You're going to get challenged what I call the army of the aliens, which is your own self, and what that is is your subconscious. Your subconscious is going to send you what I call negative thoughts like this one. You're in a seventeen to eighteenth toll, you're putting for a birdie crucial situation. As you're getting prepared in your preshot routine, you might hear in your head, Oh, they're gonna blow this one again like you've done so many times.
And for the unprepared golfer, the golfer who doesn't have a method, that's probably enough to shake them in their boots, or to give them a little sweat in their palms of their heart beats, a little quicker, their mind goes off a little bit, and they don't sink that putt. That's frustrating, especially when they know they have the talent and they've done it before.
Hi, this is just have Winnam from Pinehurst, North Carolina. I play at Pinehurst number six and this is Golf Smarter number nine hundred and thirty eight. Kimi lubi jagis Aaron Rod and Carrie Valentine on how pros overcome adversity. This is Golf Smarter, sharing stories, tips and insights from great golf mindes to help you lower your score and raise your golf IQ. Here's your host, Fred Green. It's my time of year where I get to say Helloha, Kerry, welcome back to Golf Smarter. Helloja, Fred, It
is awesome to see you and mahalaanui loa for having me on. I always appreciate it. Oh yeah, well, you know, you provide us with some really fascinating content. Every year we've been doing this. How many years have we done this? Now? Gosh six where you go out to the Sony Open, you go to the couple different PGA events at in Hawaii and you bring a recorder with you and you find a way to get close to these guys and start having conversations with them. And this year, thank you
so much saying yeah I'm here with Golf Smarter podcast. It's like nice for sure. So, how so this year, like last year we had you had like five or six different players that you had conversation with, this year it's down to two. Yeah, were there were there barriers that you had to cross? What was the deal this time? A number of things the number of factors. One is, I would say the presence of live is one where some of the guys that some of the guys that I've interviewed over
the years are now playing on live. Some of the guys that I'm interested to interview are playing on live. So that's a part of it. So there the field obviously it is full, it's Sony Open, but it's also since it's the first full field event, it has a lot of rookies in it, and so there's less of experienced goffers that I'm looking forward to interview and things like that. But I'm off obviously also interested in talking to rookies like you know I've done in the pasture, and so that was part of
it. The other element is, unfortunately my schedule during that particular week was just really busy and so my chance, my chance to interact with the golfers
was a bit more limited. And so you know, it's all like I just show up and see who's around and who's able to talk, and you know, my things like Stuart Sink, who I've interviewed a number of times and just have a fabulous time interviewing because he's so incredibly candid and we saw each other and we you know, he was on his way to working on some bunker shots and and we talked and he said, yeah, come, you know, check back with me in a little bit. I'll be you
know, back on the practice screen. And I was interviewing some of the other golfers and by the time I got back, he was gone. And then you know, those kind of things happen, you know they do. It's just yeah, it's just you got it. It's just all in the moment and the other the other thing interesting enough for me, I was also busier at the golf course talking to people. People were interested in things I'm doing and different kind of kind of partnerships and things like that coming together.
So it's just it was just like a really unique moment. It was like, oh, this hasn't happened before, but okay, here we are, go with it. Just go yes, nonetheless, go ahead. Nonetheless. I'm really excited for the listeners to hear the interviews because there's some interesting elements in there. Yeah, And what we've done in the past is we've broken it down by topic and and like played the different cuts from each of the
guys. This time we're gonna do something different because you have two players here, and we'll talk about that in a second, but we're just gonna run your interview with each of them intact all the way through. And the Uh, Aaron Raye is one of them. Indian player. I didn't leave him on before. Yes, last year he was a rookie last year. He is Indian descent from England. Okay, yes, okay. And and he holds the world's record for the most putts in a row. And they have
these competitions and almost hold putts in a row. Yeah, yeah, because I probably hold the record for the most putts in a row, yes, most successful potts, most you know. Uh, and holds a Guinness Book of World Records for that. Do you talk about that with it with him? I did? I did last year? Last year we did. Yeah. So if anyone's interested check out last year interview, please do, please do, and I'll put in the show notes when it was before. Okay,
So what did you goause? The interview with Aaron is longer than the second one that we have with Camillo Vijegis, but you got into more stuff with him and he remembered you. It was really sweet. He remembered you and he enjoyed the conversation that you had together. Yes, yes, and I too, he he was. It was special, seriously, just human to human last year talking and it was a great connection and that and that gave me the the little bit of an oomph to dig in a little bit
to him this year. And you can hear it at the end of the conversation, and I'll talk to you about it, you know, because I think there was some interesting elements for every offer to take from what what Aaron was saying and some things that I think he can improve upon. Yeah, I thought so too. So here's what we're gonna do. And let me just humbly and you know, stated that yet you know, I incredibly appreciate these guys' talents and gifts, especially with Aaron, and I humbly say that.
