cover image ON THE SWEET SPOT: Stalking the Effortless Present

ON THE SWEET SPOT: Stalking the Effortless Present

Richard Keefe, . . Simon & Schuster, $25 (272pp) ISBN 978-0-7432-2335-5

Keefe, a clinical psychologist and lifelong golfer, was always willing to try something new to improve his game—from practicing to working with sports psychologists. His professional experience along with his love of the game led him to study how the brain works, and how it impacts the skills and performance of a golfer and other athletes. Keefe discusses the use of meditation and imagery for improving one's game, explaining, "When the athlete imagines the immediate goal, such as the current shot, instead of the championship, that goal becomes clear and hangs in front of the athlete, and the mind becomes fully absorbed in the task at hand." The author then describes how he began different research projects to further his knowledge of the brain. Along the way, Keefe's mentor, a physician, says that he's ill and dying of cancer; and Keefe spends a great deal of time with him discussing golf and the workings of the brain. Although well written, this book seems disorganized—half sports coaching tome and half medical research. Very patient readers may be willing to plow through it, but duffers hoping for easy tips on finding the sweet spot will be disappointed. (Mar.)