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GOLF TEACHING PRO®
THE
MENTAL SIDE
MentalRules for Teaching
Golf
and Other Thoughts
 How
much time do you spend teaching the mental game to your students?
If you’re like many teachers, you probably spend far greater time
dealing with the physical aspects of the game. Yet, the teacher
can greatly enhance the student’s learning experience if the teacher
has a good grasp on the mental game.
Some
of the more prominent sport psychologists have put out bestselling
books in recent years, most notably Dr. Bob Rotella and Dr. Richard
Coop. These books contain good insights into the mental game.
One book that is highly-endorsed by several prominent golf professionals,
but may be underappreciated by the general public because its author
is not yet widely-known, is MentalRules for Teaching Golf by Dr.
Gregg Steinberg. This book is unique in its format, reminiscent
of Harvey Penick’s Little Red Book.
There
are 61 chapters, or “mental rules,” in Dr. Steinberg’s book, each
of which is approximately 2-3 short pages – just like Mr. Penick’s
book. Both feature easy reading and simple but insightful truths
regarding our great game. If you liked the Little Red Book, you
will also greatly enjoy MentalRules for Teaching Golf.
When
it comes to the mental game overall, it seems the more advanced
the player is, the more he or she is into the mental game. For some
reason, too many average golfers focus exclusively on swing mechanics
in their pursuit of improvement. They seem content to have a mental
approach consisting of extremely basic platitudes, such as “think
positively, not negatively,” or “focus on where you want the ball
to go, not where you don’t want it to go.” And, of course, there
is the infamous “I just need to try harder.”
Yet,
as Dr. Steinberg explains, trying harder may not be the best approach,
which is one of the many interesting MentalRules his book features.
In order to help our students evolve their mental games to a higher
plane, it is imperative that we, as teachers, have a good working
knowledge of the mental game beyond the basics.
MentalRules
for Teaching Golf is not just for teachers. Most golf students will
enjoy reading the book, too.
The
USGTF thought so highly of this book that it agreed to become a
main distributor. As mentioned earlier, the book is highly endorsed
by such luminaries as Hank Haney, Hale Irwin, Laura Diaz, Lou Graham,
and Dean Reinmuth. USGTF members should find that they, too, will
glean some useful insights into both teaching and playing. Another
option USGTF members have is to make the book available to students
as part of their lesson program, and to make this easier, a volume
discount is now being offered.
To
order MentalRules for Teaching Golf, please contact the national
office at (888) 346-3290. Each hardcover book is $12.95 individually,
or just $9.95 apiece with an order of five or more.
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Copyright © 2011 United States Golf Teachers Federation, All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of this article in any kind is strictly prohibited.
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