Control of Physiological Arousal ©

By Betsy Shoenfelt, Ph.D.

An important mental skill for a golfer in a competitive situation is the ability to focus. The golfer must be able to concentrate on the relevant aspects of the situation and block out the distracting, irrelevant information. The component skills involved in a winning focusing include attentional skills, self-talk, and control of physiological arousal. Attentional skills include the ability to focus solely on the relevant aspects of the immediate competitive situation (see October’s Golfer’s Tee Times). Self-talk refers to what we tell ourselves about the situation (see May’s Golfer’s Tee Times). Control of physiological arousal refers to the ability to detect and release tension.

Control of Physiological Arousal

Control of physiological arousal is key in developing confidence. The mind and the body are inextricably connected. The mind influences the body and the body influences the mind. When competing, golfers should be up for the competition but not so aroused that it hinders their performance. Individuals differ in their optimal level of arousal for competition. When that optimal level is surpassed, the golfer develops physiological reactions that can interfere with performance. When a golfer experiences "butterflies" in the stomach, tension in the shoulders, and sweaty palms, it signals our mind that we are anxious. This, in turn, causes us to begin to doubt our ability to play well, which may cause us to become more tense and anxious. This triggers the downward spiral that is so detrimental to performance. Anxiety may cause the golfer’s focus to narrow and become inflexible.

Anxious feelings and thoughts are normal reactions to competitive stress and are experienced by most athletes. Successful competitive golfers learn to recognize and control their level of physiological arousal. Some golfers may recognize competitive anxiety and tell themselves to "relax." However, unless the golfer knows specific relaxation techniques, this well-meaning advice may only cause more anxiety. Learning to recognize and control competitive stress is an important psychological skill for any golfer.

There are readily available instructions for learning progressive relaxation, a technique that focuses on reducing the physiological arousal experienced by the golfer. (If you are unable to find such instructions, email me.) Progressive relaxation involves contracting and relaxing various muscle groups to help us identify the differences between feelings of tension and relaxation. This contrast and comparison enables the golfer to detect muscle tension when it occurs and to reduce the tension through a specific relaxation technique. Eliminating physiological tension breaks the downward spiral. We replace tension with relaxed confidence and signal our mind that we are relaxed and ready to play. [Another useful, easily implemented technique for relaxation is One-Breath relaxation. Simply breathe in very slowly and then exhale just as slowly, while relaxing. Do this three times and you should feel more relaxed.]

In sum, the ability to recognize and control physiological arousal is an important mental skill for the competitive golfer. When the golfer is able to recognize tension or other detrimental forms of arousal (e.g., sweaty palms, trembling hands, etc.) and then control arousal level through relaxation techniques, it sends an important message to the mind: "I am in calm, cool, collected, in control, and ready to play." This results in positive self-talk and enhanced confidence, putting the golfer in a better mindset to perform well on the golf course and enhancing performance.

©Dr. Betsy Shoenfelt, a professor of psychology at Western Kentucky University, is a Certified Sport Psychology Consultant and a Member of the United States Olympic Committee Registry of Sport Psychologists. She is a member of the Middle Tennessee Chapter of the Executive Women’s Golf Association. She may be reached at betsy.shoenfelt@wku.edu or at 270-745-

4418. Visit her Web page at: http://edtech.cebs.wku.edu/~bshoenfe/index.htm
 
Sport Psychology