If you’d like the kind of mental focus in your golf that other players talk about – and delivers great satisfaction for you - then consider individualised tuition via one-on-one coaching.     

We also offer workshops for groups of players or corporate teams – as a one-off customised exercise or as part of business retreats or pre-conference programs.

We endeavour to be as flexible as possible with our customised tuition and the following is an indication how we charge and time services.  Contact us to discuss your requirements.

Fee structures:

Individual sessions are timed by the hour, with a minimum booking of one hour. Cost depends on your preference for the number of sessions.

Group workshops costs are based on the number of participants and the corresponding session duration; minimum session lengths apply.

Our session and workshop fees are payable in advance, usually upon booking.  Major expenses such as any travel and accommodation expenses are additional.

To discuss your needs or to ask further questions about our training program, please use this contact form.  We will be in touch as soon as possible.

We look forward to helping you discover the magic of focus in golf, and wish you much enjoyment from your game.

Among the most common of these emotions is depression, along with its sister, anxiety.

Depression can be a difficult challenge, especially if we’re unsure about why we feel the way we do.  Anxiety can also set in as our emotions spiral out of control and we search for something to explain why this is happening.  For men it can be even more difficult as talking about emotions isn’t always easy or encouraged among peers. 

Regardless of how inspired or not you feel to begin to make changes in your life, you deserve to be happy and live a fulfilled and happy life.  There are many empathetic people out there ready to help, and the path to feeling better may mean you reaching out to them and what they offer. 

First off, let me say that if you are not feeling yourself in any way at all and it’s an ongoing situation, seek out the advice of a qualified medical practitioner who will help you find the right path to rebalancing your feelings and get you back on track, where a sense of contentment can return to everyday life. 

Some things to consider:

Mindfulness meditation is one of the non-clinical strategies to treat depression and anxiety – and you can find information here on THIS WEBSITE, along with some resources on this.  You can also try it right away: download a three-minute mindfulness meditation by signing up at our homepage.  

An excellent book and CD by two of the most respected experts of mindfulness and depression is here:

The Mindful Way Through Depression – Freeing Yourself from Chronic Unhappiness [with CD].

As for resources on dealing with depression that you can download immediately please read on.  Here there are materials and other resources from people who have been down the depression path and found their way back.  Their motivation in creating these materials is to help others do the same.  Remember please that none of this is designed to replace professional advice.

This resource – Emotional SOS – is from an Australian called Damian Masion who struggled with depression for over 15 years. 

Click here to read more about Damian’s offering

It comes with some very impressive testimonials in the field of experts on treating depression such as Dorothy Rowe, and sportspeople such as John Eales, former captain of Australian Rugby team.  Damian offers a free e-book:  Top 7 Depression Tips, as well as his indepth online program which currently costs $47 (usually $97), and has a 60-day money-back guarantee if you do not find it helpful.

Another resource immediately available online that you may want to check out is by American ex-depression sufferer.  Christine Taylor used the method of Dr Richard Green which involves the use of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) - a highly effective method of emotional balance for many people.   
The program is currently discounted down to $19.97 and has an optional bonus book Mind Food. 

Click here to find out more

This selection of golf accessories or golf-related products will be of interest to people who love the game.  Just click on the text or icon to find out more and to order.

 
 GREETING CARDS …



Think Cards, the greeting card boutique, has golf-themed cards suitable for any occasion.

Think Cards also offer free postage if you buy several to stock up, which is a great idea so you never miss special birthdays and other events throughout the year. 

  
PERSONAL CLIMATE CONTROL …

MISTY MATE  is the leading supplier of misters and cooling misting systems for sportspeople.

Click on the box above to check out the huge range of personal misters to choose from, including many you can take with as you play for quick refreshment to keep your cool on the course.

Customised GOLF CLUBS, ACCESSORIES & PERSONALISED PRODUCTS …

Mindfulness meditation is one of the most effective non-clinical ways of addressing stress, pain, depression, and anxiety. 

Its gentle, unconditional ability to build self-awareness in people from diverse backgrounds and for many applications, has seen it become one of the most talked about and studied modalities in modern medicine, and in particular, the area of mental health.

In essence, mindfulness meditation is a set of techniques and concepts which, when applied during our practice of focus-building or concentration meditation – such as when we need to improve our inner golf game - allows us to improve and maintain that focus to gain the greatest benefit. 

Its many practical, insightful and life-affirming strategies help us deal not only with the distractions that get in the way of our meditation and focused mind state, but also the experiences and challenges we have day-to-day in our lives, away from meditation practice.

Resources and for more on mindfulness meditation and ways to improve your focus and concentration:

1)  To get immediate access to a free MP3 of a 3-minute Mindfulness meditation
- ‘Being Present go to our home page, and enter your name and email address.

2)  Q&A on meditation and mindfuless

3)  Watch and follow this 6.5 minute video to experience mindfulness meditation:

 
4)   Download a free 7-minute MP3 audio for dealing with difficulties such as physical body problems or emotional stresses: 
Meditation-Working_with_Difficulties  (Right click > Save Target As; 3MP file - 4Mb)   

5)  Resources for learning and practicing mindfulness meditation many of which are free to download and gain access to now.

