Byron Nelson; Playing with His Heart and Using His Mind.

By: Kristi Gomen

Byron Nelson, who achieved one of the most remarkable records in sports history when he won 11 consecutive pro golf tournaments in 1945 was not just “lucky,” as some might say, he was well versed in the mental spirit of the game.

Many have tried to follow in his footsteps, and many have come close, but only one has come so close as to almost beat Nelson’s record, none other than the Master of the Mental Game of golf, Tiger Woods.

What Woods and Nelson appear to have in common is their very big desire to achieve. As Nelson told The New York Times in 1993, when accounting for his superb shotmaking, “The Lord game me good coordination, a great rhythm,

and wonderful balance. I had an uncanny judgment of distance. And even though folks couldn’t see it, I had a very big desire to achieve. I got pretty steamed up inside.”

That desire to achieve and the feelings he felt inside enabled Nelson to take his mental game to the level of believing you can do it, feeling the win and then playing as if bad shots are not an option. These characteristics and the “mental focus” of golf, were not a recognized in the 1940s as a defining aspect of how to improve your game, the physical side of the sport was known, however, mental focus was not.

This was not the case however with Nelson, who was at the time wise beyond his years, and like Tiger Woods, realized that his talent was more mental than physical.
“What I did in 1945 was mostly a mental achievement, “ he recalled. “In those days, I could drive the ball so well that I would really get bored. I just decided I was not going to hit one careless shot. Plus, I had the focus of the ranch.” Nelson needed $55,000 to purchase ranchland, something he had long coveted and that drove him to succeed.

Sam Snead wrote in “The Game I Love,” During his streak year of 1945, Byron was magical.” Snead, too knew the mind over matter technique that Byron achieved was yet his greatest achievement of all-not 11 consecutive victories, but letting your mental game overcome and develop a perfect physical game, much like the Byron of our times-The Tiger that is…..

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