Ralph Cissne - Will of Golf: Mastering the Mind-Body Connection

Will of Golf

Mastering the Mind-Body Connection

Ralph Cissne

Dedicated to the memory of Myra A. Cissne.

Loving mother. True friend.

Will of Golf Mastering the Mind-Body Connection.

Copyright 2001-2011 by Ralph Cissne.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced or transmitted in any form, by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without written consent of the author.

For more information visit willofgolf.com .

ISBN 978-0-9701443-2-4

Published by Morgan Road

Will of Golf

When a golfer turns their attention away from the objective

all they see are obstacles.

Design & Production: Wendy Saade 10spacedesign.com

Cover Photograph: Ocean Trails, Rancho Palos Verdes, California

Yoga Photography: Diana Postik

Yoga Postures: Richelle Kristi Fritzl

Contents

Lesson 1: Self Reliance

Take a moment to reflect on how your golf game has improved and how it has not. Notice how you feel when you focus on what you have created. Hold that thought.

Acknowledgements

I was blessed with the good fortune to have parents who encouraged me to play and an aunt and uncle who encouraged me to think. Although interested in golf, I didnt begin playing until I was fourteen. At this time my aunt Joan patiently introduced me to the infinite possibilities of life and self-reliance. Golf was a natural choice. I always considered golf a privilege and a transcendental experience. Playing a shot as imagined always brings extraordinary satisfaction.

I grew up in the suburbs of Oklahoma City and participated in the junior golf program. During high school I was employed at Lake Hefner Golf Course. My job allowed me to play a lot of golf during my formative years. At Lake Hefner I learned many valuable lessons about golf, and about life, from professionals Joe Walser, Norman Fleshman, Jim Awtrey and Alsie Hyden. I am grateful to Golf Incorporated for my college scholarship and acknowledge my many golf friends throughout the years, especially Steve Teter, Joe Roberts, Jeff and Stormy Williams, Ed Hanson, Bruce Anderson and Steve Kartchner.

I thank Frank Natale, my friend and mentor, a teachers teacher who contributed so much to the evolution of consciousness throughout the United States, Europe and around the world. His seminars, books and music helped transform many lives. I am grateful to be among them. I am also grateful for Franks contribution to the Will of Golf program. Aspects of Natales Manifesting: a Course in Creative Consciousness, are included in The Choice to Think lesson.

And thanks to Leeann Carey, my long-time yoga teacher and friend, for her enlightened instruction and support. In addition to thousands of patrons and on-going teacher training, Leeann has shared her yoga with many professional athletes including the Los Angeles Lakers. Her technical assistance with the yoga postures presented here was invaluable.

Mastering the moment requires neither seriousness nor foolishness. You only need to be aware.

Preface

Excellent instruction. A confident swing. Time to practice. The finest equipment. These are essential components to playing your best, but there is another factor that is equally important. Every great golfer, regardless of age, possesses the presence of mind and the will to succeed. While some may be born with this presence of mind it is clearly a skill, which may be learned if you are willing.

The Will of Golf program is based on a lifetime of studying the game and exploring the mind-body connection. These lessons will empower you to transform your mental and physical approach to the game. Participation in this process can take you anywhere you want to go. You will improve your self-confidence and exercise your inborn creative abilities learning:

Flexibility: increasing your range of motion and power.

Balance: using breathing patterns to relax and focus your attention.

Focus: transforming your attitude into strategic thinking.

Results: create, at will, the shots you choose.

Perhaps the most significant revelation is recognizing the benefits of lightening up and playing golf like it is the game of your life. Mastering the moment requires neither being serious nor foolish. You only need to be aware of where you are and what you want. This book presents techniques to release negative conditioning and realize the results you choose. Yoga postures, an integral part of the program, serve to increase your strength and flexibility while improving your ability to relax and channel your energy.

This is an opportunity to experience an improved sense of effectiveness, which you can recreate at will on and off the course. We are here to enjoy our lives and life is infinitely more enjoyable when you are playing well.

Where do you waste the majority of strokes? Probably from 100 yards in, so dedicate at least half your practice time to improving your play. A confident short game is the surest way to lower your score.

Lesson 1: Self Reliance

A wise therapist friend once said: All we have in life are moments, so make the most of them as they come along. The game of golf provides countless opportunities to be in the moment and to explore the power of whats happening now. Golf is the ultimate test of your character, creativity and will.

As a golfer, when you are uncertain, when you turn your attention away from your objective, all you will see are obstacles. Fear creates stress and virtually assures your failure.

Environmental stress retards growth. At the cellular level, the will to survive is a biological imperative. Stress stimulates the adrenal glands, which causes your heart to pump blood to extremities. In a moment, the blood vessels in your brain constrict. Biologically, you are not prepared to think. You are prepared to fight or flee. In certain situations an adrenaline rush may be helpful, but not on the golf course.

Every second four billion nerve impulses assault your brain. Only 2,000 of these impulses are conscious, the rest are relegated to the subconscious. Your mind is an extraordinarily busy place. When you practice something, when you master a task, it becomes automatic. The key is to consistently focus on the results you choose and to balance your energy. Listen to what goes on in the world around you. The vast majority of audio sensory input is negative and redundant. Be aware of this. Turn down the volume. Practice stillness.

Golf has always been about self-improvement. Few activities require such complete self-reliance. You must practice. You must learn to trust your swing. Your body knows what to do. It is your busy mind, ultimately, that gets in the way.

A round of golf is a succession of moments filled with opportunity. Consciously, move into each moment aware of the subtle transitions from moment to moment. In this willful state of mind you create a chosen reality where all things are possible.

Change is inevitable. There is nothing static in the universe, so go with the flow. Embrace the opportunity. Relax your grip. Check your alignment.

Lesson 2: Choosing Your Teachers

Throughout our lives we know many teachers. Family, friends and school provide us with a healthy dose of life experience and social conditioning. We learn the demands and rewards of relationships, career and parenting. Keeping up with whats happening in our crazed media-driven society, and the convergence of technology, it is easy to be overwhelmed with information. It is the same with the game of golf.