Integral
Development for the 21st Century
During the last
five years, my research has also taken me into a branch of
psychology called human development. Having had some background in
educational psychology, I already knew people developed through a
series of stages - from the physical to the emotional, to the
mental, and beyond.
There are many
developmental experts who have tested developmental theory on a
world-wide basis and have described the journey from different per-spectives
called developmental lines. For example, Jean Piaget represents
the cognitive branch of development. Abraham Maslow represents
psychological needs development. Lawrence Kolhlberg represents
moral development. Eric Erikson represents psychosocial development
and Jane Louvinger represents ego structure development. Carey
Mumford also uses several of the developmental lines for describing
the golfer’s journey, most notably Eric Erikson (Psycho-social)and
Abraham Maslow (Psychological Needs).
There are many
more development paths, but this will at least give golfers a hint
that human beings (insert golfers) develop through a series of
stages in a variety of different ways and at their own pace. What
makes this evolutionary journey even more interesting is the fact
that individuals do not grow in their develop-mental lines and
their stages at the same rate. Research shows that a person can
score high in cognitive development, low in moral development, and
somewhere in the middle in the area of emotional develop-ment. By
growing in each line of development at a different pace, the
individual can lack balance in their overall development .
As I continued
to research the developmental lines, I also came to understand that
human development (also a golfer’s development) is more like a
series of cycles or waves (Clare Graves, Don Beck, Ken Wilber and
others report this as well) that takes place through at least
eight stages (if not more). A cycle theory of development suggests
that people may periodically need to regress in their game and/or
human development in order to transcend to the next stage of growth
and development described as a cycle of regression, integration,
and transcending.
From a golfer’s
perspective, I came to realize that golf or sports can be seen as a
separate line of development. For a player to become fully
developed as a player, they would need to train in all of the
developmental stages simul-taneously - physical to emotional to
mental to transpersonal to spiritual in at least seven of the
developmental lines. These lines of development are:
·
Body training for balance, range of motion, strength and
flexibility
·
Motor skill training to be able to repeat a swing motion without
conscious thinking about how to do it
·
Emotional training for emotional control
·
Cognitive training to understand and apply the laws and principles
of golf
·
Mental training to create a consistent mental process and for
dealing with stress, anxiety, and running thoughts during practice
and on the course
·
Transpersonal training to bring the personality into balance and to
transcend ego-centeredness
·
Spiritual training for deep centering, grounding, and trust
Why Integral
Training for Golfers?
1.
What I am suggesting by using the Four Quadrants of
Developmental Golf template is what made Tiger Woods the great
player he has become today. Golfers should read the new John
Andrisani book Think Like Tiger.
Social golfers
do not have to train and practice as long as Tiger, but they can
still use the
the four-quadrants model as a means to accelerate their overall
growth and
development. As our series continues, we will provide more
information
about the four quadrants of this unique training model.
2.
Any golfer with
a long term mind-set (rather than a mind-set based on instant
gratification) can train in all of the stages and lines of
development we have just described. It is easy to do. All it
requires is some know-how and a golfer’s willingness to stay on the
developmental path until they reach the stage of self-mastery.
3.
When the
activities of the Four Quadrants of Developmental Golf are viewed
as an on-going continuous practice, a person can reach the stage of
self-mastery one step at a time. This is what the Four
Quadrants training model presents and what our integral golf
schools are designed to accomplish for the golfer.
Golf Schools for
the Whole Person
In the year
2003, Golf: Inside & Out will be offering three types of training
programs. They
are designed to meet the golfer’s needs - from beginner to
tour
professional.
The first is
called Your Journey to Self-Mastery. This is a one-on-one
coaching
program for golfers of all skills levels. You can find this
description
under Golf Instruction in the web site at www.golf-
insideout.com.
The second is
called GolfBond Executive Schools. These schools are de-
signed for
companies who are looking for golf schools to enhance team and
client
relationships. You can find these offerings under Corporate
Programs
on our web site.
The third is
called The Institute of Integral Golf. Larry Miller (Senior Tour
Player and
author), Carey Mumford (ProForm Associates,
keygolf@charter.net),
Geoff Mangum (www.PuttMagic.com), and Joe
Gandolfo
Director of Sport Vision at Georgia Tech University). There will be
six themes under
this format for individuals, spouses, corporate clients, and
families:
·
The School of
Integral Golf
- This will be a three or five-day format covering
all aspects of
the Four Quadrants template.
·
Holographic Golf
and The Double Connexion - This is a
two-and-a-half
day school based
on the work of Senior Tour Professional Larry Miller and
Carey Mumford
for learning the inner game aspects of golf.
·
The School of
Integral Putting - A one-day golf
school by Geoff Mangum
focusing on all
aspects of putting from the physical technique to emotional
control, green
reading, mental concentration to playing within one’s natural
behavioral
style.
·
Integral
Teambuilding
- A two-and-a-half day corporate workshop on the
concepts of
teambuilding that combines classroom and on-course game
activities.
·
Golf & the
Spirit - A Renewing of the Body, Mind, Soul and Spirit - A two-
and-a-half day
spirituality retreat for singles, couples, or the family to
experience the
integral concepts and their power to heal and transform.
·
Integral Player
Development - Designed for
better tournament players who
are interested
in qualifying for Q-school. Players can be a part of a
pioneering
approach by testing this unique model of development for
maximizing their
game results
It is our goal
that the integral schools will be offered at golf resorts or
courses
throughout the
United States. We will inform our readers about the sites and
their dates in
the near future. Please call us for information at
888-244-9959.
For your educational
progress please click here to visit our integral golf shop where
you will find a variety of books, videos, training aids, fitness,
and nutritional products to help you achieve maximum performance in
golf and life
Interested
parties may contact us at Golf: Inside & Out to discuss their views
and findings concerning integral training as it applies to the
areas of golf and human development. Since this integral model is
still in its infancy, all ideas and suggestions are welcomed. Our
goal is for all people to benefit from the integral model for their
on-going training and development, as parents, teachers, clergy,
athletes, and children.
For additional information, visit David Geier, and
Golf: Inside & Out Golf
Schools
TM