Mind Game

More Powerful shot making

Jayne Storey has been studying T’ai Chi since 1987 and is the creator of the world’s first officially recognised golf coaching system to be based on this ancient martial art. An approved PGA mentor, Jayne Storey’s Chi-Power GOLF now forms part of the PGA’s Professional Development Programme and is recognised by the World Golf Teachers’ Federation.

What is T’ai Chi and how does it apply to golf?
T’ai Chi is an ancient Chinese martial art, practised by millions of people around the world mostly for its health-giving properties, and also because it helps things like balance, posture, co-ordination and mental relaxation. I first made the link between T’ai Chi and golf thinking about something Jack Nicklaus once said, which is “Golf is played with the feet”. This reminded me of some of the teachings in T’ai Chi which state that the art is ‘rooted in the feet, moves through the waist and is expressed in the hands’. I also got thinking about another T’ai Chi principle which is to “Stand like a mountain and move like a river”, and it seems this is perfect for golfers who want to make a stronger connection to the ground when setting-up to the ball, staying rooted yet fluid throughout the shot.

How would a typical T’ai Chi session begin?
Well, to start with I ask golfers to put away their clubs! Only after they have mastered some basic principles of Chi Power GOLF “empty-handed” can they start to apply these principles to their game. My whole approach is about working with the golfer’s posture, awareness of breathing and mental relaxation, so they learn to stay relaxed and be centred, even under pressure – if they can do this, their swing will be natural and easy and be endlessly repeatable.

 

Do you have to be a top athlete to perform the exercises?
No, not at all. They are simple principles that can be learned and practised by anybody, and the benefits are instantaneous. You can practise the exercises two or three times a week, for between 20 and 40 minutes per session.

Can you perform Chi-Power GOLF just before a game?
Absolutely, but you would first have to make the drills part of your weekly routine, as the skills need to become second nature and can’t just be pulled from the bag along with your clubs on the morning of the game! I take all my athletes through a progressive training programme of practising the exercises at home, then learning to practise while preparing to play, and then practising while actually playing.

What about the mental aspect of your teaching? How similar is it to other elements of sports psychology?
Chi-Power GOLF is a much simpler and more direct approach to helping the golfer master key mental game skills. I’m not against sports psychology at all but even positive thoughts are still thoughts and leave the golfer in the realm of the mind, when it’s really best to be centred in the body. Certainly the skills that can be developed from Chi Power GOLF will enhance the techniques of sports psychology and give an extra dimension to gaining fundamental skills like attention control, relaxed concentration and the ability to stay calm under pressure.
Next issue: Jayne Storey shares some simple Chi-Power GOLF principles about how to control breathing to stay physically centred and mentally relaxed.

To contact Jayne visit her website www.chipowergolf.com