IJGA Newsletter: The Oaks April 2018 | Page 9

Why the Mental Game is Important to College Coaches IJGA student-athletes hoping to play golf at the college level know that coaches have a difficult job trying to determine the best young athletes to repre- sent their team, school and community. College golf coaches must evaluate hundreds of potential recruits every year and any edge an athlete can demonstrate is a tremendous advantage. Experienced coaches can get the measure of your golf game in ten min- utes. But success in competitive golf requires more than just a sweet swing and a long drive. Often times athletes with superior physical gifts that should make them a star in their chosen sport somehow fail to realize their full promise. Whether their day-to-day performance never lives up to ex- pectations or they crumble when the game is on the line, something significant is missing from the player’s repertoire. What is the missing intangible? Mental toughness. Elite college programs know the difference between greatness and mediocrity is not that big, but it takes players with something special to bridge the gap. Mental toughness is the natural or learned psycho- logical ability to cope with the many demands of competitive sport and it is the edge that sets a gifted athlete apart from less committed oppo- nents. A mentally tough junior golfer will remain determined, focused, confident and in control under pressure. They possess a resiliency that keeps them on track when things are going well and especially so when they are not. More than this, though, this mental quality helps young athletes manage the full spectrum of challenges they face on the course, in the classroom and in their personal lives. When coaches take a closer look at a standout ath- lete, they will be seeking to determine both the level of a potential recruit’s athleticism and the quality of their character. As a coach follows prospects around the course he or she will evaluate how they present themselves, how they deal with distractions, how they react to bad breaks and how they interact with other players. A young athlete who displays resiliency when things become difficult and shows discipline and maturity will distinguish themselves in a very positive way. A junior golfer who plays with mental toughness will appear head and shoulders above others who might have similar or better stats on the course but lack that intangible, that fire. Coaches want complete packages that they can help grow and who will step up when the chips are down, not someone who needs to be coddled and protected. Some mistake solid mental toughness and an un- shakeable belief in oneself as arrogance. Quite the opposite is true. An elite athlete can set aside their ego and the desire to “prove” something to other people because that is a goal that they can never truly achieve. Real mental rigor is an overwhelmingly positive attribute that enhances a player’s perfor- mance but also honors the competition, without whom they would be nothing. College coaches want well balanced athletes who strive to achieve personal goals and understand that self-improvement is a building process, that success does not come all at once. There will always be ups and downs, but surmounting the problems and feeding off of small victories strengthens morale. This routine of positive reinforcement builds upon itself and encourages one to attempt to repeat the behaviors that provided the positive feedback, creat- ing a self-sustaining cycle of success. We are human beings and confidence is fragile. No one is perfect and no one has everything tightly in hand all the time. Developing mental toughness simply enables the young golfer to trust their own ability and deter- mination and know that they will ultimately prevail. Winning coaches know that more games are lost than are won, and they value players who give every- thing of themselves to all of the challenges in their lives. Winning coaches prize players who fight with everything they have. 9