Hubert ripoll. The Role of Mindfulness in Sport. Imagine yourself walking up to the tee box on the 18th hole of the PGA Championship. You are leading the field, and simply have to make par to win the trophy. However, you are only up one stroke on your competition, and you must make the perfect tee shot to ensure you set yourself up for par on the hole, and the trophy that follows. The wind is fiercely blowing from left to right on the green, and you have a bad habit of slicing your shots when you are tense. Your heart is racing. You’ve never been in this situation before. Imagine the thoughts that are going through your head at this point. This situation is a perfect example of where the practice of mindfulness can be helpful. The application of mindfulness to sport performance has recently become a popular research endeavor.
In the golfing scenario described above, being mindfully aware would help you notice any intrusive thoughts, anxiety, physical tension in the body, and environmental conditions like the wind. References Kee, Y. BOUNCE - How Champions are Made, Matt Syed.