Gary Player was and is one of the true greats of golf. He won 167 times during his illustrious career, including all 4 majors. So what’s the secret of his success?

1. Natural Talent - Have you seen Gary Player’s swing? To the untrained eye, it’s really not a thing of beauty. Functional yes, naturally “talented” no. It even looks like he’s ground it out through years of determined practice. Of his game he said “You must work very hard to become a natural golfer”. He refused to let his natural talent be a reason for failure. He built his talent, it wasn’t given to him.
2. Physical prowess – A slight 5ft 7 frame is not the ideal start for a golfer. Despite this, he was one of the first players to work relentlessly on his diet, strength and fitness and still does to this day. He refused to let his stature be a reason for failure. He built his physical prowess, it wasn’t given to him.
3. Support – His dad worked long hours in a mine for little money, his mum died when he was young, his brother went off to join the army. He had to travel an hour and a half to get to school and back. He played during the Apartheid era and when he travelled he received all sorts of heckling from spectators, from rude jeers to things being thrown at him during his swing! He refused to let support be a reason for failure. He built his support, it wasn’t given to him.
4. Luck ­– Now who was it who introduced the idea that the harder you work, the more you practise, the luckier you get? He refused to let luck be a reason for failure. He built his luck, it wasn’t given to him!

A lesser person would have given up in the face of reasons as big as these. But as you can see, there’s a theme here! His success was nothing to do with what was given to him. His BUILT his success with one thing:

COURAGE

Player’s courage is very rare. There aren’t many people more terrier-like in their resolve and determination to succeed, whatever the odds. There are few who have embraced difficulty as well as he has. You may believe that you do not have the talent, the teacher, the money, the time, the strength, the fitness, the practice facilities, the support…but neither did he. I’m afraid some reasons are really excuses. The problem with excuses is that when you give in to them, you give your power away to achieve what you want.

So here are the tough questions for you:

1. What are you using as a reason for failing to achieve your goals?
2. What are you yet to build that hasn’t been given to you?
3. How are you going to find the courage to do this?

I hope my mental golf tips help you find the courage to develop your natural talents, physical prowess, support and of course luck! Courage needs direction so sign up for my newsletter here and receive a FREE series of six golf psychology tipcasts to help you achieve your goals now.

I’ll leave you with a thought from our own Winston Churchill “Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts”.

Love every shot!

Adam Sprackling

Mental Golf Coach