As he rushed past me at a university golf tournament this fall, the wide-eyed young player exclaimed, "I've missed five putts within 10 feet. I can’t putt!” He was telling himself one hell of a story. As a coach of a university golf team (Guelph), I hear plenty of stories from anguished players who don’t want to let their teammates down. ‘I can’t close a good round; I’m such a choker.’ ‘I can't get a break.' In other coaching, I also … [Read more...]
Why your storytelling leads to the ‘spiral vortex of death’ and more missed putts
January 15, 2019 By
The perils of pressure: meltdowns, helicopters … and headaches
October 23, 2017 By
The Ontario university golf championship provides a window on the affects of pressure October 23, 2017—By a large margin, the Ryder Cup is the most exciting event in golf for one simple reason—emotion. When the individual game becomes a team game, the mental and emotional circuits are prone to running hotter. As fans, we lap up all that fist-pumping drama. Whether you are a pro or an amateur, learning how to manage yourself … [Read more...]
A slightly different mantra could make you more resilient
June 15, 2017 By
Ezine #10, June 14, 2017—I didn’t have the luxury of easing into my new role with the University of Guelph golf team. My first tournament as head coach was the Canadian University/College Championship two weeks ago. Our five-member men’s team had a nice mix of veterans and young players, but only two had played in the national championship before. (Our women’s team didn’t qualify this year.) I was looking for a way to help them cope with the … [Read more...]
Gryphons hire Tim O’Connor as new Golf Team Head Coach
April 3, 2017 By
GUELPH, Ont. (April 3, 2017) -- The University of Guelph, Department of Athletics is pleased to announce the hiring of Tim O'Connor as the new head coach of the Gryphon Golf team. O'Connor has previously been with the team as an assistant coach since 2015. The decision to join the Gryphon family was an easy one for O'Connor. "I am excited by this opportunity to lead university age golfers in becoming better golfers, better teammates and … [Read more...]
A touch of Grace in the face of tragedy
December 16, 2015 By
I was driving down Woolwich in Guelph last night when I saw flickering lights by the side of the road. Immediately, I knew what it was. I did a U turn and parked. I got out and walked over. I looked down at the cross made of two-by-fours, the dozens of flowers in plastic, the candles wafting in the wind. And then I noticed the coloured golf balls neatly and lovingly arranged in the brown wet grass. I felt a wave of sadness thinking about Grace … [Read more...]
