THE ART OF MAINTAINING A POSITIVE MINDSET

Klára Davidson Spilková is the most successful Czech professional golfer, and she speaks openly about the importance of both physical and mental preparation. She has been working with psychologists and mental coaches since she was 16 to help her tackle both the challenges of her sport and personal life. Through this work, she has learned how to better focus on her game, manage stress, and maintain a positive mindset—something she believes is key to success not just on the golf course, but in life as well.

HAVE YOU WORKED WITH A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST OR MENTAL COACH? When I was 16, I started working with a psychologist who specialized in sports, among other things. She also helped me with personal development. That was at the start of my career. Later, I turned to mental coaches for support and began exploring some alternative approaches, like meditation.

WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE TO SEEK MENTAL SUPPORT? It was my passion for sport and my desire to be the best from a young age. My parents and I were looking for every possible way to succeed, and that included psychology. Whether it was focusing on aspects of the golf game or learning breathing exercises to use between holes on the course. Of course, it also involved dealing with personal issues I needed to sort out within myself.

HOW HAS WORKING WITH A SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST/MENTAL COACH HELPED YOU? HOW DID YOU FEEL ABOUT IT AT THE TIME? As I mentioned, I’ve been working with a psychologist or mental coach continuously, from my transition to the pro level until now. It’s always been part of my preparation and my career. But I’ve also learned to find my own solutions to many things. These days, I don’t rely on mental coaching as intensively, but it’s always great to have someone by your side who can guide you through the process, someone you can trust, or simply someone who can support you at the right moment. It helps open up a space where you can address or fix things that build up over time.

HOW SPECIFICALLY DID THE SPORTS PSYCHOLOGIST/MENTAL COACH HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR GAME? In many ways. My game has always reflected my personal life. When I’m happy in my personal life, I perform better on the course. So, it’s a balance between both personal and sporting aspects. There are also other benefits, like relaxation, breathing techniques, calming down, and learning how to tune in to what I really want. Or raising my energy and knowing how to help myself. It’s also about being able to accept the present moment as it is and letting go of things quickly when I need to. These are just a few examples, but there’s much more to it.

HOW IMPORTANT DO YOU THINK MENTAL PREPARATION IS IN PROFESSIONAL OR AMATEUR GOLF? It’s incredibly important. Just as we prepare physically and technically, we also need to prepare mentally. My path may not be the same as someone else’s, but everyone should find what works for them. We all need to figure out what helps us, who we want to work with, and how we want to behave or feel on the course. It’s not a one-size-fits-all approach. In my opinion, mental preparation is just as important as working in the gym or practicing on the course. Mental preparation is now simply part of professional sport and should be seen as a natural aspect of the overall training process. Everyone should work on themselves.

DO YOU PERCEIVE ANY DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE MENTAL PREPARATION OF PRO GOLFERS ABROAD AND HERE IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC? It really varies from player to player. I don’t know exactly how different players work with their coaches, but I do see that in places like America, where I lived, there’s a strong emphasis on building self-confidence and positive thinking. That’s not something we focus on as much here in the Czech Republic. You really have to work on tuning into positive thinking. It’s something we still need to learn and get better at. People tend to have a more negative outlook these days, but things are often not as bad as they seem at first. For me, it’s about believing in myself and really embracing that belief. Just trusting that everything will work out, and it will. It’s going to be okay. This positive mindset is something Czechs are still learning to adopt, but being able to stay positive in every moment is the most important thing.

EXCERPT FROM THE GALERIE GOLF HOSTIVAŘMAGAZINE, 2024/11/28 ISSUE. The full edition can be found at:magazin.golfhostivar.cz