Sports Psychologists

I've heard of pros or high-profile athletes working with these guys but have any of you "regular" people ever worked with one? Reason I ask I think I've got some kind of mental block on the golf course and I'd love to get over it. Not that I'm playing horrible but I just can't seem to get past certain thresholds with my game. I know, sounds ridiculous but I'm fishing here. Any experience?

Most regular people dont use one.
Average golfers dont have the ambition or desire to play good golf they are happy being a happy camper playing bogie golf.
I met people who would basically need one but many belive in the swing theory, and search of the perfect swing, instead of checking their emotions and physiological management.

I dont personally work with amaturs due to them are not doing the work.
Pro´s have ambition and a work ethic and actually practice what one teach.
Amaturs dont.
and yes, I do coach golfers and other athlets.

I still have to find an amatur that actually listens to what one tells them and do it.
I told people stuff they drop 4 shots of a round but do they come back?
No, they dont.

Amaturs, to much work and to little pay.
Not worth the hassle.

Interesting post..to answer your question no,,,never used a sports shrink....I think that the pros use physcologists to maintain consistancy and focus rather than to improve technique. Pro sports of any kind is a grueling profession, physically and mentally. Travel, pressure to make money, etc, wears anyone down.

I'm and 8, this summer I want to shave off a few and get to a 5...I know to get to a 5 is strictly technical issues and practice...I look forward to golf as fun and enjoyment with my friends, not: "OMG if I don't break 80 I can't pay the mortgage".

My 2 cents is a sports shrink helps to overcome the boredom, pressure, monotony of travel, focus, whatever, for a someone who already has the skill set. For the avg recreational Joe,,,probably another hour w/ your lob wedge will be time better spent.

One way the average golfer can improve: Understand the psychology of learning (learning = activities to produce a permanent change in behavior.) This would probably do more good than a "sports shrink."

Consider the Self Efficacy model, which is used in job training. Self efficacy is the feeling of confidence one has in being able to perform a specific task or procedure. Self-efficacy is developed by instruction, observation of skilled role models, positive feedback for improvement, and building on early success.

Pros are becoming more helpful in this area. The last couple of years, some golf teaching pros are giving student video summaries of their lessons. This way, students can review what they were doing wrong, and how the pro corrected it. This helps them practice productively in the days following the lesson.

So, understanding psychology of learning and applying it to our lessons and practice can probably help us average golfers more than a sports shrink.

Related Topic: If you have had serious health problems and/or structural injuries in the past few years, this can interfere with rebuilding your golf swing. You might seek out a certified golf trainer (TPI is one group). The trainer could take a look at your swing motion, and recommend the following:
* Physical training and exercise to build your body back up.
* Swing adjustments if you have limited range of motion due to the injuries.

I have read a couple of Patrick Cohn's books, and he is quite good. If you go on his website http://www.peaksports.com/index1.php , you can opt to receive periodic email "lessons" and/or free e-books.

I may visit one to help with the yips. I'm reading a Bob Rotella book now: see how that goes first.

Appreciate the responses. I've gone through some changes over the last three years. I've become more physically fit. I lost a good bit of weight and this past winter I really hit the weight room (I'm hitting the ball much further this year). Over the last two years, I've been working with a very good instructor who has educated me on the golf swing and other aspects of golf (short game, etc.). Last year I made equipment changes for the first time in many years. But in these last three years I've gone from being a 9 to a 5. I still have consistency issues and I don't really feel like a five except for the fact that when I do get in the "zone" I can play quite well. But it seems like every round I find two or three holes that I hit a wayward shot that usually translates to a double bogey and keeps me from meeting my goal. So I'm looking for answers like, do I have to find ways to avoid the wayward shots or do I accept that it's going to happen and look for ways to play that much better on the other holes to make up for it? I'm just reaching and yeah, it's not like I'm playing to earn my paycheck or world peace is resting on my playing well. I just love to play and I love the challenge. Guess I'd like to have a few more mental "victories" to validate the effort.

Ok, case in point. The other day I went out and had three double bogeys and a couple of three putts and shot 80. Today I went out and had only one double bogey and shot 81. I don't get it. Now I am consistent. Check the "my scorecards" button below. But doggone it, can the golf gods not show me a little love and help me shave one or two strokes per round. ONE OR TWO! That's all! I'm not asking for the world. Just one or two strokes!

