The Mental Grind Of Golf

So as some of you may know by now, I've been droning on in the past about the PGA's need (in my opinion) to restructure the tour stops, create some type of a playoff system and create a "real" PGA Championship. Whether you agree with me or not, you'd have to admit that I've got to be onto something. At the very least, I'm trying to make the tour more exciting!

But last week, after my post about restructuring and streamlining the tour, we received a comment from our buddies over at Three Guys Golf. Referring to the reason golfers skip so many tournaments, the statement "too much of a mental grind" was used. This got me thinking about two points. One having to do with my PGA playoff pursuit, the other just a general thought on the "mental grind."

Firstly, the season schedule/playoff angle. I understand that no player can or is going to participate in every tournament from January to December. There are just too many (50 last year!). But that's where it starts - shortening the season. Why not have a season that runs from March or April through October with November designated for playoffs and a championship? Why not shorten the season to twenty or so tournaments and a few opens? Make every tour stop count toward a playoff seed. That way everyone will pretty much have to participate in just about all of the stops in order to give themselves a better shot at a higher seed. Cutting out some of the tournaments will create more star-studded stops along the way. I would have to imagine this would mean a better turnout at the gate, as well as a better TV rating.

Secondly, the "mental grind" aspect. As for the reason PGA tour players can't play every week or even every other week being due to the mental grind? I'm sorry, but I have to call B.S. on that. Now I realize that the popular school of thought is that it takes great mental strength to play professional golf. And I do not doubt this for a minute. However, I highly doubt the degree to which it is exaggerated. What I mean by that is, it takes a high level of mental strength to play any sport professionally. But the old-school thought of the "well-educated, well-raised" golfer vs. the "dumb jock" that plays any other sport still exists to a certain degree. Has anyone ever seen an actual NFL playbook or heard an actual play called in a huddle? It's mind-boggling! And to think that these plays need to be communicated from a sideline, called and understood in a huddle and executed in less than 40 seconds is incredible.

I understand that a great deal goes into a golf swing. But at the same time, a great deal goes into a baseball swing, a football pass, a basketball shot or a hockey shot. Not too mention, there are plays, formations, audibles, defensive positioning and situational decisions that need to be made in a matter of seconds. And all of this happens in a venue containing thousands of screaming fans. A golfer on the other hand stands in almost complete silence so he or she can concentrate, walks the course with an assistant and has basically one job...swing a club. Not too mention, they can pretty much take as long as they choose to do this. I'm sorry but, the mental grind? I don't want to hear about it.

Further, I think part of the reason the "mental" part of the game is so emphasized by golfers is to make up for the fact there is so little of a physical aspect to it in comparison to other sports. I mean, outside of a handshake at the end of a round and maybe a hi-five with their caddie, there is no other physical contact throughout their round. Now, if a professional baseball player can play 162 games in a span of roughly 190 days, sometimes playing as many as ten to twelve consecutive days, then a golfer should be able to handle his or her schedule. Hell, if a professional football player can play his sport, sixteen times in seventeen weeks, then for Pete's sake come on! This is a sport which is so rough it has been shown to shorten the life expectancy of it's players. A sport that, on any given play as many as 21 of the 22 players on the field (if the QB doesn't get hit) have some sort of physical, many times violent, contact occur.

A golfer experiences none of this. They don't have any physical contact with anyone, they don't run, they don't jump...they don't even carry their own equipment!! But they can't handle a certain schedule because they have to think too hard? Ha!

My point here is certainly not to poke fun at a comment made, but to attempt to explain how ridiculous this popular way of thinking sounds. And it is popular! It seems the majority of golfers who take their game serious believe their sport somehow requires a greater mental capacity to play than any other sport. And if you don't play, then you must be some sort of a mental midget. It's an unfair way of thinking. It's pretty much the equivalent of a pro football player saying "Golf? What, are you too much of a pansy to play something else? Or was the chess team already full?"

Look, what it simply comes down to is, this is golf. Is it a tough sport to play? Sure. But every sport played on the professional level is. Does it require a great amount of mental ability? Sure. But again, every sport played on the professional level does. But thinking too hard is no excuse for not playing.

But to the original point, my attempt here has been to come up with some ways to draw additional interest to the PGA Tour. And if shortening the season and playing fewer tournaments will do this, then it at least deserves some consideration. I know it's probably unrealistic, but with a sport fading in both viewership and participation, it would be best for the tour to be proactive rather than reactive. Maybe my ideas aren't what the tour is looking for, but they'd better start coming up with something. Because slowly but surely, they're running out of time.

Try not to think. Just swing 'til you're happy!

Posted in: golf stinks,golfstinks,PGA CHAMPIONSHIP,PGA TOUR