LIST OF GOLF ARTICLES

(All printed in the GOLF UPDATE or NEW ZEALAND GOLF MAGAZINE).

Instructions:

If you would like any of these articles they will cost you €2 (approximately US$2.74 or NZ$3.40) per article. Please email your selection of articles (with corresponding number) to: vic@vickiaitken.com and you will be emailed back a “paypal” invoice for you to pay on paypal. Once payment has been received you will have your articles emailed directly to you.

ARTICLES

(1) Introduction: “Maintaining Your Balance on Golf’s Tight-Rope of Knowledge”

Article talks about the amount of knowledge available about golf and getting the right balance. Understanding what makes up our performance and why sport psychology is an important component.

(2) THE PLAYING ATTITUDE – PART 1 – Become a positive self talker!

This article introduces you to the foundation of good golf performance the playing attitude by outlining the mental tool of self-talk (the how and why) which plays a critical role in self awareness and in attaining the playing attitude.

(3) THE PLAYING ATTITUDE –PART 2 – Death to Paralysis by Analysis.

If you think a lot when out on the course then this article is for you. It talks about the problems with analysis on course and the first step to solving this which is another corner stone to the playing attitude.

(4) THE PLAYING ATTITUDE PART 3 - Unquestioning Golf in “Flow".

This article talks about the peak performance state of flow in golf and how if you attain all the characteristics of the playing attitude you give yourself the best chance to attain this flow state regularly.

(5) THE PRACTISING ATTITUDE – Part 1: PRACTICE TO PLAY BETTER

As there is an attitude to take to the course there is an attitude or approach that you can take to the practice area or range which will help you be a better player out on the course.

(6) THE PRACTISING ATTITUDE Part 2: SHORT GAME PRACTICE SHOULD BE CHILDS PLAY!

Short game is an often overlooked but important part of your game to practice. This article looks at how you put the fun and effectiveness back into your short game practice sessions.

(7) KEEPING YOUR CONCENTRATION

This article looks at all the factors that influence your concentration and attention. It outlines some practical and psychological steps you can take to improve your concentration next time you step out on the course.

(8) "GOOD SPORTS AND GOLF" all in the same sentence !?!

This article broaches the subject of good sportswo/manship and details how playing within the spirit of etiquette can actually benefit you and your game.

(9) FUN, GOALS and GOLF!

When your golf is completely off the boil and you’re struggling to enjoy it this article will help inject some enthusiasm and sense of success back into your game.

(10) PRESHOT ROUTINES (I)

The advantages of a pre shot routine such as consistency of shot quality are outlined along with the basics of what make a good pre-shot routine.

(11) PRE SHOT ROUTINES (II) – LONG GAME

This article goes through some of the specific steps one needs to go through in a long game pre-shot routine. It outlines the mental tool of imagery and how you can successfully incorporate it into your pre-shot routine.

(12) PRE-PUTT ROUTINES – The Psychological simplicity to putting like a legend.

Golfers often overlook the obvious in their putting which makes it hard for them in the first place. This article takes you through the important aspects of a good simple pre-putt routine.

(13) PRE-SHOT ROUTINES for your short game

This article outlines the idiosyncrasies between pre-shot routines for the chip, pitch and bunker shot so you can get the most out of your short game.

(14) HOW TO PLAY MATCH PLAY I

Golf is not just about the lowest score for 18 holes. Often we play other forms including match play – which is when you play directly against an opponent hole for hole. Based on my own masters thesis research you are guided how best to approach match play psychologically.

(15) HOW TO PLAY MATCH PLAY 2

Many golfers have to play against a friend or someone they respect at some point in their lives. This article encourages you to deal with the situation effectively so that you all retain your dignity at the end of the round.

(16) A GUIDE TO FOURSOMES

Another form of golf is foursomes when we play alternative shots with a partner. This article explains how you can get the best out of your two person team.

(17) HOW BEST TO PLAY "TEAM" GOLF

Whether you’re playing for your club, county/province/state or country chances are you’ve got to play “team” golf. This article looks at how you get a bunch of individual golfers to work together effectively.

(18) DEALING WITH BLOOPERS

Based on Lynn Brooky’s story (given with permission) of how she overcame a blooper, this article demonstrates how you can overcome obstacles in your game.

(19) TO GO OR NOT TO GO PRO? That is the question.

Many young golfers have the ambition to turn pro. But what exactly does that mean? And how do you get there? This article clarifies the situation for those that are serious.

(20) PSYCHOLOGY OF BEING A GOOD CADDY I

Caddying at club through to professional level there are issues that arise in how caddies ought to do their job well. It talks about multiple roles of caddies and keeping your player’s confidence high.