And just to make it more confusing: I pulled some stats after my last post on Scorecard. For the last two and a half years, I've averaged 42% of greens and 46% of fairways. In my last five rounds I'm averaging 51% greens and 58% of fairways. The only stats that made sense with my not scoring is I'm averaging one more putt per round and my UD percentage is down 2%. Those seem somewhat negligible but I guess they are not.

If you're playing to a 5 and hitting less than 8 greens you sure have a good short game. The fact that your missing 1/2 the fairways is also great that you score so well. Assuming you're not playing US Open style courses from the tips you just gotta hit more greens...6 iron - PW practice sounds like to me. Also where you miss the fairways is critical...are u just off in light rough or 10 yards into the bushes...The fact that you can shoot and 81 with 3 doubles and a few 3 putts means you're also makin' some birdies...WOW maybe you do need a psychologist!! LOL

Update: Went on a two-day getaway to play 54 holes. First 18 awful, Second 18 better, Third 18 OK but had 5 penalty strokes enroute to an 82 on very tight course. Wasn't doing much for my golf esteem but I set some small goals for myself and I think that gave me a clue. I was able to achieve some which gave me some positive momentum. Today I went out on a course I had never seen (not easy) and shot 79. Hallelujah!. The key was to not get defeated when trouble came. I had the ability to come back on the next hole and make par or birdie. Take it one shot at a time. I still knew how I stood at all times but I didn't let that pressure bother me. I actually got more aggressive and it paid off. I had the misfortune of making two double bogeys on the back side. The first was lack of course knowledge, the second was hitting a bad shot out of an unfortunately horrible lie. The second came on the 16th hole and it put me at 8 over. My only chance of making the elusive 70's was to go one under on the last two. Fortunately, the 17th was a par 5. I hit a decent drive but my second shot was from 235 with carry over water right in front of the green. At first I was thinking hybrid but the wind was in my face. I said to myself, "what do I have to lose, it's just golf". I hit three wood over the water but just right of the green. I then proceeded to hit a chip that hit the flagstick leaving me with a tap in birdie. Par on the last hole and I'm golden. Good drive but then I hit my approach over the green. I putted from the second cut and came up ten feet short. Again, "what do I have to lose". I decided to take the break out and give it a hard run. Boom! Back of the cup. 79. But the mindset was more confident and aggressive and not so defensive and cautious. I'm not saying I should firing at every flag and trying to get to every par 5 in two but just stepping up and executing and living with the results. I think with that mindset, I can live with whatever I shoot because more often than not I can probably break into the 70's. No psychologist needed, just an attitude adjustment.

Yips aren't psychological, so that won't help. Yips are a result of a physiological condition, focal dystonia. The only cure is going to an entirely different muscle set, ie, long putter, claw grip, cross handed, Bernhardt Langer weirdness, the bizarre thing Sam Snead thought up. The USGA even outlawed one solution, straddling the line ala Bob Dunn.

Anyhow, practice is what causes the yips in the first place, so practicing the stroke that yips is hopeless. Gotta go another direction or you'll drive yourself nuts and need a REAL psychiatrist! I had the yips so bad once that my greatest ever ball-striking nine went like this: 17 shots tee to green, no putt longer than 15 feet including a 6 footer for eagle. I four putted the eagle try and shot 43. That's right, sports fans, 26 putts in 9 holes and never had a putt longer than 15 feet. I went cross handed. After that, things improved dramatically, but I had resisted the change, ala Arnold Palmer, for at least 2 years. Actually, I didn't discover it was focal dystonia until last year, in a cross pollination from classical guitar. Happens to professional musicians fairly frequently, but a lot of them never realize it -- just like golfers.

Wow, great information.

That basically what's happening to me right now.

I made some changes after my second round this year that include not only the way I practice, but preshot routine, setup, grip, swingthoughts, and well, basically everything. I even "borrowed" my wife's Odyssey putter (it was mine - a gift from an ex-employer - she's had it in her bag for a few years). I'm feeling pretty good about the flatstick right now. Here's my putting breakdown for 2010: 85 with 39 putts - not panicking (yet) 83 with 38 putts - best ball striking and worst putting round in years Found website - working on rebuilding my putting stroke 79 with 36 putts - feeling better in spite of the number 81 with 29 putts - even the ones I missed were really close