Guernsey Women’s Golf Development Squad work on mental side of the game during lockdown

Despite the poor winter weather and then the impact of the global pandemic, The Guernsey Women’s Golf Development Squad have kept themselves busy not only focusing on their practical skills but also delving into the mental side of the game.

Working with performance coach John Bate Dip. Couns., BSc (Hons) For. Psych., squad members participated in a mental training session course titled: “Winning the mental game”.

The first course was pre-COVID where some of the squad took part in a series of face-to-face workshops and a second course was then delivered virtually during lockdown with more squad members – via Zoom.

John has developed his performance coaching over the past year, blending different areas of his counselling work, his own interest in the psychology of competition and some coaching tools – all brought together with his own sporting interests and achievements.

In particular, the counselling approach of Dialectic Behavioural Therapy, including mindfulness, has been adapted and John believes works really well for sport psychology when combined with some positive psychology and focusing tools.

“I see the mind as a muscle that can add a huge benefit to a sport persons’ skillset – mind, heart and body,” said John.  “We often train the body and technical ability, but learning particular ways to win the mental game can make a huge difference to not just results, but also the quality of the time spent training and participating,” John said.

Phil Sykes, PGA Advanced Golf Professional and coach, and golfer Angela Goddard, set up the GWDGS some 16 months ago with an aim to nurture and push local talent capable and committed to representing the island at inter-insular level and onwards at the Guernsey 2021 NatWest International Island Games.  The squad has three years financial backing from La Grande Mare Hotel and has 46 members including four up and coming juniors.

Sykes said:  “At our launch last year we highlighted the importance of not only the physical and technical aspects of the game but also the need to be mentally strong in order to perform well and channel that positive energy into the women’s performance.  Learning to manage external influences and emotions and create confident coping mechanisms is an essential part of golf and can have a huge influence on the outcomes.

“John has provided the squad with some important tools they are now able to put into practice on the course, as well as in their pre-match preparation and post-match reflection.  Over the summer months now we are back on the course, albeit in our Guernsey bubble, we will be developing these tools and working on growing the mental strength of the squad as well as their technical skills in the buildup for next year’s inter-insular and the Guernsey 2021 NatWest International Island Games.”