Article by Anne Emerick

A friend was complaining about his golf game and I suggested golf hypnosis.

"Golf hypnosis," my friend scoffed. "Are you serious? Please. What do I look like?"

"I thought you looked like someone who wanted to play better. Am I wrong?"

My friend grunted. He didn't want to even discuss golf hypnosis.

But even the casual golf fan knows that often mental toughness is all that separates those holding the giant trophy aloft from the runner-up. Forty-eight-year-old Kenny Perry was on course to become the oldest Master's tournament winner in 2009, making birdies and an Eagle on the back nine of the final round in Augusta.

Suddenly, the importance of the moment seemed to interrupt his play. Perry's focus faltered. He bogeyed the 17th hole. Then he bogeyed the 18th hole, setting up a playoff, which led to him placing second in the tournament. So close and yet...

In describing the tournament, Perry said, "It just seems like when I get down to those deals, I can't seem to execute. Great players make it happen, and your average players don't. This is the second major he's won. I've blown two."

Because mental state is so key to golf, Tiger Woods father, had Dr. Jay Brunza, a family friend and psychologist begin working with Tiger when he was eleven. Brunza taught Tiger to use golf hypnosis to improve his focus and results, giving Tiger a zen-like calm regardless of how intense the competitive and media pressure around him.

So what is hypnosis exactly? And how does it relate to golf and playing well?

Hypnosis is a state of mind created by a series of instructions or suggestions.

Jennifer Scott, creator of Own the Zone Golf and 'golf mental guru', defines hypnosis as "what occurs when you stop analyzing and just let go."

Scott, a certified hypnotist, who developed Own the Zone to help her golfing husband improve his score (he did), says hypnosis helps clients, see themselves "hitting straighter drives, sinking more putts and having more fun on the golf course." Golfers then use hypnotic triggers to let the subconscious mind turn those thoughts into reality.

It is not too hard to find pros and amateurs who report breakthrough results from golf hypnosis or similar mental conditioning. Padraig Harrington credits much of his success in recent years to his mental coach, Bob Rotella, author of Golf is Not a Game of Perfect as does the 2006 PGA Rookie of the year, Trevor Immelman.

Immelman recalls the time when he knew his thoughts were limiting his success. "After my first few events as a professional in 1999, I realized I needed to find a way to quiet my mind and focus my thoughts. Dr. Rotella and I have focused on target, routine, and acceptance. Though I have not yet perfected it, I continue to work on it daily and have reached a career-high 12th in the official world golf ranking."

I guess I don't understand my friend's attitude. I thought, if a golf pro or two admitted to needing some additional mental training, to start winning tournaments, that golf hypnosis would be viewed as a winning strategy. But, apparently this is not always the case, as Angel Carbrera has proudly proclaimed that he does NOT have a sports psychologist. Does golf hypnosis and psychology carry some kind of a stigma?

I was curious, so I asked my buddy, "What's wrong with golf hypnosis?"

"Come on," he said. "Men don't like to talk about their feelings. They don't even want to THINK about their feelings and they definitely don't like the idea that their thoughts control them. Most guys would NEVER try golf hypnosis." he concluded.

"No," I thought. "Maybe not, most guys. Just the ones holding the big trophy overhead."

About the Author

Anne Emerick writes about a wide variety of topics, including self-publishing children's books, how to write a romance novel, and natural arthritis pain relief.