Page 72 - Las Vegas Golf & Leisure Fall 2018

[ LEISUR E ]

MEN T AL G AME

COLUMN BY MARK CHENEY

Mark Cheney is a Certified Mental Performance
Consultant (CMPC) and member of the Association for
Applied Sport Psychology (AASP). For 20 years, he has
helped performers do what they love to do, better.
You can learn more at www.CoachMarkCheney.com
or by following him on twitter @CoachMarkCheney.
E + R = O

Event Response Outcome

wo monks, a wise master and his young apprentice were A golfer’s definition of success is an important factor in handling
passing through a forest. As they approached a rushing river, challenges on the golf course. How do you measure success? Is it based
Tthey noticed a beautiful woman sitting on the riverbank. “Sirs, on the process or the outcome?
can you help me across the river? The current is too swift.” The monks
looked at each other wordlessly, for they had sworn an oath against Here are some questions that should guide your evaluation of each
touching, or even speaking to a woman. Without a word, the master shot.
picked up the woman, carried her across the river and set her down
on the opposite shore. In shock at his master’s actions, the apprentice • Were you committed?
followed behind his master as they continued on their journey. Some • Did you have good tempo?
time passed before, finally, the apprentice could no longer contain his • Did you strike the ball in the center of the clubface?
exasperation. “Master, we swore an oath; yet you carried that woman • Did you start the ball on your intended line, with the desired
across the river.” The master said, “You are correct. I set her down two speed and trajectory?
hours ago. Why are you still carrying her?”
If you can answer in the affirmative to all of these, then you executed
One of the greatest struggles I see with golfers is the inability to let a a successful shot, no matter where your ball ended up.
shot (or hole) go. Like the young apprentice, they carry the disappoint-
ment, frustration, and/or anger with them, allowing one bad bounce, Golf commentators frequently talk about players “controlling their
break, or swing to weigh them down, ruining the rest of the round. ball,” but once the ball has left the clubface, it’s out of the player’s
control. In golf, more than any other sport, outside factors—wind, to-
Golfers are more likely to experience this when they equate the pography, course conditions, “the rub of the green,”—have a significant
process with the outcome. We can all recall times when a shot was impact on a shot’s outcome, yet none of those factors are controllable.
“ruined” by a bad bounce. Our memory gets fuzzier when it comes to Differentiating between the controllable and uncontrollable is a critical
a poorly executed shot that turned into a great outcome by virtue of a skill. All a golfer can control is the process—their decision-making,
fortuitous bounce. The ball’s final resting place—the outcome—is far routine, commitment to the shot, and execution of the swing.
different than the process.

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