New book can improve the mental game of golf

By Lethbridge Herald on February 6, 2023.

It’s not often one reads a book about one part of life… that can change another aspect of my life. Winning Golf, the Mental Game is such a book. It is widely understood that golf is a very mental game and it certainly is. You are out there on the golf course for hours with your thoughts and emotions which can have a profound effect on how you play. And it’s true that the way we think and feel can also profoundly affect how we react and relate in many aspects of our lives. PGA winner Bruce Crampton said, “Golf is a compromise between what your ego wants you to do, what experience tells you to do, and what your nerves let you do.” Indeed, what Crampton is saying applies to both golf and much of life.

So, it’s not surprising that along with providing some clear directives on how to improve one’s golf game, the book also shares some valuable information on improving the overall quality of life. The author, Dr. Saul L. Miller, is an internationally renowned performance and sport psychologist. In this interesting and easy-to-read book, he describes techniques to create what he calls right feeling, right focus, and right attitude.

For example, there’s detailed coaching on how to use ‘conscious breathing’ to generate feelings of calm and power. Tom Watson, another PGA star, said, “When I learned how to breathe, I learned how to win.” The book explains how to transform tensing, negative thoughts, which can limit your impact and pleasure on the golf course, into feelings of calm and power. Dr. Miller also explains how to create the self-talk and high-performance imagery that will help you excel on the golf course. Again, these lessons are very applicable to everyday life. Stewart Cink, a PGA winner, commented, “I think the game of golf teaches you so much about yourself like who you really are and what you are made of.” The anxiety and fear that can be limiting on the golf course, can also negatively affect everything we do, unless and until we learn how to change our mental and emotional programming. This book teaches how to do that.

Let me be clear, this is a book focused on golf. Along with explicit suggestions and exercises for creating right feeling, right focus, and a winning attitude, the book contains wisdom and insights from seventy of the world’s top golfers.

What follows are a few of the over 100 quotes in the book, many of which apply equally to both golf and life. Curtis Strange said about breathing: “Under pressure, one of the most important things I have to remember is to breathe.” Nancy Lopez, on positive self-talk: “Doubt yourself and you doubt everything. Judge yourself and you see judges everywhere. But if you listen to the sound of your own voice you can rise above doubt and judgement.” From Nick Faldo on the power of visualization: “Visualization is the most powerful thing we have.” And on the importance of the mental game from golfing great Arnold Palmer, ”What separates the great players from the good ones is not so much ability as brain power and emotional equilibrium.” There is even advice on love and gratitude that can improve your golf and your enjoyment in life.

So, if you are a golfer looking to improve your game, or someone looking for an entertaining book on improving the quality of life, you would do well to check out Winning Golf: The Mental Game.

What’s been said about Winning Golf: The Mental Game.

“This book can help you to strengthen your mental game and play happier, better golf.” Nancy Lopez, one of the greatest LPGA golfers ever.

“This is a book that every serious golfer needs to have on his or her bookshelf to help start on this journey of self-awareness that is so important not only to golf but in life.” Jim Nelford, PGA Tour lifetime member.

“Winning Golf provides readers with several training exercises that they can put into use immediately to improve their scores. The compilation of mental advice by Dr. Miller with input from some world class athletes .. makes the book entertaining and relevant. It is a must read for any golfer trying to bring their game to the next level.” Derek Sprague, past president PGA of America.

“Winning Golf The Mental Game will improve the quality of your golf… and your life. Trust me this stuff really works.” Cliff Ronning, 18 year NHL veteran, sub-70 recreational golfer.

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