| Every summer for the past five or six years I | | | | the way. Every golfer knows that the mental |
| have reread Scott Peck's quirky book about | | | | game plays a big part in a golfer's success. |
| psychiatry and golf, Golf and the Spirit. | | | | Golf involves the often difficult paradox of |
| Peck is probably better known for his best | | | | relaxing and concentrating at the same time. |
| selling books about his experiences and | | | | Golf cannot be played well if ones mind is |
| insights as a psychiatrist, such as, A Road | | | | distracted with all kinds of thoughts, |
| Less Travelled. In Golf and the Spirit, Peck | | | | whatever they may be about. Somehow, it is |
| combines his love for golf and what golf has | | | | best to be thought-less. The mind must be |
| taught him about the human condition and | | | | emptied, which is the beginning of kenosis. |
| relates that to his years as a psychiatrist, | | | | |
| and what studying the human condition that | | | | Another concept Peck returns to often is |
| has taught him about golf. | | | | called cathexis. This word describes the |
| | | | human condition of developing an emotional |
| If that sounds a bit convoluted, well, | | | | investment in destructive behaviour. It is |
| paradox is one of the recurring themes in the | | | | applicable to golf as it is many things in |
| book. Peck says in the introduction that | | | | life. We can't change because we can't give |
| reading the book might take 12 strokes of | | | | up the emotional investment we have in our |
| your game, and it might not. His advice on | | | | behaviour, how that behaviour defines us. |
| the physical and technical sides of the game | | | | |
| is simple, keep your eye on the ball and take | | | | I am often surprised, yet I guess not really |
| a nice easy swing, and, watch a good player | | | | because I have done it too, at how often I |
| and imitate the swing. The book is more about | | | | see golfers at the driving range make the |
| the mental part of the game, and the | | | | same bad swing time and time again, somehow |
| behaviour that is required to succeed at golf | | | | expecting a different result. If you want to |
| and in life. | | | | change the result you have to change the |
| | | | swing, the stance, the grip, something. I |
| Peck, who has spent decades as a golfer, and | | | | found that my game started to improve when I |
| now, unable to play, creates his imaginary | | | | started experimenting. What will happen if I |
| dream golf course on a tropical island. In | | | | stand with my feet closer together? What |
| each chapter he plays a hole on the course, | | | | happens when I draw back a bit farther on my |
| reflecting on memories of past experiences, | | | | backswing? Eventually, you find out what |
| both as a golfer and a psychiatrist. Along | | | | works and what doesn't work. In the process, |
| the course, he ponders issues like, why it is | | | | you give up the emotional investment in one |
| so difficult for people to change, even | | | | way of doing things. It is a form of kenosis. |
| though they want to, whether it is correcting | | | | |
| your golf swing to get rid of a slice or | | | | I can't say for sure if Peck is responsible |
| someone trying to overcome an addiction and | | | | for taking twelve strokes off my game, but my |
| everything in between. | | | | game has definitely improved since reading |
| | | | and rereading his book. I think there is a |
| A couple of the recurring themes are | | | | correlation. Learning to overcome cathexis |
| difficult concepts that define difficult | | | | with kenosis is probably not being taught at |
| words. Peck returns again and again to the | | | | many golf academies. But read the book, relax |
| concept of kenosis, the idea that to change | | | | and enjoy it, and your game will probably |
| you must empty yourself of self. Self gets in | | | | improve. |