Mind-set management for golf and life

20/02/2024

Maria Tulley has been a qualified PGA Professional since 2008 and much of that has seen her combining playing aspirations with coaching.

Aylesbury Vale Golf Club-based Tulley used to find it difficult to manage those high-pressure moments in tournament play. But the 37-year-old, who has competed on the Ladies European Tour Access Series, has found a mind-set practice that has completely changed her outlook to stress situations – and not just on the golf course. The Red2Blue technique has proved such a game-changer that she has become a qualified practitioner of it and started hosting workshops to spread the word.

How long have you been a qualified PGA Professional and where are you based?
I have been a qualified PGA Professional since 2008 and currently based at Aylesbury Vale Golf Club.
Since then, I have been trying to pursue a playing career alongside the coaching. I still have ambition to play and compete, but I need to continue to teach to allow me to fund the playing side without having a sponsor on board.

How has Red2Blue helped you with your golf and work?
It has made me realise that I can’t run away from pressure. I hated the word pressure and had no technique to deal with the pressure when I was under it. Now I can recognise my indicators, accept it, and then choose what I want to focus on. Having the ability to do this has made my performance improve in tournaments, how I feel before tournaments and after. This in turn has made a huge difference to how I feel in my personal life too.

How does Red2Blue technique influence your everyday coaching?
Instead of just helping the golfer with their technique with the swing, having my R2B knowledge allows me to help the golfer with their mind-set when they are taking any swing changes to the course.

Has it changed your coaching style or just added to and complemented it?
It has added to it. During lessons when clients can get frustrated, having R2B knowledge allows me to help them focus on aspects that they can control and get the best out of the session.

Have coaching and approaches to it always interested you, even when your priority was more towards playing?
Yes, I am always interested in different aspects of coaching, whether it be swing concepts or psychological ones. I have always had a keen interest in the understanding of the mental side of the game though. I have read countless books, but nothing comes close to the Red2Blue technique.

You have become a Red2Blue mind-set coach. How did that process unfold?
I took part in several online Zoom training workshops to learn the technique. I worked with others from around the world during these sessions, which also included qualified psychologists who wanted to add R2B to their repertoire. At the end of the programme you then have a 1-to-1 exam with a R2B expert to pass.

Tell us about your Red2Blue workshops that you you’ve started running this year – what are the component parts?
I have recently been hosting R2B workshops at Aylesbury Vale Golf Club and the feedback has been excellent. The session is two hours and is basically an introduction to Red2Blue. I use a PowerPoint Presentation and make the session as interactive as possible. By the end of the session everyone is clear on what R2B is and the tools they need to help them go away and practise without me being there! I will be doing a second-stage workshop for everyone who has taken part in the first workshop delver into the concept deeper and going through more tools that will further improve their mind-set. Others have wanted to go to 1-to-1 sessions which is great. I will also be running some online workshops too, which is great for individuals who can’t come to a workshop in person.

Have you had other PGA Professionals show an interest in Red2Blue – and/or attending your workshops?
I have had a few messages from other professionals yes. I think after seeing some of the content I have put online they have been intrigued as to what Red2Blue is as it is not well known – yet!

How can Red2Blue help other PGA Professionals in their work?
Whether you are a PGA Professional who wants to teach or still loves to compete, understanding and knowing the Red2Blue technique will make a big difference to you, not only playing-wise. We all get put under pressure, whether it is teaching or playing and having the ability to perform your best when it really matters can only be a good thing right?

The Red2Blue technique

“Red2Blue is a mind-set technique, which enables you to perform better under pressure. It is a very simple and accessible technique that anyone can learn and practice. It is all about understanding performance, pressure and mind-set for the individual, using simple tools to perform your best when it truly matters. Gazing, the company behind R2B, were formed 25 years ago and invented the R2B technique for businesses primarily. The company was then asked to work with the New Zealand All Blacks.

I always struggled competing when it really mattered in big tournaments and suffered a panic attack when I competed at my first LPGA Q School in 2018. After that experience I realised that I really needed to do something about my psychology. I went to see a few different sports psychologists and nothing really helped. A couple of years ago I happened to meet Martin Fairn the CEO of Gazing London and he talked to me about R2B; since then I haven’t looked back.

Using R2B has made such a difference to my golf and my life in general that I also decided to train and become a certified coach in Red2Blue. I really feel this is a game changer when it comes to understanding your mind-set and realising that mind-set is not a problem to be fixed, but a skill to be learnt, just like the golf technique itself. With practice it gets better and with Red2Blue you get the tools to go and do this. It’s not just about reading a book.”

For anyone wishing to attend future workshops – in person or online – please email: mariapro@hotmail.co.uk