So okay, thank you for saying that. So what we're gonna do now is we're gonna take a break right now, and we'll come out of the break with a full interview with Aaron Rye and then we'll take another break after that and then come back and discuss it. So we'll be back. Well, I won't be back carry and Aaron Rye will be back right after this. Hello, very very good. I just had a very appreciative conversation with you. Let me vot. I mean, I've talked to a lot
of golfers, but something was different talking with you. It was really nice. It's a very different kind of interview. It felt a lot more personal than generally the generic German questions. And then we have which, which was really nice. Yeah, So this must be I would imagine, like an amazing process from where you were last year and playing all the tournaments to now and starting again you know this second you know in that sense this second season,
and do you have certain goals? Are you resetting looking at things like from where things were last year to this year and go, okay, where there's certain goals you reach, certain goals that you were like, yeah, I really want to work more on whatever that would be. Yeah. I try not to set too many external goals in the form of results or achievements. Have in the past, but I've felt like that hasn't really helped to
push me forwards. I think when I focus more on the game and the skills of the game, I think I enjoy the game more and I probably play better as a result. So my goals, I guess are more kind of based on improving the game and just keep trying to learn about myself and try and do the little bits that I can a little bit better and just see where that takes me. I think if I keep continuing to improve,
then hopefully the results will just follow. And I say, I know that sounds very cliche, but I really try and follow that as much in my golf and in areas outside in my life, rather than trying to have external achievements. I think if the internal parts are good and you do the right
things, hopefully the other things just just follow. There's certain elements that you saw during this season, you know, playing go okay, I need to adjust to this or what were you kind of tweaking or learning or growing. If there's anything specific that you'd be happy to share it. Yeah, So within the game, for instance, last season, my putting was good in certain weeks, but it was a little bit off onun of the weeks.
I didn't feel like the consistency was quite there. So that's probably the biggest area a focus even over the last couple of months in the off season. Pretty similar with my wedge play probably from kind of thirty to one hundred hundred and ten yards. I think that's another area that can be just tightened up a little bit. The good is good, but it's just a little bit
too inconsistent. I think. Also just improving my play out of the rough as well when I miss fair ways, just trying to get a little bit
stronger and just improve a little bit of technique in those situations. And those are the main aspects really, just trying to, as I said, get a little bit stronger as well to help out of the rough, but also to help with a bit of injury prevention moving forwards and hopefully with a little bit of increase in distance in the coming years if I keep continuing to get
fitter. So those are those are the four main areas really within the game and any kind of mental game thought during process that you saw, Okay, I'm adjusting to this, like things that maybe you didn't expect or did expect, but it was like, okay, I gotta work on this and talk
to my dad, Moron, X, Y and Z or whatever. Yeah, just trying to again very cliche, but trying to really stay as present as possible and really yeah, just really try and stay as focused but as as calm as possible, and I think getting that balance between keeping the intensity high but also not so to a point where you're drained at the end of the first round on the eighteenth pole, because it's very hard to stay in that mindset for five odd hours, which is how long we're out there.
So I think getting that balance between really switching on and staying very present, but then in between shots to not let my mind drift too much, but also not to be too intense to a point where I can't keep the focus
up for the duration of the round. So I think just figuring out what that balance is like, and also not trying to force it to be the same every day, because I think ultimately we're human and we are different on a day to day basis, So just kind of going with what feels best on that day and trying to read myself well enough to get the most out of myself mentally on a day to day basis. As well as what we
discussed there with the game earlier. Great. I know a lot of elite amateur golfers who, let's here, are playing around in competition and have hit a few shots that go ob or just a few a few holes that are challenging for them, and they and they often find it difficult to reset rebound from that, And I wondered what your experience is like maybe that could help them, or what you you know, if you've ever find that happens to yourself, or what do you do to kind of make sure you do your
best to rebound in that sense. I think one of the neat parts about golf is that whether we're here playing on the PGA tool or in your example, whether you're an amateur that's hit the ball ob a couple of times, there are certain feelings that you can relate to no matter what standard you are. I think for me that happens to me as well, of course, And I think no matter how good your game is, no matter how good you are mentally, that's always a challenge to try and reset and refocus yourself.
