Golf Beneath The Surface - The New Science of Golf Psychology with author Raymond Prior | #895
May 16, 2023
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Dr. Raymond Prior, performance consultant and author of Golf Beneath The Surface, debunks myths of sports psychology and discusses psychological predictors for long-term growth and performance under pressure. He emphasizes the importance of being present, stable confidence, and proactive awareness in golf psychology. The chapter also explores the significance of understanding the brain, mindfulness, and cognitive diffusion in improving mental aspects of the game.
Understanding the brain's impact on psychology and performance, debunking myths about anxiety and emphasizing the importance of presence and stable confidence.
Exploring the concept of awareness and mindfulness, emphasizing proactive and accepting awareness to interact with thoughts and feelings in a mindful way.
Highlighting the role of habits in performance and the need to address unproductive habits to develop more effective patterns that support performance and well-being.
Deep dives
Understanding the Brain and its Influence on Performance
The book starts by explaining how the brain's design impacts our psychology and performance. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the brain's functioning and dispels myths about anxiety being beneficial. It highlights how anxiety can disrupt physical skills and make the experience less enjoyable. The book shows that being present and cultivating stable confidence are key to performance.
Developing Mindfulness and Awareness
The book dives into the concept of awareness and mindfulness. It explains the two different modes of mind, doing and being, and how they relate to our thoughts and feelings. The importance of proactive, grounded, and accepting awareness is emphasized. Training awareness allows us to interact with thoughts and feelings in a more mindful way and reduces the tendency to fight or resist them.
Addressing Habits for Performance Improvement
The book explores the role of habits in our performance. It emphasizes that our behaviors, both psychological and physical, are shaped by habits. It explains how habits can become unproductive and hinder performance. By understanding and addressing habits, we can develop more effective patterns that support performance and well-being.
Examining Core Beliefs and Assumptions
The book delves into our psychological framework, which includes our beliefs and assumptions about ourselves and the world. It highlights that our beliefs and thoughts determine the value and meaning we assign to things. Challenging core beliefs and assumptions allows us to construct a more empowering framework that supports confidence and enjoyment in golf.
The Integration of Science and Practice
The book concludes by integrating scientific knowledge with practical applications, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of golf psychology. It encourages readers to challenge conventional beliefs, develop a deeper understanding of how their brain operates, and fosters personal growth and improvement in golf performance.
895: Golf Smarter has always been a huge advocate of fine tuning your mental game with the same passion and diligence as your swing mechanics. Our guest this week is performance consultant and author of Golf Beneath The Surface - The New Science of Golf Psychology, Dr. Raymond Prior. In both the book and this conversation, Raymond debunks some myths of sports psychology that are surface-level and explains psychological predictors that encourage long-term growth and skillful performance under pressure. Connect with Raymond on Twitter @bts_mindset or visit his site at BTSMindset.com. Here’s a link to his book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3pKnSgE This episode is brought to you by SwingU.com and the SwingU app. Go to swingu.com/upgrade and use promo code ‘golfsmarter’ to save 30% on your first year’s subscription to either the SwingU Plus or SwingU Pro. This week on Golf Smarter Mulligans is part 3 of a six part series with Dr. Glen Albaugh, author of “Wining The Battle Within”. Glen passed away in Feb 2023 at the age of 91, and we want to honor his memory by replaying each episode he was featured on Golf Smarter. This episode, from January 2014, the part 1 of 2 that we call “Practice Like You Play for Better Results On The Course”. Learn more in the show notes or our blog post at GolfSmarter.com for these episodes. Golf Smarter has been named by golfspan.com as one of the 10 Best Golf Podcasts for 2023, including being named the BEST GOLF PODCAST FOR YOUR MENTAL GAME. Check it out at https://www.golfspan.com/best-golf-podcasts. Become a Golf Smarter Ambassador by introducing our next episode! For your effort you’ll receive a choice of prizes including: • A box of ODIN balls of your choice with the Golf Smarter logo. ODIN Golf is the only golf brand that sponsors and pays everyday golfers! See our custom page at odin-golf.com/pages/golfsmarter. • A Glove + Glove Compartment from RedRoosterGolf.com where you can choose from a large variety of styles of gloves in 26 sizes! • A private link to Tony Manzoni’s video “The Lost Fundamental”. Write to GolfSmarterPodcast@gmail.com and we’ll send you simple instructions and a brief script to record for the intro of the show. In addition to sharing your home course, you now have the opportunity to offer your favorite Golf Smarter lesson, episode, insight or teacher.
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