Unique Mental Challenges for Women Golfers

Home
>
Golf
>
Unique Mental Challenges for Women Golfers

Unique Mental Challenges for Women Golfers

The game of golf provides trials for every player, independent of the player's gender. However, for some women in our society, there is a special challenge.

Women in the Western world have traditionally been raised and socialized to be cooperative, polite, feminine and "nice". There is implicit pressure that some women feel to make sure that they don't stand out too much or present themselves as trying to outdo or "embarrass" another woman. These messages can sometimes conflict with being competitive on the golf course.

In stark contrast, men have traditionally been reinforced and given full latitude to be competitive, win at all costs, and take down their "opponent". In the English language, there is a lot of overlap between adjectives that describe masculinity and those that describe a competitor. Time after time men can go head to head on the golf course, do whatever is necessary to beat their adversary, and then enjoy the 19th hole with their fellow competitor.

For many women, it doesn't feel that simple. For some there is a perceived or real fear that if they are too competitive in the golf arena, that they may suffer some social consequences. Some fear being labeled as "too competitive", "too serious", or worse. Some women feel as though they must choose between "social" golf and "competitive" golf, as there is not as much of an overlap as it feels there is for the men.

Admittedly, this is an internal conflict that some women do not experience, as they are in arenas where this doesn't feel like an issue. Others are perfectly content to let their golf development and improvement be a priority- without concern for the potential social ramifications.

Gratefully, society continues to move toward embracing the notion that a woman can be both competitive and feminine. However, for the women for whom this inner conflict exists, it is often helpful to recognize this clash and resolve to be purposeful about coming to peace with it.

What is your goal for your game? Is it more socially related? Is it more competitively related? Are there times when one takes priority over the other? Clarifying this objective in advance of the day at the club or course can help keep things in perspective and help goals be met more easily. At the very least it can help create an internal environment that feels less confused, thus allowing the game to be one that is more enjoyable and pleasurable.

Jeff Troesch, MA, LMHC is an internationally recognized expert in the mental side of golf. As the former Director of Sport Psychology for the David Leadbetter Golf Academies, Jeff has worked with thousands of golfers nationwide and brings a wealth of experience to seasoned golf professionals as well as the recreational golf lover. You may contact Jeff directly through his website, http://www.fitnessforgolf.com.

In The News:

Fort Worth Star Telegram
Golf • 'Lucky' Zach Johnson leading by a stroke at the Colonial
Salt Lake Tribune
"I kept the golf course in front me. I attacked when I could attack. I had a couple of nice saves when I needed it. … I've got zero complaints." Jason Dufner, rookie Harris English, Tom Gillis and Kyle Reifers were tied for second.
Golf: Zach Johnson leads at windy Colonial with a 64San Jose Mercury News
Golf CapsulesWashington Post
UPDATE 1-Golf-Johnson sets Colonial pace, Dufner one behindChicago Tribune
Bloomberg -Fort Worth Star Telegram -ESPN (blog)
all 646 news articles »

SB Nation
Golf roundup: Johnson leads at Colonial
Austin American-Statesman
As part of a technology change, commenting will not be available on some articles for a number of months. Read more about the change here. ASSOCIATED PRESS FORT WORTH — Zach Johnson made two clutch par-savers that were part of a bogey-free, 6-under ...
McDowell stunned by 'freak' incident at WentworthUSA TODAY
Frustrated Rory McIlroy Throws Golf Club -- Just Like Tiger WoodsSB Nation
Golf-Drysdale, Lawrie steal show at sunny WentworthReuters UK
Pakistan Daily Times
all 1,151 news articles »

Bradenton Herald
Airplane door falls onto golf course
CNN
By Aaron Cooper, CNN Washington (CNN) -- The FAA is investigating what caused a private jet to lose its door as it flew over a Florida golf course. The Canadair CL600 jet was traveling from Opa-Locka to Pompano Beach, Florida, on Wednesday when it was ...
Private jet door lands on South Florida golf course fairway; no injuries reportedWashington Post
Plane door falls from sky and lands on Hallandale Beach golf courseMiamiHerald.com
Odd hazard for Diplomat golf course as plane door falls from skySun-Sentinel

all 99 news articles »

Purdue Boilermakers
UNC second at NCAA golf championship
News & Observer
North Carolina women's golf team is tied for second place following the second round of the NCAA Championships. North Carolina fired a 4-over-par 292 on Tuesday at the Vanderbilt Legends Club and moved to 6-over for the tournament, 11 strokes behind ...
Baylor Women's Golf Tied for 18th At NCAA'sKWTX
Strauss paces Women's Golf in NCAA Championship third roundTexasSports.com
Women's Golf In Ninth At NCAA ChampionshipsPurdue Boilermakers
Seminoles.com -SportsPageMagazine.com -TarHeelBlue.com
all 233 news articles »

al.com
Alabama women's golf team sees big lead shrink to two shots going into final ...
al.com
(UA photo) Just when it looked as if the second-ranked Alabama women's golf team might run away with its first national championship, along came USC. And there went most of the second-ranked Crimson Tide's big second-round lead.
Tide Women's Golf Still in First Place at NCAAsCBS42
'Nothing to lose' at NCAA golfGoVolsXtra
Alabama barely hangs onto lead at NCAA golf championshipsThe Tennessean
Montgomery Advertiser
all 250 news articles »

USA TODAY
Tiger's fall has left void in golfing greatness
STLtoday.com
Tiger Woods, left, and Jim Furyk speak on the 11th tee during final round of the Players Championship golf tournament at TPC Sawgrass, Sunday, May 13, 2012, in Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Chris O'Meara) Parity and dissemination can be good.
Tiger Woods thinks he can compete well into his 50sCBSSports.com (blog)
Truth and Rumors: Will Tiger play golf into his 50s?Golf.com (blog)
PAUL WOODY: Tiger Woods' most important achievements are off the golf courseRichmond Times Dispatch
Larry Brown Sports
all 137 news articles »

Golf Tidbits: English breaks out at Open qualifier
Fox News
Philadelphia, PA – Following an appearance at the Walker Cup last year, Harris English knew one thing - he wanted to do everything he could to qualify for the British Open because he loved playing golf in Scotland. No one knew it would be this easy.

and more »

Golf: Edmond's Rhein Gibson looks back on Guinness World Record round
NewsOK.com
The lowest round of golf ever recorded was shot by an Oklahoma transplant from Australia. Rhein Gibson, a former NAIA All-American at Oklahoma Christian, shot a 55 at River Oaks Golf Club two weeks ago. It's the Guinness World Record.
Freedom 55, Aussie-StyleOttawa Citizen (blog)

all 3 news articles »

Is Golf a Sport? ProCon.org Tees Up Controversy with New Sports Website
Sacramento Bee
By ProCon.org SANTA MONICA, Calif., May 24, 2012 -- /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Golf in the United States is a $76 billion industry with 25.7 million players. Thirty-eight percent of Americans call themselves golf fans. Golf is clearly popular, ...

and more »

Boys golf: Ridgewood ends spring on a 'positive note'
NorthJersey.com
BY RON FOX RIDGEWOOD — The just-completed high school golf season was literally a lesson in life for the Ridgewood High School boys team. "It's been a strange season," head coach Dave Jenkins said four days after the Maroons finished in the middle of ...

and more »

Google News