For me, I try and put things in perspective in the sense of the round. Then let's say, let's say I'm two under and I've hit it ob. I just try and remind myself that I'm still not in a bad position even if I make five or if I make six and make double that it's frustrating, but there's still a lot of holes to play, and
maybe we've still played some good golf to get to that point. If I'm maybe two over and I've hit it, ob, maybe it's a little bit more difficult to resent to yourself, but to try and use whatever is happening in your favor. So, for instance, in that situation, if I'm then looking like I'm going to make double to go four over, now, can that just free me up and look at it in a way where things
are happening for you, not things are happening against you. And if go into four over and hitting it ob just freeze me up and takes a few thoughts out of my mind. Hopefully I can finish very strong and still put an okay round in. So I think trying to use a situation in your favor as much as you can, to try and spin whatever is happening in a way that's working for you while than against you, I think it's something that helps me. But I think it's obviously each person will have their own
way and own thought process in order to try and achieve that. But that's something that I try and do doesn't always happen, but I do try.
Is there something that you kind of have an inner conversation with yourself in that moment to kind of I kind of basically acknowledge the situation and say, Okay, I mean re said here and you know, let me stop in a sense, maybe a downward spiral train, if that's happening mentally, They're like, okay, I accept it, or you know, I'm seeing it, and let me take a you know, let me do what I can to slow that down or stop it. Or and if there are certain techniques or
things that you do or certain phrases, is that okay to share? Or things like yeah, no, that's a great question. For me. I really try and focus on my breathing and even just really tuning into my senses, whether that's how my feet feel on the floor, deeper breast that I'm taking, or things along those lines. I think it's it's difficult for me to just say that I just do this one thing, because I feel like there are a number of different parts that work at different times for me.
Again, sometimes that's perspective. Sometimes that's speaking to myself. Sometimes that's taken myself away from the course or trying to remember a point where I feel very happy and peaceful or another time, but I might need to give myself up where I might be a bit more aware of score or whatever. So I think for me, I just try and read how I feel and then try and give myself what I need to counteract what I feel. So I try and go about it in different ways at different times to just react to the
situation. Really, but the breath is something that I do try and come back to that that comes up quite often and just really trying to stay stick
present. So would it be amazing if there was one thing that could help you kind of like shift that and you can rely on that aspect to just say, Okay, you know, here's I'm in that typical situation where I'm at, and here would be you know, the tool or way to shift it and then be able to go forward and you know, have that consistency because it sounds like, you know, you try different things and then it's like is it working or is it now working? Kind of amazing, like
yeah, it's just working, like yeah, definitely, definitely. I think. I guess it's similar to the golf game. I think in many ways where I think everyone has certain fundamentals and keys that work for them. I think it's similar in the mental side that there might be certain things that you
constantly come back to. For me, I think that breathing is still is pretty central, But I think similar to the parallel with the golf game, you've always got to have the flexibility and fluidity to react to whatever is happening, whether you're drawing it a little bit more than normal, or whether you're pushing it on that day, or whether you swing doesn't feel quite right, Just knowing the little adjustments that you need to make where you're not swinging it
in a completely new way or you're trying brand new things, but you're just reacting to the situation that you're in. And I think there's a parallel in the mental side of it there as well, where there are fundamentals that I think are good to come back to. But I think it's hard to be so set in your way to say this is always going to work. So I feel like that isn't always the case because there are so many changing factors on the golf course, both the conditions, the lies that we face,
how we feel, the situation that we're in. So I think it's that fine balance between having your go to things but also reacting to the situation to try and give yourself the best chance. Yeah. Yeah, And I was meaning more on the mental side. So, like you know, you find like your mind is like starting to run a muck in that maybe typical pattern
when things go astray. It's like, okay, let me ground you back here, because what do you ever consider, like if it's going astray, it's it's really what it's happening is it's ask inviting you to get stronger with yourself in that moment, Like you said, like you work with your breathing. But also like, okay, I see some things are challenging right now.
Oh from a mental side, what if I kind of put step in up a nature to to really bring my clarity and focus here, because what appears to be a challenge, maybe I'm on the doorway of great success by turning this shot around. Yeah. Yeah, and that's what I'm curious about. That's what I'm speaking to you about on that level. Yeah, you know, that's a great point. That's a great point. I definitely don't have the answers to that. I think, Yeah, I think That's the
cool thing about the game in general. There are so many different facets, and I think each person figures out their own unique way to try and answer some of the questions that you raise there. And I'm definitely learning because much as anyone else in the whole of this, there are certain things that work for me. But I'm by no means a finished product in that respect.
And you definitely honor your your culture and back with you know, seeing like you know that pride to you know, when you're playing India and things or
other players to do your very best. I was just curious, how, you know, by playing on the tour this year, the you know kind of new goals or not many necessary new goals, but opportunities or feeling like I can open the doorway to younger Indian golfers and you know, are out there that see see me as maybe a role model or you know, and kind of feel like I really calling on my presence to do as my very best to you know, kind of honor the culture and things like that.
