The guiding principle at Tarun Sardesai Golf (TSG) is that living your principles rather than striving for results is what leads to actual performance. In a recent player meeting, the Sports Psychologist at TSG – Pranav, highlighted this concept by encouraging athletes to approach competition from the inside out.
TSG’s approach to golf helps players ground themselves in their discipline, courage, resilience, and growth, thereby defining their identities as golfers and as individuals, rather than focusing solely on the scoreboard or accomplishments. This change turns the game from a competition for outcomes into a quest for inner strength, meaning, and purpose.
The Exercise: Defining Core Values
Sports Psychologist Pranav started with a straightforward yet effective exercise. Nearly fifty virtues, including integrity, constancy, courage, and focus, were listed to the players. After being asked to choose every value they agreed with, they were then asked to pick just five. The most challenging aspect was the narrowing process. Although each value appeared significant, the objective was to determine which attributes were most important to the individual.
The exercise’s subjectivity lay in the fact that there were no right or wrong responses, just what each athlete believed matched their performance and character, which was its most significant feature. Players were defining their compass by doing this, not just their aims. Values are continuous directions, whereas goals are short-term benchmarks.
Why Values matter in Performance
Breaking par, winning tournaments, and lowering handicaps are all outcomes that golfers frequently strive for. Despite their importance, ambitions can occasionally turn into traps. Players often plunge into self-doubt, lose their composure, and forget why they play the game when their performance suffers.
Conversely, values offer a sense of stability. Instead of reminding athletes of their goals, they remind them of who they aspire to be.
The factors that help in doing so are-
- Intrinsic Motivation: Athletes with strong moral principles are motivated by their own inner drive. Regardless of the circumstances, a disciplined player will follow their pre-shot routine.
- Adversity Resilience: Values give the battle purpose when things go wrong on the course, which they always do. A golfer who prioritizes development views slumps as chances to get better rather than as failures.
- Consistency of Character: Athletes who uphold their values appear the same during practice and competition, on good days and bad.
“Values are like anchors,” Pranav clarified. When feelings and outside influences pull you in a different direction, they help you stay centered and focused on your things.
From Outcomes to Processes
The significance of shifting the focus from outcomes to processes was one of the main lessons reaffirmed during the discussion. Players at TSG are frequently reminded by Tarun Sir that the process is more significant than the result, and that values enable this change.
For instance:
- Following a bogey on the back nine, a player attempting to score may lose it. Regardless of what has recently transpired, a player who values composure will focus equally on the next stroke.
Athletes are more grounded, focused, and productive when their performance is driven by “Who do I want to be in this moment?” rather than “What do I want to achieve?”
Real-World Examples: Sports Icons and Values
Pranav used sports greats like Michael Jordan to highlight the importance of moral principles. Jordan was motivated by principles such as responsibility and teamwork, rather than merely winning titles. As a clear reflection of his principles, his teammates recall that he always held himself to the same standards he expected from others.
In a similar vein, Pranav took names of golfers like Cam Smith and Rory McIlroy with different mental strategies. Smith welcomes his nerves, accepts them, and concentrates on execution. Rory, on the other hand, is occasionally seen struggling under pressure by attempting to eliminate discomfort. The distinction is between rigidity and flexibility in attitude, as well as the ideals that foster the latter.
Competing From the Inside Out
Allowing your ideals to guide you is the essence of competing from within. Instead of worrying about the leaderboard or fearing mistakes, players focus on traits like bravery, resilience, and attentiveness. For example-
- A courageous golfer bravely takes on a challenging tee shot despite their nervousness.
- A player with integrity takes full responsibility for a penalty stroke.
- A growth-oriented golfer continues to practice despite repeated setbacks.
What’s important to know is that playing according to one’s principles makes every round significant, whether it’s a win or a loss.
Practical Application: Bringing Values Onto the Course
Pranav urged athletes to apply their values aggressively:
- Reflection Before the Round: “Who would I like to be on the course today?” is the question that one must ask within before getting on the course within before getting on the course.
- In-Moment Anchoring: “I value composure—take a breath, commit to the shot,” for instance will help you reset the pressure of the game and concentrate.
- Post-Round Review: Ask yourself, “Did I live up to my values today?” rather than evaluating yourself solely on your score.
With the help of these conscious questions, practice sessions and tournaments, a player gets the opportunities for both personal development and golf itself.
The TSG Way: Developing Complete Athletes
At TSG, golf is a test of character as much as the skill. Instructing athletes on how to compete from the inside out ensures that they are prepared for more than just the game’s technical requirements. They develop into resilient, self-driven, and focused people who can perform well under duress.
Athletes live better lives and perform better when their performance is rooted in their ideals. Every practice, every round, and every setback becomes an opportunity to stay true to who they are and who they want to become.
In Totality
What we accomplish at TSG is that players learn to compete from the inside out by establishing and upholding their ideals, which are anchored not by their accomplishments or awards, but rather by the people they are becoming as athletes and individuals.
Sports Psychologist Pranav emphasized that while outward outcomes may change, your ideals will always be there. They serve as a compass that helps athletes understand the high and low points of the game, ensuring they always enter the course with clarity, and a purpose. And it’s what distinguishes genuinely exceptional golfers from mediocre ones.
