The Gold Mine Effect

Hello fellow golfers,

It's been awhile since my last blog due to a rather hectic couple of months but have got itchy fingers and wanted to get another snippet out to you all. This particular entry has been inspired by a book that I have just finished reading; The Gold Mine Effect by Rasmus Ankersen.

 

 

The general blurb of the book is that the author spend six months travelling around the world to various "gold mines" that have produced multiple winners in a sport. The places and the sports were; Jamaica - sprinting, Kenya - long distance running, Ethiopia - middle distance running, Russia - tennis, South Korea - golf and Brazil - football. In each place he found very similar characteristics of what made people achieve, with the key ones for me being; mindset, belief and hunger. One common theme was that no one in each area thought that they had "special genes" for doing that sport whereas people who can't do a sport always says they weren't born with the skill to do so.

People's genetics do play a part in sport for sure. Someone born with a high level of fast twitch fibres will have a better chance of being a world class sprinter BUT only if they have the right mindset, belief and hunger to work for it.

One big thing to remember is that talent does not always look the same. In golf for example lets take two of the 14 year old children from below (left and right).

 

 

First thing you're probably saying is that they are not the same age! But yes they are, it's just that different kids reach there pHV (peak height velocity, aka the growth spurt) at different ages. The bigger of the two will hit the golf ball much further (with similar technical ability) and therefore have a huge advantage on the golf course and probably win more often than not down to this and not bother developing the rest of his game. He is then likely to get selected for teams and be dubbed the "next big star". Whereas the smaller of the two needs to not only hit good golf shots but also have a good short game so when they even out size wise the smaller one now not only hits the golf ball the same distance but has a much better short game! Who do you think will now win?

Just because someone is winning everything in their age group does not mean they always will and equally just because someone isn't winning now doesn't mean they won't in the future.

"Hardwork beats talent, when talent doesn't work hard."

If you have 10 minutes spare then please watch this video. Especially if you are a coach, parent or junior sportsman.

Next week I will re-visit Smart Learning Strategies for our we can make the most from our lessons/practice time.

 

Happy Golfing

Ed

Coaching educational book I am currently reading: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell

General book I am reading: Around the World in 80 Days by Michael Palin

Next on my list: The Chimp Paradox by Dr Steve Peters (British Cycling Performance Coach)

Next time................Smart Learning Strategies II

Ed Chapman is a Class AA British PGA Golf Professional @ Al Badia Golf Club by InterContinental, Dubai Festival City
Email: ed.chapman@ichdfc.ae

PGA Certificate in Golf Psychology Coaching - May 2012
UKCC PGA Certificate in Golf Coaching Level 2 - October 2007

Bibliography

The Gold Mine Effect by Rasmus Ankersen