MENTAL SKILLS that affect G.O.L.F.
There is no doubt that playing Golf and scoring well requires both mental and physical skills. This is a cliché that is often repeated by TV commentators who say, “Golf is 90% Mental,” and many of my students assume that once a reasonable level of physical ability is established the rest of the game is “mental.” Let me assure you that mental SKILLS are very important, but what they are and how they apply to the Game is probably the most misunderstood aspect of learning Golf.
Despite the ruminations of philosophers and preachers, it seems apparent that the brain was not carefully planned or seamlessly executed. Evidence confirms that it simply happened, and that lack of pedigree nullifies any expectations about the brain’s configuration. Common sense might suggest that the brain is likely to be unitary and harmonious, but it isn’t. A homogeneous brain might function better, but not a single creature upon this earth can be found to have such a brain. Even microscopic protozoan creatures like Amoeba show a diversified structure within their simple neurological systems.
SO . . . The brain is not the result of some clever plan. It is a biological organ that evolved into a special function, not much different from muscles, lungs or liver. Many things, including pressures from ecology, as well as chance and circumstance, influence biological structures. In the end, living things simply follow the long chain of successful evolutionary adaptations that promote survival. The HUMAN BRAIN is structured similarly to all other vertebrates and consists of three distinct and separate adaptations that we refer to as the REPTILE Brain, overlain with the LIMBIC Brain, and finally the Neo-Cortical Brain or Cerebral Cortex. These THREE BRAINS are interconnected by a complex neurological network that allows the to work together to control every function of the body.
We see a clearly TRIUNE structure to the brain: Note the relatively similar size in the reptile and limbic brain as compared to the large disparity in the volume of the cerebral Cortex between other Mammals and Human beings.
THE REPTILIAN BRAIN:
The oldest parts of the brain are simply bulbous elaborations at each end of the spinal cord. This brain consists of neurons that control breathing, swallowing, heartbeat, and the visual tracking system a frog relies on, to snap a dancing dragon fly out of the air. Reflexes that prompt an instant reaction to specific stimuli are located throughout the body and connected through the spinal column to this primitive brain. In fact these reactions are the reason an animal has a brain in the first place.
The reptilian brain is the part of the brain that remains functional when a person is said to be “brain dead.” As long as the reptilian brain survives, the heart will keep beating, the lungs will expand and contract, blood chemistry will be balanced, and body temperature will be normal. A body animated by the reptilian brain is not aware or what we term “alive” but merely living tissue and organs, regulated by the instinctive reactions of biology and neuro-chemistry.
The reptilian brain possesses motivators, but not what we consider “Emotions.” The reptile brain permits rudimentary interactions with other animals, courtship and mating displays, demonstrations of aggression and territorial defense. Many reptiles attack and repel intruders, illustrating how primitive turf battles are in the history of territorial vertebrates.
When we step up to the tee and feel the adrenaline coursing through our body, it is, at least in part, this most primitive REPTILE BRAIN urging us to demonstrate our skill, strength and ultimately our dominance over fellow players. This is behavior is more suited to the world of solitary non-social reptiles that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, but none-the-less compelling and clearly visible in today’s world..
THE LIMBIC BRAIN:
High school biology defines Reptiles as cold blooded, having scales and laying eggs. Mammals are defined as; warm blooded, having fur, and bearing live offspring. These generalities do not begin to adequately or accurately describe the many and profound differences. As mammals split off from the reptilian bloodline, a fresh neural structure blossomed within their skulls. This new kind of brain transformed not only the mechanics of reproduction, but the orientation of parent animals to their offspring.
The Limbic brain wraps around the bulbous reptilian brain at the top of the spine and connects directly to the solar plexus at the base of the spine, through the spinal column. Within its smooth curves, lies a group of neural structures with tongue twisting names; Hippocampus, Hypothalamus, Fornix, Amygdala, Septum, Cingulate Gyrus, Pirirhinal and Perihippocampal regions.
One might say the Limbic brain is the FEELING BRAIN, a place where we experience “Vitality” or the unique sense of “Being” that makes us human. Emotional “feelings” such as; anger, grief, misery, happiness, and attachment to others, spring forth from this largely chemical part of the mind. As a direct result, a sometimes confusing array of instinctive behaviors arises. We all experience urges to compete or cooperate, we enjoy social and individual bonding, we see altruism and selfish behavior. These conflicting behaviors are all results of the moods created by limbic chemistry and the “wiring” in the very early Mammalian LIMBIC brain.
