"Competitive golf is played mainly on a five-and-a- half-inch course, the space between your ears," stated golf legend Bobby Jones and his statement is still applicable some fifty years later. Golf is a game that requires as much if not more mental talent than physical because of the three opponents each golfer faces.

The first and most obvious opponent is the other players. Although golf is unlike hockey or basketball where other players actively interfere with your play, many report that the behavior of other players does have an effect on them. This is particularly true for the ?trash talker? type who tries to compensate for his lack of skill by distracting you from your talents. Are you able to block out this kind of noise?

The second adversary is a person you will probably never meet-the course designer. The design of a golf course is based on a solid psychological principle known to every hypnotist, that being that the subconscious mind cannot imagine a negative. (For example: the harder you try to not think about a pink elephant, the more prominent he becomes.) Water and sand traps distract you from your intended target and thus draw your attention (and your ball) in their direction. The ability to focus the mind on what you want rather than what you want to avoid is a critical mental talent for any golfer.

The final opponent is the golfer himself. A lack of confidence will have a golfer dwell on bad shots while discounting the good ones. What this does is imprint and reinforce the less than stellar performance on the nervous system. Yet you couldn't make a great shot unless you had the ability. Do you have a healthy amount of expectation that the level of your play is going to steadily improve?

Tension, both mental and physical, can also keep you from playing at your best. Most athletes are looking for a state of mind and body called ?the zone,? where high performance seems to flow effortlessly.

There are two primary elements of the zone. It is known in sports physiology that the more fine motor coordination your sport requires (like golf), the more relaxed you want to be. However simple relaxation is not enough. The golfer also wants to be in a relatively happy frame of mind since a person can be in a low-energy state yet be in a bad mood. Relaxed and happy, put those two pieces together and you will play at your best.

If you are interested, I have developed a two- session Mind Over Golf program for the golfer who is serious about playing to the best of his or her abilities. You can learn more by visiting the link below:

The arrival of warm weather usually means we are wearing less clothing, which may or may not be a good thing! As the more lethargic habits of cool weather give way to summer fun in the sun, it is only natural to become more focused on health and fitness.

I came across some data from a public health recently that appears to be important for anyone looking to maintain his or her ideal size, shape and condition. In a survey of the behaviors of overweight versus thin individuals it appears that they differ dramatically in two behaviors, drinking soda and watching TV, with overweight individuals engaging in these activities far more frequently.

Apparently soda consumption piles on loads of unnecessary sugar while doing nothing to satisfy appetite-truly empty calories. What the body really wants and needs is ample amounts of water. Make soft drinks the occasional treat and don?t keep a steady supply around the house.

Television viewing creates a mild form of trance where spontaneous physical movement is minimized, thus dampening metabolism. It is probably a good idea to set limits on viewing time for yourself and especially your children as our young people are now becoming obese earlier and more frequently. So let's get outside and don't forget to pack the water bottle!