Dr. Travis Fox

Holding doctorates in both Psychology & Hypnotherapy, Dr. Travis Fox has devoted his life to understanding the mind & how to be in control of it.

Over the course of the year Dr. Fox is going to examine the game of golf and how you can improve your game.

- GolfObserver editors

Icons... heroes... mentors... we've all had them, right? In your younger years, these people were usually larger than life. Giants in whatever field or industry they were in. Maybe even immortal? For most golfers, names like Jack Nicklaus... Greg Norman... Payne Stewart... Fred Couples... filled those roles. Today, the name Tiger Woods seems to dominate the thoughts and dreams of young golfers and garners admiration and respect from golfers of all ages.

Photo © Kyle Auclair/Getty Images Tiger Woods has shown some remarkable golf in the last six weeks winning four times in four starts.

What an effect this young man has had on the game of golf. Astounding millions around the world with thrilling play, making us all believe in the impossible again. He has quietly let his clubs do the speaking for him on the course with honor and grace. He endures the critics' commentaries when he missed his only major cut at the 2006 U.S.Open after the tragic loss of his father, Mr. Earl Woods, his mentor and hero.

What can we, the "normal" golfers, learn about being an icon from Tiger? Think about your play on the course. Are you an ambassador for the game? Do you encourage your fellow player or do you tear them down? Do you conduct yourself with honor and grace when shots or putts don't go your way or do you yell, throw clubs and act like a jerk? In my time as a corporate consultant, life coach and now tour coach, I have found one fact to be true; if you want to know the character of any man play golf with him and you will know everything you need to know in one round.

Today's large market of golf has drawn many from around the world and other sports, especially in the junior divisions. One the major items I look for when I am asked to coach a junior is the character of the player and future as a potential "icon" for other juniors and the golf industry as a whole. While we all have bad days, get upset with ourselves and have our moments of imperfect behavior, it is the ability of the great ones to accept a bad hole, shot or even a bad day and then move on which makes them great. We, too, have the option to be "iconic" in our daily rounds at our home courses by recalling what our hero's do when they are down, upset or having a bad day. They get up and move on, looking towards what they want, not what they don't want.

Tiger's best golf is yet to come. For some 6 weeks now in my weekly broadcast on XM radio 146 and Real Golf Radio, I have been telling the world that once Tiger got settled with the fact his father is gone; he would find himself on his own terms and play golf with renewed vigor. I am proud to say he has more than fulfilled that claim. With his second major victory this past week at the PGA, Tiger has shown us all what a true icon, hero and mentor looks like. I am honored and proud to say I have been there since the Master's this year to watch this transformation into the next generation of Tiger's golf and am thrilled to be a part of it.


For my part here is your... "Prescription for the Week"

When you are at the range, practice green or on the course, think about how you look in others' eyes. Do you encourage them to want to be better or do you repel them away with your anger, slamming clubs or just a sour-looking face? Remember, our subconscious mind is just a computer and doesn't know "right" and "wrong". It just brings into our reality what we focus our minds on. If you focus on yourself and how bad you are playing you will tend to bring more of that to yourself. Instead, even when things are not going your way, focus your mind on what you want, bring pleasure to those around, as well as yourself and remember that even the best round of your life is not what people will remember, rather they will remember how you conducted yourself while on the course. Being an icon in your world and manifest your best golf always not just your best score. This is truly "Beating The Bogey Man" within us all!