Yeah, I think it's probably not something I've thought a huge amount about. I think trying to do the right things and have a good attitude on the course and try and treat people with respect and try and be as as kind as I can, hopefully sets an example, hopefully show some good qualities for anyone that may follow or watch, and I think in general that's that's the
best way to really I feel that's the best way to inspire. I think you've got to set the standard yourself rather than trying to say all the right things. I think it's a lot easier to say the right things as opposed to try and walk in those shoes and follow your own lead and your own example. So I think if I can do that, hopefully whatever knock on effect it has is pretty positive. Overall. It's never always positive and it's
never always negative, but hopefully it's more on the positive side. And yeah, that's not really something that's in my control as to what effect that I have, but hopefully, yeah, hopefully it's something that is constructive and not destructive. A few last questions. I was just curious, you say you
focus a lot with your breath. Is that connected to let's say a meditation style or also any kind of as you're playing, any connections of let's say a spirit or spirituality when you're on the golf course to you know, kind of bring those maybe awarenesses or teaching to like help you achieve your greatest potential.
Yeah. I think when I'm when I feel very stressed on the course, I resort to box breathing or breathe in for four, hold for full, without for full, and that normally helps to to bring me back to
a more kind of even keel. I think when I feel a little bit off centered, but not really off centered, I'll really just try and really just try and almost taste the air and really slow my breathing down and really feel all the aspects of it. And again, if I focus enough on that, it takes me away from the thoughts that I'm that I'm having, which generally brings me back to more of a central point. In terms of practices, I do try and meditate in the morning and before beds. It's
something I used to do a lot growing up. It's something I drifted away from in recent years, but it's something that I've built the habits of kind of getting back to over the last few months, which which has really helped. And those are just guided meditations, guided morning meditations and guided evening meditation. So yeah, that's pretty much all I do at the moment. Bad. I appreciate who you are just as a person like I yearned for mark
very comments you've got. Thank you very much. Well, that was fascinating. Thank you so much for doing that. What what is your takeaways from your conversation with him? Okay, so, as you heard, I was sharing with him how he's going to proceed this year. Last year was his rookie year in the PGA. Do you have new goals, new ideas, new things that you want to achieve? And his response was kind of like, well, I'm just taking it as it comes, you know, and
and those kind of approaches. And I personally don't subscribe to that point of view as a peak performance coach, as a passion in it, athlete and pursuer of excellence and success, as well as a student of the great players in golf who have won the most talking tiger Woods, you know, we're talking Jack, Nicholas, Arnold, Palmer, even you know Gary Player. All of these guys came to play a tournament to win, all of them and no questions about it, play their very best and win, not just
let's well, I'll just see how it goes and what happens. And again, please understand, there's nothing wrong with you know, I'm just going to play it as it goes. I'm not criticizing that. I'm saying, let's use our abilities and access our mind and our intentions. If you choose to it elevates your game, elevate your mental state, elevate your game, elevate your play, elevate your energy as a human being on and off the golf
course. So that's what I'm always interested in looking for. The what kind of edge can you have over your competitor, How can you improve yourself by one percent? You know, constantly? And so Aaron, you know, share like I do have some challenges. His approaches, you know, I kind of take it fluidly, like I just deal with it as it comes. And he admitted, he said, like, but I don't have the
answers. And that's that's what gets me. That that Fred, that just blows my mind because I see it from amateur players, elite amateur players, and and he's not the only one that I've interviewed at the PGA top level who are aware of their challenges but are not doing things and and and and and integrating elements to really really improve those challenges and frustrations and I and to me, it's like why not, like you are, especially at the PGA
level, but I would say even at the amateur level, there's But I'm saying at the PGA level, because this is your profession, you're leaving what we would call figuratively and literally money on the table and a huge mount not just getting by the cut and you know, getting a paycheck, but to get up that leaderboard and to be at the top not just one or two or maybe three times in a season, but what about consistently that consistently you
were there. Look at Tiger Woods, it consistently on the top of that leaderboard consistently. Some of the things that blow me away about Tiger, by the way, and this is just to me, whether you like him as a player or not just looking at his statistics, just look at him as a performer over a block of time, because it's not He's not the same thing, oh for sure. But I'm talking in his het, in his in the height right, Okay, in his prime, Tiger very rarely came
from behind to win a tournament. Definitely came from behind. But but come Sunday, Uh, that was rare. He would be coming from behind on the on the on the opposite on Sunday if he was leading the tournament. Very rarely did he give that up right, And everybody around him was totally intimidated by his presence when he had lead. Yes, and that where did that come from? How it's there's a realness too about it. Yes, he had tactics and things that he did, but here was an energy about
him. There was an intensity, a desire and drive. Uh kind of pedal to the metal. Uh, put your foot on the on the you know, on the throat kind of thing. It just won't let up. That that just doesn't come from That wasn't in his in his bag of tricks with his clubs. That's in his bag of his peak performance. Thinking. These are what I'm talking about. And again there are different personalities and different
