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