(21) PSYCHOLOGY OF CADDYING II : Decision Making and Caddy-Talk©

This article looks at the decision making process (ie club and shot choice) that goes on between a player and a caddy and the appropriate roles involved.

(22) CONFIDENCE IS KING OF THE COURSE

This article looks at how you create and maintain confidence when on course so that you leave the course feeling like a king rather than Joe Hackerama.

(23) ROLE MODELS AND MOTIVATORS

This article reflects on Annika Sorenstam’s venture onto the mens’ USPGA when she played the Colonial in 2003. It looks at how constructively she dealt with the situation and why she did it. It also looks at the pros and cons of having a “role model” in the golfing world.

(24) MOTIVATORS: WINNING OR BETTERING YOURSELF?

Knowing truly what motivates will guide you to best set the right motivating goals for yourself. This article also looks at goals which you have control over as well.

(25) MOTIVATORS: USING YOUR GOALS TO GET YOU GOING

This article looks at how to prevent performance lapses in your round. It outline how you can use your goals to keep you motivated instead of giving up.

(26) FAILURE: PART1

This article looks at understanding that failure is a part of life and sport. It looks at the fear we can often have about it.

(27) FAILURE: PART 2

This article looks at how we over come our fear of failure.

(28) FEAR OF SUCCESS

Along with success comes many responsibilities. This articles looks at how we can best deal with the fear of success.

(29) GETTING YOUR SUPPORT TEAM TOGETHER

This article looks at the range of people you can put in place to support you and your golf in your efforts to achieve your goals.

(30) DEALING WITH DISTRACTIONS

If you’re prone to being distracted by others or even your own thoughts out on the course then this article is for you.

(31) DEALING WITH NERVES

This article deals with nerves in a novel manner by looking at the role that your thoughts play in the process.

(32) "YIPS" – Mental or Physical?

Looks at the root cause of the yips and how you might start to over come this.

(33) "Are you Limited?"

This article looks at breaking scoring or handicap barriers and suggests how you can overcome these limitations.

(34) IS YOUR CONFIDENCE ROCK SOLID?

What do you base your golf specific confidence on? This article looks at how you can make your golf confidence more solid and stable.

(35) BRAIN WARMING!

Golfers need to mentally warm up or prepare for a round of golf or a tournament as much as they would physically. This article outlines why and how you can best do this.

(36) MENTAL WARM DOWN!

While golfers often warm down physically what do you do to mentally warm down? This article talks about the benefits of constructive post round reflection.

(37) PRESSURE – TOO HOT TO HANDLE!

This article looks at the pressure experience in golf and how you can best deal with it to come out on top.

(38) GOLF – A Metaphor for Life

Is there any transference of what you learn in golf and sport psychology to life and the business world? This article would argue that there is and gives examples of tools you might use on the course could be helpful in the business arena.

(39) KILLER INSTINCT (1): “Know Thine Own Ability”

This article looks at what exactly is the “killer instinct” and what golfers with this characteristic must possess to be successful in their approach.

(40) KILLER INSTINCT (2): TOTALLY TRUST IT!

This article develops the concept of the “killer instinct” further from the first article looking at the need for trust, risk and the ability to let go.

(41) WHAT’S A SUCCESS?

What do you consider success to be in golf? This article challenges you and attempts to expand your definition of success.

(42) “It ain’t over til the Fat Lady Sings!”

This article looks at the ideal of fighting to the bitter end of a round of golf – keeping a good round going or turning that bad game around.

(43) A LEARNERS GUIDE TO “HAPPY FAMILES”: Dealing with Advice.

This article gives you three options for dealing with Battle-Axe Betty or Chatterbox Bob and the well intentioned advice of loved ones.

(44) A LEARNERS GUIDE TO IMPROVEMENT: Staying on Track.

This article talks about the need for perpetual disciplined diligence in keeping your mental skills/tools that you’ve learnt sharpened regardless of how well things are going.

(45) HELPING YOUR KIDS & THEIR GOLF 1: Your Role as a Parent

This article looks at what you can do to help you child become great in golf and in life. Tips on how you can achieve this are given.

(46) HELPING YOUR KIDS & THEIR GOLF 2: Giving their Confidence the Edge

Looking at the different parenting methods of Tiger Woods and Michelle Wie’s families we can learn how to best build our own children’s confidence in the big wide world of golf.

(47) “I Think Therefore I am”… a Great Golfer?!

This article rips off Descartes famous saying but also makes a good point about the impact of greater knowledge of the swing and how thinking and our intelligence can impact upon our performances on course.

