"To play any golf shot correctly requires an unwavering concentration. The most perfect swing in the world needs direction, and plenty of it, and when its possessor begins to do a little mental daisy picking, something always goes wrong."
-- Bobby Jones
Every golfer spends countless hours working on the technical aspects of his or her game. Checking one's grip, adjusting one's stance, tinkering with one's swing technique -- these are all activities that have ceaselessly been drilled into a golfer's routine. What many instructional books -- and many professional teachers -- fail to address is the most important tool a golfer can bring with him or her to the course: A strong mental game. In The 8 Traits of Champion Golfers, Dr. Deborah Graham and Jon Stabler explore the eight fundamental areas that make up a strong mental approach to the game and explain why these are the mental areas in which every champion golfer excels.
Using their copyrighted GolfPsych program, Graham and Stabler present a revolutionary approach to golf. By identifying the eight individual personality traits that are essential to a strong golf game, the authors have illuminated the critical qualities that separate true champions from the equally talented run-of-the-mill professional golfers on tour. The unique ongoing demands of high-pressure tournament golf cast a harsh magnifying light on the psyches of those who thrive in that arena. By studying these golfers, and isolating their strengths, Graham and Stabler point the way to a better approach for all golfers regardless of their level of skill. Through a series of questions and techniques, the GolfPsych method challenges readers to explore the crucial elements of their personalities so that they can compare themselves to and emulate the greats of the game: Lee Janzen, Dave Stockton, and Michelle McGann, who are all GolfPsych clients and all champions.
The authors have isolated these special traits as follows:
- Focus
- Abstract Thinking
- Emotional Stability
- Dominance
- Tough-Mindedness
- Self-Assurance
- Self-Sufficiency
- Optimum Arousal
The 8 Traits of Champion Golfers is a unique approach to the teaching of golf. Graham and Stabler have given us the first true golf self-help book based in solid research and delivered in a helpful, reassuring fashion. Much like Harvey Penick's Little Red Book and Steven Covey's The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, The 8 Traits of Champion Golfers provides an unparalleled look into the human psyche and presents ways in which any person can improve his or her self through time-tested methods. By presenting this unique way to improve one's golf game, Graham and Stabler have also presented a great way to improve the quality of one's life.
