The sport psychiatrist and golf.

The sport psychiatrist is well-positioned to consult to competitive golfers. The interrupted pace of play in golf provides ample time for the golfer's thoughts to go awry. The sport psychiatrist can work with competitive golfers in refining their strategies for dealing with these myriad distractions and stressors. The authors review pre-performance routine and methods for optimizing focus, and discuss the science behind being "in the zone." The authors also discuss how acute performance failure, or "choking," is best understood as being three separate disorders. The sport psychiatrist's unique role in competitive, professional golf is discussed by employing the concept of a sports mental health continuum and its relation to psychiatric disorders.