The Worcester spy., 1901-12-23
John D. Swain, Writing on the
Psychology of Golf" Sees a
Wider Field for the Practice of
HypnotiSm
AUTO SUGGESTION PLAYS
AN IMPORTANT PART
Imitation As a Potent Factor in
Human Nature Strong in the
Youthful Player As Shown by
the GoIfing of Boys Who Defeat
the Professionals

John d. Swain q prominent member
of the Worcester Golf Club, and no
mean authority on the game of golf.
contributes the leading article in the
December issue of The Golfers, on the
Psychology of Golf" He begins with
brief discussion of the Importance of
psychology as brought to bear upon
other athletic games; the use of the
head in baseball and football. There is
no sport" he continues, where the
tension is quite sd great as In golf"
There is not the thrill of the critical
moments in football and baseball, but
in golf the body is under more re-
sUraint and it Is impossible to vent
ones feelings as in other games.
During the remarkable advance
which golf has made in the United
States it has been discussed from al
most every point of view but its
psychology, Mr.. Swain says, has been
neglected Proceeding then to discuss
this neglected phase he lays down the
diotum that In no other game does
the personal equation count for so
much. In no other sport does mind
WELD such potent influence"
Mr. Swain suggests these questions
10 be answered by some golf psychol-
ogist:
why do some splendid medal play
ers fail utterly in match play?
why do some men never play their
games in tournaments?
why does one miss a six-inch put?
Why does one go off his drive? ?"
The first problem which he takes up
himself is the psychological explanation
of the psychological formula, Don't
take your eyes off the ball whatever
else you do"
He continues: The ordinary reason
for insistence upon this principle of
the game is that it keeps the head
steady. Mr.. Swain goes deeper and
attributes a hypnotic influence to the
action of the golf ball upon the eye.
Hynotists usually hold before their
subjects a small bright object-often a
glass or metal ball-commanding them
to fix their eyes and their mind upon
It, The object of this is to focus the
intelligence and make II dirigible. APP
plying this to golf Mr.. Swain says:
Concentration means power; and
when we concentrate our attention
upon the nicely -teed golf ball, we be-
come in a measure autO-hypnotized--
become, in short driving machine
with but a single aim to sweep the ball
away. far and sure" If we look up to
see where the ball goes. then we are
trying to think of two things at once
we fix our minds upon the work in
hand in but a half-heaTted way, ready
to look up directly the driver-head
clicks against the ball. 1t is as If
ones gaze were to vacillate from the
crystal globe to the hypnotist's face.
Hypnotism is not induced.
There is, then, far subtler reason
in the time-WOrn phrase than is dreamt
of in the philosophy of the professional
golfer: and we are to consider our
hypnotized and the etiquette of the
game conduces to the state by enjofn
ing perfect absence of noise and mo-
ton among those standing about. Many
a time have we seen a golfer in the
very midst of a beautifully executed
swing trown off by a sudden noise,
like the bark of a dog, or distant cry
of fire." instantly dehypnotized, as it
were. so that his muscles take ad-
vantage of the relaxed vigilance.
The power of concentration varies
greatly in people. Some men can easily
fix their minds upon the end in view
amid most disturbing conditions, while
others are painfully sensitive, and af-
fected by the least outside influence
Thus one of the longest drivers in our
club is very likely to foozle if one so
much as whisper near him, or if bird
rises suddenly from cover within range
of his vision; another member is
curiously affected by what he describes
as the tense silence" which prevails
about the teeing- place in Well-con-
Quoted clubs, and prefers to have on
lockers maintain their ordinary con-
versation, feeling otherwise that their
attention is centered upon his effort.
and being Visibly worried thereby. But
this power of concentration can be cul-
tivated. So keep your eye on the
ball" whether you choose to believe it
merely a good means Of keeping the
head steady, or as a species of auto
hypnotism. And let me- add to your
professionals injunction another of
greater value, keep your mind on the
ball"
The influence of another's play upon
ones own psycholOgically called "sug-
gestion, is Mr.. Swain's next point.
Good golfers, he says, will not teach
while training for a match. The wit
Messing of poorly executed strokes
powerfully suggests faults not inher-
ent in the instructor, so that he un-
consciously adopts an inferior style,
even while vehemently protesting
against it.
Mr.. Swain aludes to the fact that
the best golfers Of his club, and in
fact the best in Worcester, are High
School boys. in this way: Imitation
is a potent factor in human nature. II
is much stronger in youth than in ma
turity as is seen in the ready adopt
ion Of good gOlfing form by the school
boys. who so soon humiliate the older
members of the club, who may be ath-
letes Of long experience. These young
sters seem to acquire the game un-
consciously. while their elders plod
along but painfully
According to Mr.. Swain the teeing
grounds furnish the most frequent il
lustrations of suggestion" " We have
all witnessed" he says, "a strong
driver who has lost the honor to a
weak one. The latter gets OFF poor
drive, and so suggests to his opponent
a similar performance. Many time
has a club amateur thus beaten his
disgusted pro"
Auto suggestion" plays an import
ant part in golf Perhaps says Mr..
Swain ION a certain hole, where a
slice is cruelty punished by, let US say,
long grass, the unwary player has oc-
casionally found himself trapped. He
remembers this and mentally resolves
to avoid il this time, and again finds
himself therein. just as a beginner on
the bicycle seeing a stone in the road,
rides into it despite his every effort.
The frequency Of his mishaps impress
es itself upon his cortex and he comes
in time TO slice regularly in this par
ticular drive, even though his pet vice
may be hooking"
Bear in mind that We do things
when we expect we shall, and fail
when we expect to fail. In our club
most of the Glass B men can drive
to the $50 yard distant flag, or there
abouts In remeasuring the course
this season an error was made where
nv all flags were set 20 yards too far
from the tees. These same players
continued to drive to the hags, until