6)  Like to try an alternative way to improve your concentration and memory? 
       Click here … 

Yoga introduces qualities that have direct influence on your golf because it helps you create a more aware relationship with your body. The physical postures and movements are coupled with a simple pattern of breathing which enhances your mental and physical relaxation, and builds the muscles’ capacity to release their tightness and to extend stability and strength.  Back pain and other muscle stiffness is gently stretched and eased. 

This translates to better balance during your swing, a higher resistance to body stress factors and an all-round healthier way of living.  Lots of physical activities build your muscles and strength but often parts of your body are left out.  Because yoga is a full-body workout, it can help to check any imbalance in your muscles and differences between the two sides of your body. In helping to increase flexibility, you may be less susceptible to injury during your swing as well.

And don’t be concerned that you’ll have to try to twist yourself into a pretzel to enjoy the benefits of yoga.  One of its most endearing qualities is that a good yoga teacher will encourage you to recognise and work only to your current physical limits and any particular issues you have at the time.  The other benefit from this approach is that while it’s important to start off slowly with yoga, after just a short time you’ll be amazed by how you can move deeper and fuller into the postures and experience a great sense of achievement from that. 

Some tips on getting started

• Wear comfortable clothing that won’t restrict your stretching.
• Bare feet are ideal when you practice yoga, both for the traction they give you for standing poses, as well as the workout your feet will get.
• If you don’t have an exercise mat, use a thick towel but avoid anything that will slip on the floor.
• It’s important to make sure your muscles are warmed up before you begin your yoga routine. Never force your body into a posture or try to go beyond your limits as you could strain your muscles.
• Using the correct form or style of yoga is also key to getting the most out of your yoga experience, so talk to the instructors before to get an idea on what the style involves, or try a  class to see if it’s right for your (whether you’re a beginner or an expert).
• And, don’t be afraid to ask your teacher for help – yoga recognises everyone has their own physical and mental limits and that these can change from day-to-day.
• Learning the correct way to do each pose is important for overall mind and body development.
• If you are feeling sore, you’ve probably overdone it, so take warm bath and do some very gentle stretching.
• Get an online or DVD program so you can practice in your own time as well, or if you’re taking a golfing vacation.

When to practice

Yoga can fit easily into your schedule – taking 10-15 minutes each day to practice can make a difference (just make sure to wait at least an hour or two after you’ve eaten – longer if it was a heavy meal)

Where to practice

Find a quiet spot where you won’t be distracted. You’ll need an area that’s large enough for you to stretch upwards as well as to the sides.

How to practice

Always warm up first. Plan a well-rounded workout that includes lots of different positions from all of the major muscle groups. Most importantly, remember to breathe – inhale when you try upward and expanded movements, and exhale during downward or forward bending motions.

Focus your attention on each position. Move slowly making controlled movements until you feel your muscles slightly tensing and resisting (you should feel your muscles stretching, not straining).

Think of each pose in yoga is an experiment, so go slowly and listen to your body.  Know when you are pushing yourself too hard or need to challenge yourself a little more.  Relax between poses if you wish.  

Finally, remember to take 5-10 minutes to relax your body at the end of your workout. Traditionally, this is done lying flat on your back. Apart from relaxing the mind as well as being a nice reward for the body after the work-out, this will help to prevent soreness building in muscles and keep them supple and ready for your next game.

If you seek out a yoga class, remember there are a few different styles, so check your local directories and have a chat to the teacher about your requirements and ask any questions you have.

Yoga resources for golfers

We’ve done some research and can recommend you check out the following links to some resources specifically designed for golfers interested in the many benefits of yoga to their mental and physical game:

The Yoga Tutor is an innovative 21-lesson online yoga training program designed by Yogacharya (left) to help you learn the fundamentals of yoga and develop the understanding and confidence to practice yoga, at home, on your own.
For an introduction to the program, which features a class-by-class e-book and instructional videos, click below for a full outline of the program.
Aside from a low cost, this program offers a number of valuable bonuses. 

Click here to for a full outline and sample videos from the Yoga Tutor, and watch the following short example of the videos from practical The Yoga Tutor program.

 
 
THE GOLFER’S BOOK OF YOGA 
by Drew Greenland

Yoga presented here in a clear and accessible manner specifically with the golfer’s needs in mind.

THE ATHLETES GUIDE TO YOGA - An Integrated Approach to Strengthen Flexibility and Focus
[with DVD]  by Sage Rountree

This book presents warm-up and cool-down routines for workouts, simple poses to specifically target areas of inflexibility and overuse, breath and meditation exercises and recommendations for intensity and volume of yoga workouts throughout the training year.  A ten-minute video is included with the book.

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  MENTAL FOCUS in golf:   Minding Your Game
  Click here  for more on this multi-media program

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  STRETCHING for golf:   One-Hundred & One Stretches for Golf
  Click here

 
Misty Mate is the leading supplier of misters and cooling misting systems for sportspeople. 