The Limbic Brain is the root cause of many problems on the Golf Course. As Excitement, Fear, Anger, Doubt, and other powerful emotions are experienced, chemicals are released into the blood that will make controlling the muscles and timing the swing difficult.
The MENTAL SKILL that must be learned is; how to recognize, control, and accommodate the inevitable reactive chemistry that results from LIMBIC emotional Influences.
THE NEOCORTICAL BRAIN:
The Neo-cortex, (Greek for “new” and Latin for “rind” or “bark”) Is the last, and in Humans, the largest of the three brains. Like the rest of the brain, the neo-cortex isn’t really completely understood, but science has made some progress over the past two decades to map the functions and capacities of this mass of tangled neurons.
Mammals that evolved long ago, such as the opossum, have a very thin neocortical layer covering the older Reptile and Limbic brains. Even today, one can observe how simple and instinctive their behavior patterns are. As mammals evolved larger and more convoluted cortexes, more complex behavior and specific adaptations for survival became prevalent. Many modern animals, including some birds, display complex attachments and social behavior that exceeds these simple mammalians.
In Humans, the Neo-cortex dwarfs the rest of the brain. It consists of two generally symmetrical sheets of neural tissue, roughly the size of a thick hand towel, crumpled and wadded together to fit over the reptile and limbic brains and tightly fitted within the confines of the skull. The cortex of a Human being is huge in comparison with even our closest Non-human relatives, the Great Apes.
We seem to have voluntary control of many neocortical functions. The basic stimuli of Vision, Scent, Touch, Taste, and Hearing, as well as our awareness of “self” or “Consciousness”, all seem to be experienced in the Neo=cortex. We can focus our attention upon Speaking, Writing, Planning, Reasoning, Memory and Recall and “voluntary” muscular functions, so it’s quite clear that a large share of our experience of living is influenced by this “Thinking Brain.”
Neo-Cortical SKILLS that effect Golf are: recognizing problems, knowing our own abilities, reading Greens and lies, planning overall course strategy and a myriad of intellectual decisions that can affect the outcome of any shot. Obviously, making WISE Decisions on the course can have an enormous affect on final score.
Therefore, I say GOLF is 100% Mental. Understanding and controlling the MIND is critical on every shot, as every shot is performed by the motion and interaction of the Skeleton, Tendons, and Muscles of “the Golfing machine.” Which is Motivated, Initiated and Controlled by the Human mind.
There is no doubt that playing Golf and scoring well requires both mental and physical skills. This is a cliché that is often repeated by TV commentators who say, “Golf is 90% Mental,” and many of my students assume that once a reasonable level of physical ability is established the rest of the game is “mental.” Let me assure you that mental SKILLS are very important, but what they are and how they apply to the Game is probably the most misunderstood aspect of learning Golf.
Despite the ruminations of philosophers and preachers, it seems apparent that the brain was not carefully planned or seamlessly executed. Evidence confirms that it simply happened, and that lack of pedigree nullifies any expectations about the brain’s configuration. Common sense might suggest that the brain is likely to be unitary and harmonious, but it isn’t. A homogeneous brain might function better, but not a single creature upon this earth can be found to have such a brain. Even microscopic protozoan creatures like Amoeba show a diversified structure within their simple neurological systems.
SO . . . The brain is not the result of some clever plan. It is a biological organ that evolved into a special function, not much different from muscles, lungs or liver. Many things, including pressures from ecology, as well as chance and circumstance, influence biological structures. In the end, living things simply follow the long chain of successful evolutionary adaptations that promote survival. The HUMAN BRAIN is structured similarly to all other vertebrates and consists of three distinct and separate adaptations that we refer to as the REPTILE Brain, overlain with the LIMBIC Brain, and finally the Neo-Cortical Brain or Cerebral Cortex. These THREE BRAINS are interconnected by a complex neurological network that allows the to work together to control every function of the body.
We see a clearly TRIUNE structure to the brain: Note the relatively similar size in the reptile and limbic brain as compared to the large disparity in the volume of the cerebral Cortex between other Mammals and Human beings.
THE REPTILIAN BRAIN:
The oldest parts of the brain are simply bulbous elaborations at each end of the spinal cord. This brain consists of neurons that control breathing, swallowing, heartbeat, and the visual tracking system a frog relies on, to snap a dancing dragon fly out of the air. Reflexes that prompt an instant reaction to specific stimuli are located throughout the body and connected through the spinal column to this primitive brain. In fact these reactions are the reason an animal has a brain in the first place.
