Right Down The Middle

Psychologist helps golfers put ball in the short grass.

By Alan M. Petrillo
Tucson, Arizona | Published 03.23.06

It's been said that golf is 90 percent mental and 10 percent physical. If that's the case, then Kevan Schlamowitz is on the right track with his Links to Success program, designed to help golfers get over the psychological sand traps they build for themselves.

In putting the program together, Schlamowitz has found a way to combine two passions in his life — work and golf. He's worked with hundreds of golfers, from professionals to beginners.

John Vesper, general manager and former golf professional at Cortebella Golf Club in Phoenix, first met Schlamowitz on the golf course as a player and had a half-dozen golf sessions with him.

"After we got to know each other, he got me started in managing the mental aspect of the game," Vesper said. "He helped me think less about the mechanics of the game and more about seeing myself succeed."

Schlamowitz said many players improve after a single session, but it's more typical for a golfer to take about five sessions to fully change their game.

Schlamowitz usually has a session in the office first, in which he goes over the techniques he and the golfer will use, and then reinforces those lessons by playing on a course.

"The playing lessons are where we see the biggest return on our investment of time," Schlamowitz said. "That's where the client gets to see the immediate improvement in his game."

Cutting stress is the key
Schlamowitz says that concentrating on golf's mechanics often can work against a player.

"When a golfer tries harder, he creates muscle tension, which yields errant shots," he said. "That's the outcome when you focus solely on the product."

Instead, the 48-year-old Foothills resident tries to get his clients to think about lowering stress in order to improve their games.

"Relaxing is a natural thing, compared to trying harder, which gets in the way of letting the process work," he said. "What I do is redirect a person's thinking and teach him how to talk to himself, either verbally or with internal dialogue."

Bill Nicol, coach of Pima Community College's women's golf team, said that while he's never used a golf psychologist, many professional golfers do.

"A lot of pro athletes, including golfers, use them to improve their games," he said. "In golf, visualization of the shot helps the person's body react to the situation better. I tell my golfers to 'See it, feel it and do it.'"

Schlamowitz encourages golfers to pick a target as a guide and visualize hitting to the target.

N.Y. native had UA fellowship
A native of Syracuse, N.Y., Schlamowitz received a National Institute of Mental Health fellowship to attend the University of Arizona, where he received his doctorate in clinical psychology in 1984.

He was director of clinical services for Canyon Ranch and later started a private consulting practice, which he still runs. He's also the author of a self-help book, "Emotional Prosperity for Life."

For Vesper, who was a golf professional at various courses for years, studying Schlamowitz's methods has knocked about three strokes off his already finely tuned game.

"Kevan offers you a different way of approaching the game and helping yourself succeed," Vesper said.

Mike DuBois, 40, a Tucson physical therapist and golfer since 1987, said Schlamowitz "instantly helped create a sense of calm with my golf shots."

DuBois, who took a single golf session with Schlamowitz, pointed out that tools such as visualization and inner dialogue helped remove the doubt he felt on the course and instilled him with confidence when he approached the ball for a shot.

"Golf can produce stress when our expectations are unrealistic," he said. "By keeping that in mind, I don't overburden myself, and I've shaved strokes off my golf game."

• Alan M. Petrillo is a Tucson freelance writer.