things. Gary Player talks about this like he said, you know, there are guys on the PGA tour who come for a paycheck, you know, and again like there's nothing wrong with that, and then there are guys who are there to win and uh, and that's just that there's more to this that maybe we'll talk about, Like what comes in the way of that. I'm just and again, please, if you're listening to this, understand I'm coming from a place of acceptance of all, and where I'm coming from is
a place of truly. If you are frustrated with your level of play and your challenge is that you see consistently or happening, there is something you can do about that. And most of these things, a lot of them are not about swing changes, their peak performance changes, and in essence they're not hard to make. They're just new and new to integrate. But it's also I go, why not if you can drop five strokes in around and bring
your game to new heights? Why not? Regardless if you're you know, just a golfer who just loves to play and doesn't compete, or you are in a competing situation and play in tournaments, why not? But doesn't that introduce expectation? Don't you of like I better win or else? Okay,
good question, really good question. No not from? Not from when you have a method and understanding, can I I'll just share a little bit about that, yes, please, so yes, before you enter a tournament, they're definite peak performance tools that you can do and ascertain goals and visualizations and you know, putting in thoughts. I'll just speak to goals for a second. Any any salesman, any business people listening to this podcast, probably probably
a lot. Do business people have goals to set goals for their monthly sales, yearly sales? Most would say yes, right, yes, right, and especially top top sales people, I would say vast majority have those goals for what to to push themselves to reach for that plus deeper. Those are imposed goals. Those are imposed goals by their managers. Oh, it can be. Many are individuals, right, many and many? You got to that on as an individual and an entrepreneur, or if you are even in
that sense, okay, now to get there. Yeah, you face challenges, you face failures, you don't achieve them, but you keep working on them. And if you keep working on those goals, there's truly nothing to stop you. You will achieve them. The only thing that often stops us is the space, the six inch space between our ears, our own self,
our own self. So it's the same thing with Kauf. However, fred I will say this, if you do have put yourself in the fire of goals, you better have a method and a system to deal with it, because why you're going to get challenge what I call the army of the aliens, which is your own self, and what that is is your subconscious. Your subconscious is going to send you what I call negative thoughts like like
this one. You're in a eighteenth seventeen to eighteenth hole. You know you're you're putting for a birdie, a crucial situation, and you might, as you're getting prepared in your preshot routine, you might hear in your head, oh, you're gonna blow this one again like you've done so many times.
And for the unprepared golfer, the golfer who doesn't have a method, that's probably enough to shake them in their boots, or to give them a little sweat in their palms of their heart beats a little quicker, their mind goes off a little bit, and they don't sink that putt. That's frustrating, especially when they know they have the talent and they've done it before. But here they are in that pressure situation, and it happens again and again and
again. Now to the other side of the story, the same thing happens, and you hear, oh, you're gonna blow this birdie putt like you've done so many times. Now, the golfer who has methods and uses this process, especially from the perspective I look at, that's actually success statement, that's actually your subconscious is telling you, Like, for you, Fred, you're about to sink this putt, Fred and have success and maybe take your
game to a whole other level. But it asks you these questions to test your own personal result, your preparation, and your readiness to step into that success. And when you use the methods that I share and other people have other methods too. You know, once i'm share that I share, you you actually laugh at that. You relax, and you you go through a simple process to turn that around, and you take a breath, you do the process, you sink that putt, and you achieve success. So negative,
what we appear is negative isn't negative at all. It's the opposite. It's success. It's positive. But I will say this, if you're a golfer and you just start like and you kind of have fasted, say, Okay, I'm going to have this goal in this goal and this goal, and I'm going to start using these affirmations and anchors and you're not you're not prepared. You don't understand that you have to deal with things that are going to come in your way that challenge you. When you raise up your game
to these goals, you're in trouble. And I would say in those kind of things, in some cases it's better you don't have goals and just play your very bass or until you get a full rounded perspective to know how to handle that when it's happening, because more than likely it's going to happen. Kobe Bryant said, you know, his by far worst most challenging competitor was knowing on the basketball court was his own self, and he talked a lot
about those things. Okay, so so is it so it's to me, Yes, it's great to have goals and you will achieve them as long as you have a method to understand that process and apply yourself and not just that. Get excited, get excited about, you know, flourishing in adversity, because that's what golf is. Man Like the golf architect and the golf course itself, you are going to be challenged right day in and day out. And if you come to that and with passion, with acceptance, with knowing
you are going to hit. You are going to have a t shot that goes out of you know, goes way off course. You are going to have shots that don't go your way, but you also in that you can accept that, and you have methods to keep your mental state calm and enjoy the enjoy the process and know how to focus on your next target with intention. You're gonna do great. You're gonna do great no matter what level.
