ABSTRACT
Golf is a sport where “psychological fitness” plays a critical role. Golf is characterized by an alternating, interrupted pace of play where the golfer has ample time to let their mind wander to a plethora of internal and external distractions or thoughts. The most difficult challenge for a sports psychiatrist is to help the competitive golfer maintain attentional focus on the process of shot execution rather than focusing on the implications of past or future play. This article outlines the innovative principles of the Mental Scorecard System (MSC) and the Mental Pre-Shot Pyramid (MPP). These have has been used successfully by some of the world’s strongest professionals. The MSC encourages the golfer’s innate need to competitively evaluate his or her ongoing performance in real time, while still attending to the present, optimally executing each shot. The key concepts of the MSC and MPP are articulated and illustrated in detail, with case examples of their efficacy. We also review psychiatric concerns including diagnosis and the role of medications in the sport of golf.