(48) THE BEST WAY TO LEARN GOLF – PART 1

This article compares traditional learning of “golf” or more accurately the swing and compares it with the latest research on “implicit learning”. A must read for all swing coaches!

(49) THE BEST WAY TO LEARN GOLF – PART 2

Expanding on the previous article this article outlines ways and methods in which a player and their coach could improve their swing “implicitly”. Again a must read for all swing coaches!

(50) CAREFUL WHAT YOU AIM FOR….AS IT SHALL BE WHAT YOU RECEIVE

This article asks the question of whether you are satisfied being the top of the crop (in your neck of the woods) or whether you would be more satisfied in maximising your abilities? And looks at how you can use this to influence your goals and aspirations in the game and in life.

(51) TRANSFERENCE

What can you learn from other sports that you can bring to golf? This article discovers a few that could help your game.

(52) SIMPLY PUTTING PART 1

As the title suggests this article looks at how simple putting should be. It looks specifically at line reading, lining up and pace.

(53) SIMPLY PUTTING PART 2

This article goes to the next step beyond line reading and pace and looks at the basics that make a good putter.

(54) SIMPLY PUTTING PART 3

This article looks at how you deal with a bad day of putting and what you can do to get yourself on track for the next round.

(55) THE BATTLE ON COURSE

The battle on course is invariably with yourself. This article looks at how you can win the war or words, thoughts and self talk.

(56) MENTAL FITNESS: Are you mentally fit?

As physical fitness can help us succeed on course so can our mental fitness – it can help us rise to the top when it matters the most.

(57) ON AND OFF THE COURSE: EMOTIONAL INCONGRUENCE (1)

Emotionally are you the same person on the course as you are off it? This article goes a way forward to look at the need for creating emotional integrity between the two arenas.

(58) ON AND OFF THE COURSE: EMOTIONAL INCONGRUENCE (2)

Understanding your emotions is the next step toward being in control of the emotional roller coaster so often experienced on the golf course.

(59) LIFE BALANCE (I): Is there more to your life than golf?

This article looks at what makes a balanced life and why its important to you and your golf.

(60) LIFE BALANCE (II): How much practice is ideal?

Getting the balance between practising enough and quality practice is a big part of the life balance equation. This article helps you figure out what is best for you.

(61) TOP FIVE LIFE SKILLS: (1) Self Awareness

In life we learn skills we can bring to the golf course. The first of these is self awareness. The article contains suggestions of how we can build this skill. (There is a tip for parents with children).

(62) TOP FIVE LIFE SKILLS: (2) Self-Discipline

This article explains what self-discipline is and how it can benefit you and your game. Furthermore it explains how you can improve your self-discipline. (There is a tip for parents with children).

(63) TOP FIVE LIFE SKILLS: (3) High Self Esteem

Good self esteem is a good foundation stone in which to build your golf specific confidence on. This article makes suggestions on what you can do to build your self esteem and golf specific confidence. (There is a tip for parents with children).

(64) TOP FIVE LIFE SKILLS: (4) Positive & Optimistic Outlook

This article looks at pessimism versus optimism and the influence of your talk off course to your on course talk.

(65) TOP FIVE LIFE SKILLS: (5) Personal Integrity

Looks at what Personal Integrity is. Although not necessarily considered by society to be a virtue this article argues how it can benefit you both on and off the course.

(66) MIND GAMES

Ever played against someone who tried to use mind games against you to throw your performance? How did you handle it? This article will give you some tools to deal with such unethical tactics so you can continue to play your best.

(67) IMMUNISE AGAINST CHOKING

This article explains what choking is and how it occurs and what you can do to deal with pressure situations more constructively than the proverbial “choker”.

(68) PLAYING ATTITUDE (1): React at your Peril

To achieve the ultimate playing attitude there are four major aspects to work on. The first of these is about the peril of reacting to shots and the required solution is outlined.

(69) PLAYING ATTITUDE (2): Unhindered by Swing Thoughts

The second aspect of the playing attitude is the rather outrageous suggestion of playing without swing thoughts. This article explains why and how.

(70) PLAYING ATTITUDE (3): Thinking Positively

This article outline the virtues and the how to’s of being rebelliously positive the third aspect of a great playing attitude.

(71) PLAYING ATTITUDE (4): Trust it!

There is an element of risk is all we do and golf is no different. In the fourth and final aspect of the playing attitude we talk about the virtues of trusting your swing and ability.

(72) REFLECTION PROTECTION

Reflecting upon a game or the year can serve to pat you on the back when others may not. This article explains why this is important and ways you can do this effectively.

(73) ANNUAL PLANNING (1)

Once you’ve reflected on your previous year’s performances it’s time to get proactive and set some goals for the coming year. This article focuses on long term goal setting.