You are awesome. How does that sound to you? Fred? Fascinating And I want to I want to dig deeper into it, but I want to take a break first. We'll be right back. We're gonna get into the Camilla Vijayas interview in the segment two. But I want to know. You talked about methods. You talked about process. Are those different ooh methods? Process? Yeah, Well they're in a way the methods. There's a process for sure, but the method kind of almost in a way, a process
can be included in the method like the methods. Like methods are there can be many many different levels and there's a process, yes, but the process you're kind of dealing with at each shot, each hole, you know things like that. Okay, interesting, All right, let's talk about the conversation that you had with Camilla Virgayas. Okay, because we've not had him on before. Right, No, correct, now, So you want to set it up or do you want to go right to it? Yeah, let's
let's go right into it and then we could talk about it. Okay, here we go. Name's Kerry Valentine and I work with podcasts, Got Smarter, just love to chat with you a little bit on the positive side of the mental game. And I was just curious, as you, you know, start this new year, is there things that you go through like between you know, the end of last year and this year to kind of like, okay, I want to reset on certain areas or look at certain you
know, things to to respark or reinspire you or things like that. Well, I mean, first things first, I'm very excited to be here. It's obviously it's been a kind of bumpy road here the last few years. And a winning at the end of last season was it was really cool, man, it was. I was very proud of myself. I was very excited how with the energy got received, which was awesome. And then from there on when you talk about kind of resetting for this year once again,
I'm happy to be playing on the PGA Tour again. And and if that's some motivation, then A what is it? And a but at the same time, you've got to stick to your process and you've got to do the same thing. So you got to prepare the right way. You gotta once again stick to the process. You can't get ahead of yourself. You know you're going to have good weeks, average weeks, and bad weeks, and
you guess, stay patient. The year is long. They seem to be going quicker and quicker every year, but they they're still Last year was a perfect example of how things were not going great, but I was very patient. It paid off at the end. So the idea is to keep working with my office structure, keep working with my mental coach, and just stick
to the to the process. Mm hm, yes. And what elements with that with mentally, Let's say for your playing in you know, around and hit a few bad shots and you can see maybe the mind kind of kicks in there in maybe a negative way. Is there certain techniques or things you do to bring you back to center? There are I mean there's a lot of breathing exercises. There's a lot of stuff about just controlling your tension and
just just don't be reacted. One of the keysy not to react to great shots, not to react to bad shots, and just try to keep it us, keep it us. That's even as it is, because it's not different than going to the casino. So you're getting emotional and then it's gonna get you. The game of golf is a tricky one and it gets you if you start getting emotional. So you just, well, I want to
maintain your composure. What do you do with that? You just kind of there's a lot of breathing stuff that I've been doing and it really helps me just kind of put things aside and bring me back to center. M And I'm feel fore you for lots of your daughter and my late wife and passed on through brain tumor. So it started same and I just was wondering as well, I see with you on your on your bag and you're bringing that thought and inspiration is how what are you taking from that in your life?
Yeah, it's been unbelievable, you know, it's a it's been a crazy journey. Obviously, nobody wants to lose a daughter or a wife in your case, so sorry to hear about that. But but but you got to accept. I think the main thing is acceptance. Accept that a life is life and and and it's not it's not pretty all the time. So once you accept the things that happen, and you can put a plan together to keep moving forward. And in this case me as miracles have been a great
inspirations open our hearts to help others. Say, it just feels our heart every time we can add two cents to making somebody smile, somebody in need because we were one of those individuals when we're at the hospital, and I know there's a lot of people that need the sport. And that's the way we're approaching it. We're approaching it with with with a big heart. We're
approbably. We know me as in the right place. It was a tough bottle that she wasn't gonna win, thanks for getting really nasty and and it was time for her to to wrestle again. I'm a peace to where she is and and I have accepted what happened and the reason why it happened, and they and we keep moving forward. I was curious if you have a SASA playlist to get you inspired at all. I have. Yeah. Yeah, I like the old the old school stuff, and yeah it's good.
