PreWriting-
The purpose behind this literature review is to give my readers a sense of some of the research that has been completed on this subject. The paper will be more interesting if the readers get a background on what other researchers have concluded. The lit review will help both the reader and the writer, since it does not have to be in the words of the writer exactly. So, this paper will lay the ground work for future work on the paper. The reader should also understand why my original research is so important, since this subject is not exactly researched in the way that my question asks. This should be an interesting topic for golfers and people who would like to understand certain psychology alike.
Literature Review
Jacob Linzenbold
Marlen Harrison
English 202
This subject that has been chosen has proven to be somewhat difficult in finding some sources that were relevant. When it comes to a subject that is not typically addressed such as the question that is being asked, “How does golf reveal character?” So to find information, a broader question needed to be asked, both on the psychological side and the golf side. To start, a quote that seems to tie in the mind and golf, “when individuals skilled in writing Kanji characters retrieve these characters from memory, they show neural activation in brain areas associated with actually writing the characters” (Beilock and Gonso 921). This shows that the brain is working on an action, before the person has any intention of performing a task. This is an important quote that shows the relationship to a complex game like golf with the mind.
To further illustrate this point, another quote will show that others have come to the same assumptions as this paper will. “Eighteen holes of match play will tell you more about your foe than 19 years of dealing with him as the desk” (Schmidt 10). This is a very relevent quote, it ties together a leisure sport and brings the world of business into play, at the same time it backs up the original question being asked. Though some may view golf as being an unneeded expense in the business world, it is shown to reveal character. Arnold Palmer put it best by saying, “From the beginning, it was drilled into me that a golf course was a place where character fully reveals itself–both its strengths and its flaws” (Schmidt 10). This gives the paper some optimism, since one of, if not the best player to have ever lived agrees with the papers assumptions and question.The game of golf does even more than this for the business world, it is a good way to thank a customer or even sway a potential customer into investing into a business. Other important factors for the mind game of golf was stated by great golf instructor Harvey Penick, who stated, “much of the success of a great golf swing can be attributed to what happens before the player swings the club” (Schmidt 11). This quote brings another respect man in the game who believes in the assumptions made for this paper. It shows what is already revealing itself, golf is a mental game thru and thru. If the player is on a hot streak, it is important to note how he reacts in comparison to when the player is facing less than favorable conditions. These readings of a player very well transitions into the everyday life of that person, it can be useful in the business world or in everyday life.The most important thing to remember when playing the game is to keep the mental game in check. This means controlling excitement when doing very well, also it means to “stop the bleeding” when playing poorly. Any athlete must control things this way also, without some sort of coping strategy, the pressures of anything will get to a person. (Nichols and Remco 284).This also applies in every other aspect of life, such as a job like a police officer, or a job such as a college professor. The strategies used on the golf course transition into everyday life, and with the help of these sources, this paper will be able to illustrate how prevalent golf is to a person’s character.
Works Cited
Beilock, SL, Gonso, S. “Putting in the mind versus on the green: expertise, performance time, and the linking of imagery and action.” Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology vol. 61 (2008) pp. 920-932Schmidt Jr., Edward. “golf meetings bring stimulus to business.” Successful Meetings (2009): 4-18. SPORTDiscus with Full Text. EBSCO. Web. 16 Mar. 2010.Nicholls, Adam R., and Remco C. J. Polman. “Think Aloud: Acute Stress and Coping Strategies during Golf Performances.” Anxiety, Stress & Coping 21.3 (2008): 283-294. Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection. EBSCO. Web. 16 Mar. 2010.
Post Writing
This literature review really helped on my own understanding of the subject, and will be able to give the readers a good background of the subject. Some strong quotes were included in this lit review, which makes me believe that this paper can be a very interesting read, just based on what others have researched. It also shows that some independent research needs to be added, this paper is not done, but with some more research, it will be able to be published and will help others understand the nature of the subject.
