition must follow certain accepted rules. If any one player brakes the norms or standards of conduct, the team will suffer.
5. The pursuit of goals over the course of a season causes the collection of athletes to think of themselves as a group.

B. Group Versus Collection of Individuals. People in groups
1. Talk freely
2. Interested in welfare of the collective as a whole
3. To assist teammates.
4. Refer to teammates as “we” and other players as “they”.
5. Feel their teammates are helpful.
6. Reliably participate in group activities.
7. Not primarily interested in individual accomplishments
8. Are concerned about the activity of other teammates.
9. Do not see teammates as rivals.
II. GROUP COHESION
A.Definition
1. Groups are dynamic, not static. They exhibit life and vitality, interaction, and activity. This vitality is sometimes negatively and positively expressed. Group members may be in harmony and at other times, they may be in conflict. Communications vary as well from openness to non-existent. Commitment to the group’s goals and purposes can vary also.
2. Cohesion is a dynamic process which is reflected in the tendency for a group to stick together and remain united in the pursuit of its instrumental objectives and /or for the satisfaction of member affective needs.
a. Cohesion is multi-dimensional.
b. Cohesion is not as transitory as a state or as stable as a trait.
c. All groups have a purpose.
d. Cohesion has an affective dimension regardless of its instrumental nature.
e. The goals and objectives of all groups are complex and varied.
3. Cohesion within Sports Group has four facets.
a. Individual attraction to the group – task
b. Individual attraction to the group – social
c. Group Integration – task.
d. Group Integration – social.
III. Developing a Team Concept: Correlates of Cohesion

A. Situational Factors
1. Individuals in close have a greater tendency to bond together. (Golf team). Examples include a team locker room, residence or training table. Interaction becomes inevitable.
2. As a team becomes more separate – more distinctive – from other groups – feelings of oneness and unity increase. Examples include uniforms, mottos, special initiation rites, special privileges, or demanding special sacrifices.Year long training and reduced time for social activities or part-time employment increase cohesiveness. Emphasize sense of history and tradition of the organization.
3. Team size is also associated with cohesiveness. Moderate sized groups showed greatest cohesiveness. Larger and smaller size groups showed the least cohesiveness. Task cohesiveness decreased as size increased.
B. Personal Factors
1. Similarity in attitudes, aspirations, commitments and ability were correlated with cohesiveness.
2. Differences in personality, ethnicity, racial background, economic status, and other factors are inevitable.
3. The most important factor in the development of task and social cohesiveness is individual satisfaction.
a. Individual satisfaction is influenced by quality of competition.
b. Opportunity for social interaction is also important.
c. Athletes need to feel that they are improving their skill levels.
d. Recognition from others (parents, coaches, teammates, and public).
e. A personal factor associated with cohesiveness is commitment to the team.
C. Leadership Factors
1. In a mutiny cohesion is high, the leader-subordinate relationship is poor (the leader is excluded from the group) and performance is poor.
2. In a study of golf coaches and team members, golf coaches were not crucial to the development of team cohesion.
3. The perception that a group has about itself becomes more distorted the more cohesive it is. The group tends to be very favorable in its perception of its own members and to overvalue its own contributions, importance and performance. On the other side of the same coin, the team undervalues the contributions, importance, and performance of other groups or non group members. This turning inward can lead to some difficulties for a new, formally appointed leader such as a coach. This is especially true when a successful and popular coach has been replaced.
4. Decision making style is important. Team members engage in behaviors more persistently, with greater intensity and for a longer duration when they have an opportunity to participate in decision making.
5. The compatibility between coaches and athletes is related to team cohesiveness.