 < Click on the box at left to see the huge range of personal misters, including many you can take with as you play for quick refreshment and to keep your cool on the course! 

 

 

  YOGA for golf:  

        The Yoga Tutor  |  Golfer’s Book of Yoga  |  Athlete’s Guide to Yoga 

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  TRAVEL for golf: 

 
    Compare travel costs & deals:     

    Directory of Country Clubs:  www.findagolfresort.com

  

    Online travel bookings:  Click here for the Direct Flights website

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  MEDITATION for golf:

 
 

  DEALING with DEPRESSION: 

       THE MINDFUL WAY THROUGH DEPRESSION
        Freeing Yourself from  Chronic Unhappiness  [with CD]
 
       EMOTIONAL SOS  -  includes free e-book:  Top 7 Depression Tips

       OVERCOME DEPRESSION  – program by Dr Richard Green

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Stretching also relaxes muscles and reduces the tension that causes lower back pain and its severity. It’s a great way to manage stress on and off the golf course. 

Even things like circulation and blood flow are improved by stretching, as are overall posture and muscle balance. Your game benefits from increased muscle co-ordination and neuromuscular co-ordination.

As a guide to stretching, I suggest you check out this customised e-book resource for golfers from trainer Susan Hill:  101 Stretches for Golf which you can download immediately.
Click here to find out more.

While the mindfulness techniques worked remarkably well for golfers, I also wanted to find a way to introduce and maintain a mind training element to supplement our sessions, or for when players were on the road on tour and/or needed a boost or refresher.  A big part of utilising mind power tactics, however, involves trying to avoid manipulating the outcomes, which can be very difficult when we habitually control all aspects of our golf game. 

A resource I’ve looked at for working in this space is “Minding Your Game(TM)” and I think it might be of interest to you too if finding a tool for improving your mental game.  It’s put together by a Canadian called Wade Pearse who, about 10 years ago, became very interested in golf and wanted to play as well as he possibly could.  At the time he was in college studying the Psychology of Human Excellence and learning about what made people excel in their chosen area of life.  So he took those principles of personal transformation and applied them to his own golf game with fantastic results. 

As they got to hear about the successes Wade was having, golfers from around the world and from all skill levels started to use his training program with similarly great results.  Since then he’s been around the world helping people with his approach in Australia, South Africa, UK, USA and at home in Canada.

I’ve included an engaging short video below featuring Wade talking about his system.  Have a look, see what you think and if you might work for you. 

I’ve also chosen it as it’s very well priced, available immediately online, has videos, audio and e-book components, and comes with a useful package of bonuses.

Watch the video below or  Click here to find out more about the program.

Click here to buy and download the program now.
For more on this MIND-IN-GOLF theme, see our ZEN of GOLF page. 

The swing in and of itself isn’t conducive to having a healthy back.  This is because to have a good swing you create tension in your spine (to enable you to get good distance) – the tension comes as the hips stop while the shoulders continue to rotate: basically you create a coil from your body, which then uncoils when you start your downswing.  Since that’s an awkward movement for your back, many golfers end up with lower back problems. 

Regular massage helps muscle flexibility.

Here’s some basic chiropractic advice – remember to listen to your body and do not force it into any position that causes pain: 

• Before your game, do some basic stretches – ease into a slow stretch of hamstrings along the back of the legs, and groin area.
• Regular massage will help keep your muscles flexible, and more responsive to deep stretching.  
• Hold the ends of a club across the back of your shoulders and lean slowly from left and right. 
• Now, from the same position, raise it up, stretching your shoulder muscles.
• Get in a position of where you would be in a swing, and then bend left and right. 
• Grab the club backwards – so if you normally swing right-handed, you’d grab it like you’d be swinging left-handed- and take 10 practice swings that way.  You’re stretching different muscles, releasing some of the habits formed by body-memory, which will all you loosen up considerably. 
• During the winter, work particularly on stretching the muscles of the arms, shoulders and back. 
• If your neck is tight gently stretch it a little also, as stiff neck muscles will affect the freedom of rest of the body.  Remember, if there’s any pain you should see an expert who can help establish the cause and treatment.  
• Golfer’s elbow is a painful condition in which your arm bone becomes sore and tender.  Chiropractors can adjust the over-rotated bone. 
• Orthodic stabilisers for your shoes can help improve balance so your swing is better.  They may also encourage you to walk more.
• Anything that helps with flexibility eventually helps with your game.  As you get older, your swing naturally shortens since the muscles aren’t as supple. 
• You have to have good balance if you want to hit the golf ball consistently.  A healthy spine is paramount to proper balance and posture. Improve your balance and you’ll improve your consistency.

Chiropractors care for your body structure overall, not just the back.  So if your muscles are feeling out of sync, chiropractic may be the just the adjustment your body and game needs. 

To find a chiropractor near you check out web-based health directories which list local practitioners, or contact the national chiropractor’s association for accredited members.

Remember: this is not medical advice; please consult your medical practitioner before undertaking any new physical health regime.