An incredibly demanding sport, golf can challenge every aspect of your being: your mental toughness, physical and emotional fitness, and spiritual resolve. The purpose of this guide is to present coaching points that will allow you to play better and have more fun. These coaching points derive from the principles presented in my book, FUEL THE FIRE, Perform with Passion (HiLevel Productions, 1998).

I am grateful to the game of golf; it has been one of my finest teachers. By its very nature, it forces even the best of natural athletes to think and feel at the highest level possible. For me, this creative tension has produced some wonderful realizations about the importance of focus and fitness and culminates in the concepts presented in this guide.

Consider that "golf is 90 percent mental," a comment equally linked with frustration and respect for the game. In truth, golf requires 100 percent of your mental, physical, and spiritual energy. To hit an accurate golf shot on a consistent basis demands precise thoughts, feelings, and actions. Standing over the ball, you must be focused. You must believe so completely in your ability to hit the shot that you are able to call forth the feelings needed to hit a specific target.

This level of belief over time produces trust; and trust enables you to relax in the face of pressure and manage the intensity of your desire. To play golf well, you must be able to find the feeling of trust on a consistent basis; no other sport demands such a strong intention or such a delicate blend of strength and relaxation. Too much intensity and your swing can become mechanical; too much relaxation and your swing can become "free form" (or worse, "no form"). Your level of fitness provides the energy you need to focus and maintain just the right amount of intensity. Together, your focus and fitness provide the clarity and the balance of strength, flexibility, and technique needed to find the trust and hit the target.

FOCUS AND FITNESS is written for golfers of all ages and ability levels, as well as those who teach and/or coach the game. The material in this guide should help you get better at your game. At all levels of commitment there are benefits and residual effects from simply reading this material. As one athlete said, "Reading your guide enabled me to experience the concept of relaxed concentration. I have a tendency to overdo it to try too hard, to tighten my grip, press or strain and jam up my swing. I have learned to concentrate on the ball and relax my hands and arms and swing easy. The results are impressive; I'm now way more relaxed and confident in my game."

The Hilevel Guide is made up of 12 coaching points for players and an appendix for parents, parents and players, and teaching professionals and coaches. The coaching points for players provide an understanding of the skills needed to build confidence, manage emotions, sharpen focus, and make good on your desire to improve your game. Included in this material are written exercises that will allow you to set up a journal and focus all of your positive energy. The appendices for parents, parents and players, and teaching professionals and coaches provide an understanding of the skills needed to communicate, be supportive, and build trust in your relationships with players.

The HiLevel process involves learning how to play at your best on a consistent basis. To accomplish this you will need to relax under enormous pressure, focus your intensity, maintain trust in your skills and accept the results of your actions, especially when you hit a bad shot. The HiLevel Guide will help you to play from within, manage your emotions, increase your energy, learn from your situation, improve as a player, have fun, and grow as a person.