Golf And Self Talk

Self talk has a huge impact on our performance and proficiency, efficacy and effectiveness, in life and in sport. What we tell ourselves, after years and years of programming, defines who we are. We become self-fulfilling prophecies simply by the words we utter within our own minds.

The 2012 Masters gave us a great example of golf - and self talk - all at the same time. Some of it was obvious, some of it less so. Self talk can be reflected in the words that are heard by the media, and sometimes they are found when we read between the lines.

Take three examples: Bubba Watson, Sergio Garcia, and Tiger Woods.

First to the tee is Bubba Watson. This year’s Masters champion is a great example of what happens when you have no self-imposed mental limits. First of all, he is a self-taught golfer. No lessons. No limits. But add to that his mental approach to the game, even when hitting out of the trees:

“I can do it”

Or his perspective on golf in general:

“I just play golf … I attack. I always attack. I don’t like to go to the center of the greens. I want to hit the incredible shot; who doesn’t? That’s why we play the game of golf, to pull off the amazing shot.”

Contrast this with Sergio Garcia. This is perhaps the most in-your-face example of negative self talk that I have witnessed in a long time from a professional athlete:

“If I felt like I could win, I would do it. Unfortunately at the moment, unless I get really lucky in one of the weeks, I can't really play much better than I played this week and I'm going to finish 13th or 15th.”

Follow that one up with …

"I'm not good enough … I had my chances and opportunities and I wasted them. I have no more options. I wasted my options."

Some might consider his words realistic or pragmatic. But I would suggest that with self talk like that, Garcia will not be winning a major any time soon, even if he does have the skill set. Remember, this is the same golfer that finished second to Tiger Woods (at the age of 19) at the 1999 PGA Championship, and who lost the 2007 British Open in a playoff to Padraig Harrington.

And finally, we have the ongoing saga of Tiger Woods. He is, as he says, “so close to turning it around”. But has he become so focused on turning it around that he can’t seem to do so? Is his self talk getting in the way of his game? You would have to wonder after the outbursts he displayed in the second round.

I don’t think that his best golf days are over. Allow me to re-phrase that – his best golf days are not over assuming he gets his head back into the game.

None of this is really just about the game of golf. It is about ever day of our lives. In order to be the best, the best “you” that you can be, you can’t be telling yourself you don’t have what it takes to be the best. In sport – or in life.

Photo credits: Jim Epler