(74) ANNUAL PLANNING (2)

Developing your long term goals into a periodised annual plan is beneficial for all golfers. This article explains why and how.

(75) PRACTISING ATTITUDE 1

This article talks about what we practice for and ensures that a clear idea of what we want to achieve will direct our practice sessions more successfully. And looks at how you can get the best out of your technical swing work.

(76) PRACTISING ATTITUDE 2

Talks about quality versus quantity of practice and the need to practice your mental skills/tools too!

(77) CONFIDENT OR OVER EXPECTANT?

This article focuses on motivational goals (outcome and performance goals specifically) and guides you as to how high you should set the bar for yourself.

(78) OUCH! Dealing with Pain

On the back of Tiger’s US Open win in 2008 the question was asked: Tiger’s done it then should we? We look at the psychological pros and cons of playing with pain.

(79) LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION- The Virtue of the Lesson.

Most golfers are tempted to continually tinker with their swing in order to get to improve or achieve that perfect swing. This article investigates whether this continual improvement is helpful or even necessary.

(80) THE PROBLEM WITH THE PEDASTAL

The media love to put certain players in the limelight and build them up in the public’s mind as someone worthy to be in awe of or even idolised. But there are hazards involved when one goes along with this media pied piping.

(81) SELF-EMPOWERMENT: The First Step to Conquering the “But I Always….”

Your thoughts and talk are a reflection of your belief system. This article makes suggestions of how you can empower yourself to change for the better.

(82) RISKY BUSINESS…..

Golf doesn’t look scary, but it can be. Taking risks is part of all top level sport. This article looks at what kinds of risks are involved in the gentile sport of golf.

(83) Pre-Shot Routines (1): The Full Swing (picture sequence).

Each step of a good pre-shot routine is outlined with accompanying pictures.

(84) Pre-Shot Routines (2): Putting (picture sequence).

Each step of a good pre-putt routine is outline with accompanying pictures.

(85) NZ “Course Management” not up to scratch!

This article looks at the virtues of good course management and why NZ’s amateur golfers need to pull their socks up in this department.

(86) Our Frames of Reference

Big Fish Little Pond Effect seems rampant in golf in New Zealand. This article looks at the benefits of a broader frame of reference.

(87) Confidence Yoyos

Does your confidence go up and down with your performance on the day? Then this article is for you!

(88) Pathways to the Top (1)

If you wish to take your game to the next level then these two articles explain what will help you get there more effectively and efficiently.

(89) Pathways to the Top (2)

If you wish to take your game to the next level then these two articles explain what will help you get there more effectively and efficiently

(90) “One Stop Miracle Shop?!”

The virtues of working long term in the area of sport psychology/ mental skills is discussed.

(91) Reflection on Working on the Psychology of the Game

Vicki interviews a Ladies European Tour player about her experiences working on the mental game.

(92) Celebrate Good Times

Some emotions are good for your game. This article explores the benefits of celebrating good shots.

(93) Golf Maturity 1

Being a “mature” golfer has nothing to do with age. These two articles look at the attributes that a mature golfer has regardless of how old or experienced they are.

(94) Golf Maturity 2

Being a “mature” golfer has nothing to do with age. These two articles look at the attributes that a mature golfer has regardless of how old or experienced they are.

(95) All Issues are Performance Issues

Life can affect your performance on course. This article looks at the influences and the need for balance.

(96) Switch on – Switch off

If you love golf and love to think about it every waking moment then this article is for you. It looks at the benefit of switching off periodically.

(97) Parents Behaving Badly 1

Motivated by observations of parents behaving badly, Vicki looks at research on the ideal parenting styles in sport.

(98) Parents Behaving Badly 2

Motivated by observations of parents behaving badly, Vicki looks at the child versus parent role in golf.

(99) Parents Behaving Badly 3

Motivated by observations of parents behaving badly, Vicki helps parents to understand how young golfers perform best and what you can do to support that.

(100) Are you a Try Hard?

If the harder you try, the more you concentrate the worse your golf gets – then this article is for you.

(101) The One Elusive Secret – Is Golf all ‘black’ and ‘white’?

Is there really only one way to play golf? Swing the club? And think? This article explores these questions.

(102) Do ‘Good Guys’ Actually Win at Golf?

In this day and age with many of the successful professional golfers earning themselves dodgy reputations off the course it begs the question can ‘good guys actually win at golf?’

(103) Breaking through the Mental Barriers

Vicki reflects on tour statistics: driving distances and scoring over the last 12 years and considers what the mental game may have to contribute to golfers making advancements in golf going forward.