Question:

Sure, it [mental toughness] can be taught. All PGA Tour professionals have been taught how to be mentally tough, either through experience or through formal education with a teacher such as Bob Rotella and countless others.

I’m not sure I agree.  I have read the books and I know what they tell me to think.  BUT knowing the right thoughts and believing them are two very separate things.  I think the people who are truly mentally tough have had a lot of positive reinforcement from a very early age.   If it was easily taught, Brad Faxon would not be such a crooked driver. Rotella spend a lot of time with him trying to get him to believe in his driver, but he still can’t hit many fairways. You posted a lot of really good info on things that will help make a person more consistent and even play better, but the best pre-shot routine in the world won’t get you to believe in yourself.  That comes from somewhere else.  I only wish I knew where. Bob Dietrich

Response:

If they’ve even heard of Zen, most people don’t realize that it is a philosophy of living, not a religion.  It’s more about finding out who you are and learning to be content in all circumstances than about exploring outside yourself.  But the result of that inner exploration has some profound application to external results at difficult things (like golf).

The Golf Show here in Oz featured a Zen golf teacher 2 weeks back. I’m sure that somewhere in the teacher’s broad spectrum of topics there was something to do with clubs, balls and hitting them – but all I saw were a bunch of women golfers babbling nonsense and jumping around like they were on hot coals. The few male golfers passing by were extremely skeptical! s

Response:

I read the whole message where a whole lot of ideas were being thrown around. Let me make my recomendation….buy THE book…. THE GOLFING MIND    by Robert Brown  PH.D. Its really worth it. Much more valuable than wasting away money on numerous videos or books by some pro "GOLF MY WAY" If we could play golf HIS/HER way then we wouldn`t be reading/watching the instruction in the first place. This book is really invaluable to any golfer trying to get that little bit extra. Buy, read it, put it into practice, break 80. Keep it on the fairway !!     Alan   :-