The chi-performance approach is counter to the mainstream, which advocates a whole range of mental game techniques like psyching yourself up with positive self-talk, motivational and achievement psychology, neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) and re-framing your thoughts. From my experience and the feedback I have had from the hundreds of golfers I have worked with, these processes are all excellent – until you walk out to the first tee.
When you are actually playing golf, the last thing you want to be doing is thinking about playing golf or even thinking very much at all.
In fact, the golfer who cultivates the experience of mindfulness, that is, being in the here and now, and staying in the present moment will most likely access the zone or flow-state, which is a state of relaxed concentration similar to that experienced in meditation.
So next time you address the ball, pause a moment until everything is quiet inside, you feel balanced and connected to the ground and can hear the sound of your breathing.
