Steroid Use in Golf?

Leading UK sports performance psychology therapist and twice World Powerlifting Champion, Emma James, dismisses claims that professional players are using steroids.

July 23, 2007

Recent revelations regarding steroids in Golf in the headlines.

Emma James MABNLP, MATLTA, MAHYP, Dip FTST is a twice World power lifting Champion and performance coach as well as specialist therapist to many leading sports people.

“Having been around strength sports for many years and understanding what steroids and other strength enhancing drugs can do, under no circumstances would any professional golf player use them,” she stated after recent revelations from Gary Player proclaiming that players were using performance enhancing drugs.

“I work with many professional athletes and some of them are Pro Golfers including on this tour. Steroids and HGH under no circumstances would give you an edge. You need flexibility, completely synchronicity between your mind and body neurological connections and constantly be able to feel exactly where you in your line.”

Another aspect of steroids not raised in the press after Players accusations is that you need to have complete mental focus and steroids can in fact cloud and change your mental preparation and reactions. “Mood swings and changes in reaction can results from certain steroids used and this would have a detrimental effect of any player. I have worked with a number of players who have gone through a phase of problems which are mainly psychologically based and in getting them back to winning standards, they must be completely in touch with the mental preparation side of the game. If you introduce something which will change your emotional state into the equation, you are asking for trouble.”

Maybe there are players using steroids and HGH, but if they are, they wont be in the cut as any benefits they may get certainly wont benefit their game.