It's good, yeah, Mark Anthony, even older cruise. Oh yeah, a lot of all the old guys. Really. See see I'm a congetto so and so I just have learned. Yeah, I lived in Brazil sometimes, so I just embraced the spirit of South American. It's a beautiful element. And thanks, thank you for your time. Okay, Wow, that was He's gone through a lot. He was kind of gone for a while, and now I'm like, oh, that's why. That was powerful stuff that he opened up right to you. Man, that was very impressive that
he was able to do that and go there with you. Yeah, and I really appreciate it. And uh sure. Unfortunately I've gone through not my own but family and loved ones who had incredible challenging health issues and somewhat similar to his daughter to a certain degree, So there was quite an empathy there that I felt and with him on that. Yeah. Yeah, And what
were your takeaways from that conversation? Oh, I love that he is feeling the appreciation and gratitude to be back playing just to be back playing golf, but also being back at a high level. And you know, anything like that of you know, a husband or wife of a child going through health issues and an unfortunate death that's super challenging, and yet he's using it to inspire himself and it's beautiful. It's a beautiful story, you know. And
that's that's kind of life. You know, out of the you know, out of the ashes, the phoenix will rise if you dare to do it, if you dare to go there. And it's making him and his wife a better, better person's a better couple, and is giving us the opportunity to ride that wave of inspiration in our own selves right, to look at our own lives and how we can improve in our own self as we face adversity. Sure, and that's much more than mental game training or peak performance.
Now. Now, this is life. It's a very different past, right, Yes and no, because again, the methods that I share and work with folks on golfers and other athletes, they're constantly sharing with me. You know, Carrie, what you're sharing with me to improve on my on
the athletic field is also helping me to be a better person. Wow, and I'm I'm calmer, I'm more confident, I'm more caring, and it's just making my making my relationships better and and they all that helps then your athletic abilities, right like, then whatever you do, you know, you got that support and comfort and confident and it's behind you that the people are
loved that you love are supporting you. You go and do an incredible getting chicken skin we say that in Hawaii, all over my body, you know, chills. Then you go and perform even better at new heights on your performance, you know, whatever athletic realm you do, or any realm you do, whether that's business or arts or music or things like that, and then you come back and it's a it's a cycle that just builds on itself.
And that energy of growing in the capacity as a person and and at achievement, you know, to know, I think that's one of the beautiful things that when you're an individual who have pushed yourself through adversity, you know you've you know what you've been through. Maybe not maybe not a lot of other people do, but you know what you've dealt with and you know what it has taken and and the grit and the consistency to get there, and then when you achieve it, you're like, wow, it was worth it.
It was a heck of a ride, but man, it was worth it. Yeah. It's so challenging when you're in it, but yeah, you get to look at it from the other side. God will I mean, like, if you get to be on the other side and look at it, it's like I made it, got stronger for it, right, one hundred percent. And as I said, like, you know, I've dealt with a wife who passed on through a brain tumor. It was devastating
to me to her uh, and yet here I am years later. I didn't expect my life to go and the way it did, but I expected to get back into a relationship. I expected to get married, but didn't expect to have that with kids. But that's where it was. She had My wife has had children. So I was like, okay, I'll sign up. I care for you so much like I'll be daddy in training and
learn about this And it's been amazing. So again, going through the adversity and you just like the sun is shining on the other side of the clouds. You just you got to go through the grieving, the challenging, whatever it is. It takes time, but you keep going forward and life will support you. Life wants to support you. So just yeah, whether it's as a golf or as a person. So just to share that, thank you, Thank you. You've been doing this now talking to athletes working on
metal game performance for a number of years now. How has it evolved from your perspective, How as it evolved for me or the field of mental field performance from your perspective, how the field has evolved. Okay, okay, you're asking, I'll share, I'll do it. So the field has definitely
evolved more acceptance. I mean years ago, I personally felt like I was an oddball, like to talk to athletes about their mental game mental health, to talk to anybody at that point pre COVID, talking to and especially guys, talking to them about their mental emotional health was a bit of a challenge.
