With seemingly more degrees than the Coachella Valley’s summer heat, Dr. Lynn Beasley is becoming a multifaceted force in the body/mind relationship of modern golf instruction.
Holding a doctorate in psychology with a specialization in sports and performance and a master’s degree in kinesiology, Beasley offers soul-meets-science instruction with an array of high-tech tools at the Classic Club in Palm Desert.
“Basically, you’ve got the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual; and spiritual doesn’t mean religious, it’s what drives somebody,” Beasley explained before putting me through a 90-minute assessment. “That drive means everything, and everything else can be worked around that. I’m all about mind and body. I specialize in golf, but that can be applied to your entire life.”
From the outset, Beasley’s philosophy and cache of high-tech tools is evident, with movement screening, lifestyle queries, psychology, biomechanics and brain mapping part of the process. Playing better, preventing injury and understanding the body and its limitations are cores of her instruction in a setting where many residents – and clients – skew older.
“Some golf pros are really method oriented and believe there’s only one way to swing a golf club,” she said. “But you have to work with what each person has, to know what each person can do. So, you need to understand both sides: to work with the physical training and the golf swing. The objective is to get a player to be better, but … not hurt them physically.”
There’s also a sense – or need – to not overload students with too much data.
“Most people, all they think about is the need to work on their swing. But it’s not a game about the swing; it’s about playing golf,” Beasley said. “So, if you’re not getting what you want out of the game, then you’ve got to consider what you can get better at. And if that’s a matter of controlling your mind, you need to measure what’s happening. That doesn’t mean you need to use these tools forever; but it’s like a visit to the doctor in that you need to know what’s going on.”
It’s with this mindset that I began to embrace Beasley’s study of the heart and mind as it relates to golf. With a sensor attached to my ear to monitor heart rate variability, she studies the peaks and plunges of my reactions to her instruction of thinking good thoughts as they intermingle with the negative ones that creep in.
“The heart communicates to the brain more than the brain communicates to the heart,” said Beasley, a former stunt and golf professional who also works at The Vintage Club in Indian Wells as director of Wellness and Performance. “There are pathways sent from the heart to the brain, to the higher-level brain center, meaning there’s no time to think; it’s instantaneous, it’s happening even before you have time to think.”
Since the brain can’t be turned off, training the mind toward positive thoughts becomes the best way to achieve ultimate performance in Beasley’s methodology.
“Everybody can get better at learning how to achieve high coherence, to play better golf and for overall health in your life,” she said. “I teach students different techniques so we can figure out which one works best to be able to shift into high coherence when necessary. On the golf course, if you start to feel tension or you get mad after a bad shot, I’ll teach students a freeze frame, to consciously take a time out, recognize that anger, to work on focus breathing and to think happy thoughts – your dog, your cat, your wife, your kids. That’s the place you need to get to, and the more you practice that, the faster you can shift.”
Beasley’s heart-to-mind study is also paired with a FocusBand that wraps around the forehead and allows player and instructor to evaluate – through colors on a mobile device – what side of the brain is engaged before, during and after the swing.
“There are times when you want to be on different sides,” Beasley said about the left brain, which is more logical and analytical, and the right brain, which is more creative and intuitive. “When you’re analyzing and assessing a shot, it’s going to be red (left side). And once you’ve figured that part out, you need to shut it off and get to the right side of the brain, to go green. In a pre-shot routine, you’ll gather the data and be red; then you go to the right side.”
Beyond the wares and wires, however, are golfers trying to shave strokes from their scores or stay healthy enough to continue playing. And since everybody – and every body – is unique, finding a method – whether physical, emotional or psychological – to help you do that is key. My takeaway on the time I spent with Dr. Beasley is that staying positive and pushing pessimism aside will hopefully have a positive impact on my scoring and enjoyment of golf.
“Shift your energy and you’ll perform better,” she said. “What we care about in performance is to make good decisions and to quiet the mind so you can get into the zone. Emotions control that. Any kind of positive emotion – gratitude, love, caring – is actually going to allow you to think better, to be in a better place to make decisions and perform. When negative emotions arise – anger, fear, stress – things happen at the high brain level that lead you to make those bad decisions.”
