Implementing Mental Skills Training in College Golf to Promote Athletic Success

Abstract

Mental skills encapsulates the various mental processes that support and enhance performance during competition. Over the last few years, the importance of mental skills and success in competitive sports has increased. While the literature supporting the effects of mental skills training (MST) on sporting performance is abundant, the emphasis on MST in college sports domains specifically is lacking. The goal of this paper is to address the cruciality of MST in collegiate sports and promote MST implementation in sports prior to the professional competition stage. This point is particularly relevant when considering the breadth of college sports available across North America and their associated skill sets. Athletes who participate in sports that are categorized as being more mental-forward, such as golf, would largely benefit from formal MST at the collegiate level. MST implementation would not only improve competitive results of college sports programs but would also promote success in life after college for student-athletes.  

Keywords— Mental Skills Training, Mental Skills, College Golf, Varsity Sports, Performance