Okay, Now since COVID, we have at least accepted, We've gone to this place of saying, yeah, everyone has these challenges and mental health challenges, and some are dealing with depression, some are dealing with suicide or tendencies all these things, and so it's more out in the open, more
acceptance, more acceptable. I feel we need more tools, better tools still to deal with people dealing with depression, dealing with suicide, dealing with peak performance, whether that's just in life as an athlete, as a business person, things like that. And part of that is what I was sharing earlier. This is serious. I mean, when you take your if you're willing to take yourself on and go through the fire of the challenges, you're gonna
be challenged. You just I mean, it's kind of like in any sport. Let's say you play football, like, oh, the quarterback, I'm a running back. The quarterback is just gonna pass to me every time I got to run fifty yards, sixty yards, catch the ball, easy touchdown. No, it ain't gonna happen. You're gonna meet adversity, the defense. But then you learn and you know how to deal with the defense. And in life defense here is your own brain. You're subconscious who's trying to
help you. But that's the key. That's most people think like, oh, I got this thing, this wrong machine in their head, and I'm not going to get into it today, probably, but believe me, if there was a you know, the poster boy for adversity and doubt and fear and all of that. I'm on it without a doubt. What I've come through is unbelievable. And so that's why I have so much confidence and passion to help others, because I've seen what you can go through. So what's
happening in the field. It's growing, There's a lot it's expanding. There's a lot more people in the field, which is fantastic, And I would love to see more of people taking on those deeper emotions rather than mentalizing it, trying to turn it, trying to get over it. Okay, And what I'm talking about is go into it. Go into those emotions. What are they really telling you? What are they what's going on there? And have the right people with the right tools and skill sets to get you through
that. Because what I've seen personally and with folks that i've assisted, when you do it this way, you actually those those patterns, those doubts, those fears, they change. You can clear them out and then be in the zone in life and in your particular sport and for golfers, and so you don't have that keep running story that it's going on I'll give another example. Please, I'm humble to say it, but I'm saying this for a purpose. You know, I love Steph Curry as a basketball player and as
a person. Is pretty amazing what he's gone through. But he has said, you know, he still deals with that. Else. He deals with doubts that he had when he was a kid, when he was younger, and they're still around. They've gotten somewhat better, but they're still around, and he uses it to keep him in place and check and you know, he deals with it in his own way. And I'm saying, Steph, man, I'd love to have a conversation with you to say those can be
gone. Could you imagine them gone? Could you imagine them they're not there anymore? And how much more freed up energy and space you'll have and peace in your life and in your basketball you know playing and for golfers, you know that it's gone. It's really gone, because why it's not there to harm or hurt you. It's there to say, are you ready to pass this test? And when you pass the test and go through the doorway by using certain methods, it clears out and you elevate yourself. The cool thing
fred is. I don't need to prove anything to people I work with. I don't try to force it on them. I share with them and then I say, you be a scientist. You tell me is it working or not? You tell me that's the proof in the putting in your own body. And they come back, man, carry Yeah, it's changing, and I'm able to be more focused. I'm able to have more success. I'm in the zone more and I'm extending that elasticity of the zone to stay there
more. And I'm enjoying my life and my golf game much much more. Awesome. Tell us how do you find you on the web? Ah, well, a few different ways. If this is interesting to you and you are interested to you know, kind of like lower score by five strokes bring
your game to new hids. Please check out unleashgolf dot com. That's unleashed golf dot com and that what that brings you to is from time to time I do live trainings where I go deeply into this and and I keep it very intimate and small group so I can really help the people that are there, and so you can sign up for our trainings. Kerrie, I really
appreciate the effort you put into this every year. There's so much fun to be able to hear these these pros talking about the mental game, their perspective on it, in the reality of it. It is so much fun and it's always great to reconnect with you them same here Fred and I Honor. I'm so grateful and excited each time I have this opportunity with you. So thank you, And it is really impressive to see how the podcast has grown. I am so impressed of your success and your passion of doing this.
You bring on so many amazing quality, you know, speakers on the subject, and it's really really impressive. So thank you for having me on and thank you for spending that time getting that tape. That's really amazing stuff. I also want to thank our newest Golf Smarter Ambassador, Jeff Pavelina of Pinehurst, North Carolina. Jeff plays at Pinehurst Number six regularly. How awesome is
that. So often when I received these requests and recordings, I think, ooh, it would be fun to play with them on their home course. But Jeff, when I finally make it out to North Carolina and it is on my golf bucket list, you better be ready to host, and I'll remind you you are a Golf Smarter Ambassador for episode nine hundred and thirty eight. So what about you? How would you like to be a Golf Smarter Ambassador Get a choice of three free gifts just for sharing with us where you're
from and where you play, You get to be on the podcast. Just write to me directly and I'll send you some very simple instructions on how to record and send it to me. Check out today's show notes to find the links on each gift you have to choose from, and also want to remind you that the links to our sponsors and their special offers are also in the show notes. Please check them out as a way to say thank you for
keeping the Golf Smarter Podcast coming week after week after week. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for upcoming episodes, or you want to be a golf Smarter Ambassador, write to golf Smarter podcast at gmail dot com or click on the Hey Fred button when you visit Golfsmarter dot com