Due to our ongoing lack of understanding of the work done by psychologists specializing in physical activity and sports, and what this professional can offer a golfer, we still hear comments such as: "this player is too young to work with a psychologist," "they function well and don't need it," "it's not necessary either, because they don't plan to turn professional in the future," "they haven't achieved anything yet to start working with a psychologist,"... and many more opinions that I could list here, but which in any case only indicate the mistaken idea of the people from whom these comments originate.

Although it may seem unbelievable, we have evolved compared to a few years ago, since at least one no longer hears about the psychologist who worked with an athlete being the psychologist specializing in clinical work, who nowadays can only work in this field if they have passed the PIR (Internal Resident Psychologist) after completing their degree and before completing several years of residency in a hospital.

This situation meant that any athlete who worked with a psychologist was labeled as crazy or unreasonable, so they tried to hide their relationship with him as much as possible, not greeting him when they crossed paths with him outside the office where they worked.

ONE MORE TRAINING PLOT
Today, athletes have no problem admitting to others that they work with a psychologist. In fact, when a golfer turns professional and there seem to be high expectations surrounding them, they are almost always asked in interviews if they work with a psychologist.

In my opinion, what has not evolved in the people who surround an athlete, and sometimes even the athlete himself, is in the reasons why they decide or are forced to work with a psychologist, since these reasons are still related to the inability that the player sometimes has to reflect in competition the technique and talent that he demonstrates in training.

From my experience and professional judgment, any player, regardless of their circumstances, can incorporate psychological training into their regular training regimen, reaping the various benefits it offers, depending on their stage of development and their current priorities. It's important to understand that psychological training is an integral part of training, not merely a component of a program reserved for players who might be considered exceptions or special cases.

Encarna María Lozano Casero
Psychologist specializing in Physical Activity and Sport