The reptilian brain is the part of the brain that remains functional when a person is said to be “brain dead.” As long as the reptilian brain survives, the heart will keep beating, the lungs will expand and contract, blood chemistry will be balanced, and body temperature will be normal. A body animated by the reptilian brain is not aware or what we term “alive” but merely living tissue and organs, regulated by the instinctive reactions of biology and neuro-chemistry.
The reptilian brain possesses motivators, but not what we consider “Emotions.” The reptile brain permits rudimentary interactions with other animals, courtship and mating displays, demonstrations of aggression and territorial defense. Many reptiles attack and repel intruders, illustrating how primitive turf battles are in the history of territorial vertebrates.
When we step up to the tee and feel the adrenaline coursing through our body, it is, at least in part, this most primitive REPTILE BRAIN urging us to demonstrate our skill, strength and ultimately our dominance over fellow players. This is behavior is more suited to the world of solitary non-social reptiles that lived hundreds of millions of years ago, but none-the-less compelling and clearly visible in today’s world..
THE LIMBIC BRAIN:
High school biology defines Reptiles as cold blooded, having scales and laying eggs. Mammals are defined as; warm blooded, having fur, and bearing live offspring. These generalities do not begin to adequately or accurately describe the many and profound differences. As mammals split off from the reptilian bloodline, a fresh neural structure blossomed within their skulls. This new kind of brain transformed not only the mechanics of reproduction, but the orientation of parent animals to their offspring.
The Limbic brain wraps around the bulbous reptilian brain at the top of the spine and connects directly to the solar plexus at the base of the spine, through the spinal column. Within its smooth curves, lies a group of neural structures with tongue twisting names; Hippocampus, Hypothalamus, Fornix, Amygdala, Septum, Cingulate Gyrus, Pirirhinal and Perihippocampal regions.
One might say the Limbic brain is the FEELING BRAIN, a place where we experience “Vitality” or the unique sense of “Being” that makes us human. Emotional “feelings” such as; anger, grief, misery, happiness, and attachment to others, spring forth from this largely chemical part of the mind. As a direct result, a sometimes confusing array of instinctive behaviors arises. We all experience urges to compete or cooperate, we enjoy social and individual bonding, we see altruism and selfish behavior. These conflicting behaviors are all results of the moods created by limbic chemistry and the “wiring” in the very early Mammalian LIMBIC brain.
The Limbic Brain is the root cause of many problems on the Golf Course. As Excitement, Fear, Anger, Doubt, and other powerful emotions are experienced, chemicals are released into the blood that will make controlling the muscles and timing the swing difficult.
The MENTAL SKILL that must be learned is; how to recognize, control, and accommodate the inevitable reactive chemistry that results from LIMBIC emotional Influences.
THE NEOCORTICAL BRAIN:
The Neo-cortex, (Greek for “new” and Latin for “rind” or “bark”) Is the last, and in Humans, the largest of the three brains. Like the rest of the brain, the neo-cortex isn’t really completely understood, but science has made some progress over the past two decades to map the functions and capacities of this mass of tangled neurons.
Mammals that evolved long ago, such as the opossum, have a very thin neocortical layer covering the older Reptile and Limbic brains. Even today, one can observe how simple and instinctive their behavior patterns are. As mammals evolved larger and more convoluted cortexes, more complex behavior and specific adaptations for survival became prevalent. Many modern animals, including some birds, display complex attachments and social behavior that exceeds these simple mammalians.
In Humans, the Neo-cortex dwarfs the rest of the brain. It consists of two generally symmetrical sheets of neural tissue, roughly the size of a thick hand towel, crumpled and wadded together to fit over the reptile and limbic brains and tightly fitted within the confines of the skull. The cortex of a Human being is huge in comparison with even our closest Non-human relatives, the Great Apes.
We seem to have voluntary control of many neocortical functions. The basic stimuli of Vision, Scent, Touch, Taste, and Hearing, as well as our awareness of “self” or “Consciousness”, all seem to be experienced in the Neo=cortex. We can focus our attention upon Speaking, Writing, Planning, Reasoning, Memory and Recall and “voluntary” muscular functions, so it’s quite clear that a large share of our experience of living is influenced by this “Thinking Brain.”
Neo-Cortical SKILLS that effect Golf are: recognizing problems, knowing our own abilities, reading Greens and lies, planning overall course strategy and a myriad of intellectual decisions that can affect the outcome of any shot. Obviously, making WISE Decisions on the course can have an enormous affect on final score.
Therefore, I say GOLF is 100% Mental. Understanding and controlling the MIND is critical on every shot, as every shot is performed by the motion and interaction of the Skeleton, Tendons, and Muscles of “the Golfing machine.” Which is Motivated, Initiated and Controlled by the Human mind.