Before Tiger Woods burst into the scene, the idea seemed ridiculous.  Jack Nicklaus spurned it and Ben Hogan scoffed at it, while Gary Player scorned it.  No one among the game’s most respected legends welcomed the idea of using a mental coach or sports psychologist to help them win.

Instead, these players preferred to provide their own mental golf tips and hold on to their independence that drove them to succeed.  A sports psychologist or mental coach was never in the equation in their winning that game.  That is, until Tiger Woods came along.

Tiger Woods dominated the whole golfing scene by winning all major tournaments in a short span of time.  He was winning so often, that other players began to ask how.  Eventually, they realized that it was Tiger’s attitude that made him win.

Tiger taught the legends that the winning edge in the pro game was not physical but mental.  He gets to a better mental place more consistently than the rest of the players.  This approach also taught the pros that the mental realm is where progress can be made more rapidly.

This golf lesson transformed things radically.  Now more of golf’s top pros work with mental coaches who provide a different kind of golf instruction session.

In addition, more and more researchers are studying the game’s mental side.  Some are using the latest technological advances to do it.  Some sports psychologists have their clients’ practice with a special monitor.  It measures factors like heart rate and tension.  These readings determine the player’s optimum performance rate.

Despite these advances, it still has a long way to go.  So does the players’ view to it as a legitimate weapon on tour.  A recent poll revealed that while elite players believe that mental skills are 50 percent of the game, a majority says they spend less than 10 percent of their practice time on them.

This research on the game’s mental side has produced two key golf tips for the weekend golfer:

1.  A player must first develop swing and course management skills before the mental skills can make a noticeable difference in your game.  Knowing the basic skills and perfecting your shots is a must.  Having learned this golf lesson, you can then take your game to the next level by focusing on its mental aspects.

2.  Most successful golfers play not for glory or even to win, but for the challenge and satisfaction experienced from the improvement process.  They never worry about who they’re playing, how much money they’ll win, or what people will say if they lose.

Instead, elite golfers are more concerned with learning and improving than winning.  This drive for mastery gets them fully involved in the shot at hand.  It’s how they attain superior focus, concentration, and achievement.

This golf lesson is very clear.  First work on your skills, then master the game’s mental side.  This combination will help boost your game to the next level.