Golf: Mind guru rebuilds Faldo's career

Kjell Enhager does not play golf, but pros seek his advice, reports ANDY FARRELL of the Independent.


Kjell Enhager does not play golf. That has not stopped him working with the Swedish Golf Federation and the country's leading professionals and writing an instruction book, Phantom Golf.

It is more why than how. Enhager is Sweden's leading sports psychologist, but company managing directors are always eager for his advice.

Not many people understand the "pyramid of success" better. Perfectionists are his specialty.

"Kjell is an enormously positive person," said a Swedish golf writer. "He is especially good with successful, driven people who are too hard on themselves."

That made Enhager the perfect person to rebuild the career of Nick Faldo.

They got together after Faldo missed the cut in the British Open at Carnoustie last year. It was the first time in 24 Opens that Faldo had failed to play all four rounds and the winner of six majors had even begun to wonder if he should quit the game.

Faldo asked Enhager to work with him for a couple of days and they are still together a year later. Enhager caddied for him in the US Open at Pebble Beach, where Faldo's seventh place was his first top-10 in a major for four years. He will caddy again at St Andrews this week.

Last week at Loch Lomond, Faldo finished ninth. It was the first time for ages he had been in contention on the final day and he was three over after two holes.

"Kjell was a big help in analysing what happened, what was out of sync, how the body tenses up," Faldo said. "You have to give yourself the opportunity to mess up or you are never going to learn from it. I'm glad it happened last week. If I get into position this time, I have a little more armour to cope with it."

Faldo, who won at St Andrews in 1990 and was the world No 1 during 1992-93, still languishes 119th in the world rankings. That is an improvement after he almost dropped out of the top 200 last year. Part of Enhager's job was to stop Faldo making the common mistake of all bad golfers - not seeing the fairway for the trees, bunkers and water.

"A year ago, you looked at a golf course and it was like 18 bear traps. 'How can I avoid getting my ankles bitten off?' Now I am thinking good thoughts and planning my way around the course. Now I'm thinking, 'Let's make some birdies and see what score I can shoot'," Faldo said.

"I am working on portraying a lighter approach. On the course I present this image of looking intense. That's the way I concentrate. I have standards.

"Every time I hit a shot, I have a goal and a decision is being made about what I am trying to do. If I don't do it, sure I look cheesed off.

"That is the drive in me. That is what's made me who I am. I realise now although that's a strength, it can also be a weakness."

Faldo is working on a follow-up to his own instruction book A Swing for Life and recently spent two days with Sam Snead.

"The theme of the new book is the 'absolute musts' for a swing for life and, as Sam has the swing of the last 100 years, I thought it would be good to pick his brains.

"I benefited because I got a free lesson from Sam," Faldo said. "We hit balls on the range and talked as golfers do. I said to him: 'We all think positively when we are playing great, but what were your thoughts when you were playing badly?' He said he never played badly. He looked at a shot and decided what he wanted to do and either did it or didn't do it, simple as that. That was great for me."

Snead, who at 88 will play in the parade of champions tomorrow, also passed on tips.

Few people know the Old Course better than Faldo, although its firmness could allow Tiger Woods to drive the green at six holes and hit the par-5 fifth with a driver and a wedge when the wind is down the course.

"If there is a crosswind, it will be more about shotmaking but Tiger has proved he has a serious repertoire. I don't care if he beats all Jack Nicklaus' records, but I'll get upset if he beats my 18 under par here," Faldo said.

nts"I'm glad I've done my bit, got my majors on the wall. It must be very daunting for these guys who know they have to chase Tiger. At the moment he is not showing too many chinks in his armour."

Last month, Faldo spent a day with blind golfers and rediscovered a tip about detecting faults in the set-up by swinging with the eyes closed. He will not be using it on the course.