D. Team Factors
1. Group positions: refers to the fact that when collections of individuals meet regularly people tend to consistently occupy a specific geographic space. This contributes to a sense of continuity and unity and development of perceptions of “we” versus “they.”
2. A role is a set of behaviors that are expected from the occupants of specific positions within the group.
a. Formal Roles are explicitly set out by the group’s organization. Coach, team captain, and manager, forward, guard and center in basketball are explicit formal roles. Individuals are trained or recruited to carry out each of these roles.
b. Informal roles evolve as a result of the interactions that take place among group members. Some examples are leader, enforcer, police officer, social director and team clown.
c. When individual group members understand their roles and attempt to carry out their roles to the best of their ability (role performance) the group’s effectiveness is improved.
d. The behavior requirements of each role should be made as explicit as possible.
e. Role acceptance is enhanced when the coach minimizes the status differences between roles.
f. Role clarity and role acceptance can be improved through an effective goal-setting program. Goal-setting serves four important functions: it directs the individual’s attention and actions toward appropriate behavior, it motivates the individual to develop strategies to achieve the goal, it contributes to increased interest in the activity and it leads to prolonged .
3. The presence of norms is also associated with increased cohesiveness. A norm can be task irrelevant or task relevant. A norm reflects the group’s consensus about behaviors that are considered acceptable.
a. New team members quickly become aware of the standard of behaviors that are considered acceptable in their interactions with the manager and begin to act accordingly.
b. With increased cohesiveness there is greater conformity to group standards for behavior and performance.
c. New groups have minimal influence over its members.
d. As cohesion increases, adherence to norms and behavior increases. Failure to conform can lead to sanctions.
e. Norm for productivity: Productivity above or below the standard is not tolerated by the group.
4.The key factor that influences the relationship between cohesion and productivity is the group’s norm for productivity.
a. If group cohesion is high and the norm for productivity is high, performance will be positively affected.
b. If group cohesion is high and norm for productivity is low, performance will be low or negative.
c. When cohesion is low and groups with a high norm will outperform groups with a low norm.
5. Another important aspect of group norm is stability.
a. It has been shown that a norm established on a team will persist for four or five generations after the original members have left.
b. If a negative norm, such as abusive behavior toward officials, or other team members, a laissez-faire attitude toward training, a reliance on individual versus team goals, those goals could persist over a number of seasons unless steps are taken. To change the norm it is important to enlist both formal and informal leaders. If these leaders are not cooperative to the change, personnel shifts might need to be considered.
6. Group Goals and Rewards
a. In this day and age individual players get many individual recognition and rewards.
b. Therefore it is important that the coach ensure the concept of unity is reinforced.
c. The coach must emphasize the group’s goal and objectives and rewards that will accrue to the group if these are achieved. Individual goals and rewards should be downplayed.
7. Communication
a. As the level of communication relating to task and social issues increases, cohesion is enhanced.
b. As the group becomes more cohesion, there is also increased communication.
c. The exchange of task information and social pleasantries increases with cohesiveness.
8. Ways to Improve Coach-Athlete Communication and Team Harmony
a. Open communication channels by providing opportunities for athletic input. There must be mutual respect and essential in order to keep the channels open.
b. Develop pride and a sense of collective identity within the group by setting out realistic team, individual, and subunit goals.
c. Strive for common expectations on what type of behavior are appropriate. The coach should specify objectives, strategy, operating procedure, or means to reach the goals.
d. The coach could value unique personal contributions by emphasizing the importance of each role that are necessary for group performance.
e. The outstanding execution of a role should be recognized to enhance the pride and commitment in the group by its members.
f. Strive for consensus and commitment in goal-setting activities.
g. Use periodic team meetings to resolve conflict.
h. Stay in touch with formal and informal leaders in the team.
i. Focus on success before discussing any failures.
j. Success contributes to cohesiveness. So, it is good for the coach to have an easier schedule at the beginning of the season.
k. Group cohesion is influenced by team stability. When groups are together for a long time, their sense of cohesiveness increases. Members do not voluntarily leave the team, are more punctual at practices, are absent less often and leave practice before it’s over less frequently. A coach should try to avoid excessive personnel turnover.

IV. TEAM BUILDLING
A. The intention of team building is to promote an increased sense of unity and cohesiveness and enable the team to function more smoothly and effectively.
B. One approach to team building interventions is as follows:
1. Introductory Stage: The relationship between perception of cohesiveness and enhanced team dynamics are discussed.
2. Conceptual Stage: There are three purposes behind this stage.
a. to facilitate communication with coaches/leaders about complex concepts like groups, cohesiveness, etc.
b. to highlight the interrelatedness of various components of the team-building protocol
c. to identify the focus for possible interventions.
3. Practical Stage: The purpose was to have coaches/leaders, in an interactive brainstorming session, attempt to generate as many specific strategies as possible to use for team building in their group. Specific intervention strategies are important for three reasons:
a. Coaches/leaders differ in personality and preferences – a strategy that might work for one coach might not work for another.
b. Groups differ as well. So, a strategy that might work for one group might not work for another.
c. Motivation is enhanced when individuals are given greater control over personal behavior.
4. Intervention Stage
a. The team-building protocols were introduced and maintained by leaders.
b. Selected high status members of the team should be included as part of the intervention stage. They can be very effective in giving effective feedback.