Golf thoughts explained: Mind Coach Gary Leboff explains how the golf brain works at the peak of pressure
Golf guru Gary Leboff believes that psychology is a major factor as to why an Englishman has been unable to capture a Major Championship since the glory days of Nick Faldo.
He said: "It's how good their minds are on any given week. "Golf is primarily a psychological sport and the better you get the more it becomes this." Leboff has worked with some of the top figures of the game including Faldo's former coach David Leadbetter, he states that denial of psychological weakness is a major flaw in England's lack of success. The brain-trainer added: "Some people don't accept that they have a problem in the first place and they will never be cured. "They hang on to this belief that if I (the golfer) keep going on for long enough I will work it out. "Einstein said the definition of madness is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result." Leboff has worked with hundreds of tour pros around the world and tailored a mental plan individually with them to suit what he believes the golfer in front of him needs to be confident. Would you feel the pressure when faced with these shots? |
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Leboff also believes that even the sight of the tough tests major championship courses give tour pros can cause havoc in their heads.
Examples of this include Rory Mcilroy's huge hook into the houses near the 10th tee at Augusta at the 2010 US Masters or Thomas Bjorn's famous trio of bunker shots on the 16th at Royal St Georges in the 2003 British Open. Leboff believes these memories shouldn't be feared on the grandest of stages. He said: "You want to look at the trouble, it's not out to get you it's just part of the golf course, I want people to focus on the trouble but their final thought has to be where do I want the ball to go." The expert claims that these aspects are emphasised when put under the strain of being in a position to win a major. "Fundamentally it's about the fear of consequesces," said Leboff. "If you think about what happens on the last day of a major, for the last three or four holes people start to get afraid of missing. "Its fear of consequences that causes that sense of fear and terror that leads to a loss of performance just in that moment when you can see the finishing line." |
Meltdown: Thomas Bjorn's British Open bunker touble in 2003 (Video: hynodesignsystems
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Is it a matter of time? Leboff's thoughts on England's Chances
Strain: Westwood cracked at Augusta.
(Pic: Guardian)
The golf guru also claims that in relation to majors, Englishmen haven't challenged consistently due to the psychological issues major championships confront them with.
He added: "When I think back to Lee Westwood, he was leading The Masters with nine holes to go and he couldn't even break 40 coming home. You could see the pressure was far too much for him.
"His breathing became very shallow, he was taking longer over his shots, he lost his pre-shot routine. It takes a while when you get in the position to get used to that kind of pressure."
Leboff did state that Westwood has bounced back since his mental collapse at Augusta and he believes that there are some Englishmen who are more than capable of tasting champagne from a major championship trophy.
He added: "When I think back to Lee Westwood, he was leading The Masters with nine holes to go and he couldn't even break 40 coming home. You could see the pressure was far too much for him.
"His breathing became very shallow, he was taking longer over his shots, he lost his pre-shot routine. It takes a while when you get in the position to get used to that kind of pressure."
Leboff did state that Westwood has bounced back since his mental collapse at Augusta and he believes that there are some Englishmen who are more than capable of tasting champagne from a major championship trophy.
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In particular, he outlines Hampshire's Justin Rose to push on for a major crown now the 32-year-old has matured.
He added: "I suspect Justin does have the game to win a major. Justin has not been good mentally for a long time but he's just showing signs in starting to believe in himself." Rose, who was originally born in Johannesburg, has had top-five finishes in all four major championships including leading the US Masters overnight on a number of occasions in the early rounds. Leboff however did stress the need for Englishmen to keep upping their games to eventually win a major and that it will not just be a matter of time before the major curse is broken. He added: "The idea that all you have to do is wait long enough and an Englishman will win a major is nice thinking but the fact is when I look around the world and I see the progress that is being made around Europe, places like Korea. The idea that it is just going to be our turn sooner or later is frankly fanciful." Whilst some traditionalists still thinking think that mental strain does not make a difference physical performance, Leboff and other mind coaches are keen to silence their critics by getting golf success at the top level. If an Englishman copes with the pressure and is soon crowned a champion, this could be the perfect way to show that psychology is a vital factor in the modern-day golf. |
Major mental meltdowns: The top five championship failures
Phil Mickelson: 2006 US OpenThe big hitting left-hander stood on the 18th tee at Winged Foot knowing that a par would be good enough to claim his first US Open Crown. Under the pressure, Mickelson made a double-bogey six and lost to Australian Geoff Ogilvy by one shot.
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Rod Pampling: 1999 British OpenThe Australian shot a valiant 71 in abysmal conditions to take the lead after the first round but the huge occasion soon told. Pampling remarkably hacked it round in 86 the next day to miss the cut and secure an early flight home before the weekend. Leaving Scotsman Paul Lawrie to lift the claret jug on Sunday evening.
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Jean Van de Velde: 1999 British OpenAs well as Pampling, this was a tournament that was famous for chokers. Van de Velde drove off on the 18th tee on the final hole knowing that a double-bogey six would be enough to claim the title. He got himself in all sorts of problems and eventually holed a gutsy putt to make seven and force a play-off. Unfortunately his mind was in tatters and Lawrie easily beat him in the resulting extra holes.
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Greg Norman: 1996 MastersEngland could have been having a longer wait for a major champion if the great white shark Norman had held his nerve. He took a six shot lead into the final round over Nick Faldo. Faldo shot a round of 67 that wowed the Augusta galleries, Norman replied in the final group with a miserable round of 78 to lose by five strokes.
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Jason Dufner: 2011 US PGA ChampionshipThe 35 year-old US journeyman found himself with a five shot advantage on the 15th hole at the Atlanta club in Georgia. Battling with fellow American Keegan Bradley, both were looking for their first major. Dufner dropped three shots coming home whilst Bradley made two birdies to force a play-off. Dufner was eventually defeated.
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