The Most Emailed Article at GolfDigest.com

I ADMIT THAT IT’S a trick question, but take a few seconds to give this some thought: What do you think is the most emailed article at GolfDigest.com?

Asking you to name the exact article is unfair, too much to ask. Just see if you can name the topic, issue, or person. Anything come to mind?

If I were guessing, I’d say Tiger Woods in a heartbeat. I’d be wrong.

The most emailed article at GolfDigest.com is “Dr. Bob Rotella: Inside the Golfer’s Mind.” Yes, the same Bob Rotella who helped 42-year-old Darren Clarke tame his putting demons, which helped the Northern Irishman win the Claret Jug, his first major championship.

Rotella is a longtime mental guru who has helped many a tour pro and countless other golfers. He knows the golfer’s mind. It isn’t pretty. It’s pretty creepy, actually. This is your brain. This is your brain on golf.

If Rotella can help you, or me, or Darren Clarke change a thought or two, he can help change our minds about this bedeviling game. And that can produce better results. (Hint: But don’t think about the results too much, or at all.)

From the popular article, following are Rotella’s “10 things a player must do in a competitive round.” Please note that he explains each of the following points in detail in the article.

1. Play to play great. Don’t play not to play poorly.

2. Love the challenge of the day, whatever it may be.

3. Get out of the results and get into the process.

4. Know that nothing will bother or upset you on the golf course.

5. Playing with a feeling that the outcome doesn’t matter is always preferable to caring too much.

6. Believe fully in yourself so you can play freely.

7. See where you want the ball to go before every shot.

8. Be decisive, committed and clear.

9. Be your own best friend.

10. Love your wedge and your putter.

What do you think? Have you tried any of these mental approaches on the golf course or in tournament competition?

I’ve definitely been guilty of playing not to play poorly, a scared, defensive brand of golf. I’ve done reasonably well at focusing on process rather than results. But that can break down if I realize I’m shooting a great score for me. I’m pretty good at being my own best friend. No use beating myself up if things are going badly. My little on-course pep talks are helpful.

What about you? Does any of Dr. Bob’s advice seem particularly helpful? Does any of it strike you as hopelessly unrealistic?

By the way, the second most emailed article is also by the good doctor: “Dr. Bob Rotella: My 10 Rules on Mental Fitness.”

Further proof that we’re all a bunch of mental cases. But that’s OK.

−The Armchair Golfer

(Photo credit: VancityAllie, Flickr, Creative Commons license)

Darren Clarke Thrives Thanks to Doctor’s Remedy

Editor’s note: Brian Keogh is a golf correspondent for The Irish Sun and a contributor to The Irish Times, Golf Digest Ireland and other golf publications. The following piece from Brian’s Irish Golf Desk is used with permission.

By Brian Keogh
Special to ARMCHAIR GOLF

DARREN CLARKE JUMPED TO ATTENTION under doctor’s orders to putt his way into contention for major glory at the 140th Open Championship at Royal St. George’s. The Ulster veteran, 42, cracked five birdies for a super 68 to finish just three shots behind first-round leaders Tom Lewis and Thomas Bjorn and immediately thanked mental guru Dr Bob Rotella. Now Clarke’s second-round 68 has given him the clubhouse lead at 4 under par as play continues on Friday.

After using the blade just 28 times on Thursday, Clarke beamed: “I’ve been lucky this week and seen an old friend of mine in Bob Rotella. I haven’t seen him for quite some time and was able to catch up with him because my ball striking and tee-to-green stuff has been very good, very solid, but the putter has been poor.”

Asked what the Doc had ordered, Clarke said: “He charges me a lot of money, so I can’t tell you that. But he knows me inside out. We’ve worked together for a very long time.”

Clarke said before the start that he needed his putter to fire on all cylinders to win the Open at his 21st attempt. While he’s won three times since 2008 with his latest victory coming in Mallorca this season, his cold putter has prevented him from re-establishing himself in the world’s top 100.

Ranked 111th starting the week, he has been overshadowed in the ISM stable by major winners Louis Oosthuizen, Charl Schwartzel and Rory McIlroy, as well as world No 2 Lee Westwood.

But Clarke showed he’s still a force to be reckoned with on links terrain as he survived some blustery early conditions and then took advantage of a drop in the wind late on Thursday afternoon.

Believing he’s got enough in the tank to keep it up, Clarke said: “I’m not that old yet, am I? I’m only 42. I still behave as if I’m 14.

“But no, I’m enjoying it. The golf course is great, fantastic. It’s the biggest and best tournament in the world. Why wouldn’t I enjoy it?”

Brian Keogh covers golf for The Irish Sun and contributes to a variety of golf publications. Pay him a visit at Irish Golf Desk.

(Photo: Courtesy of zrim, Flickr, Creative Commons license)