ABSTRACT
A golfer’s goal orientation refers to the way the player normally defines competence. One way to assess competence is via social comparison. Some golfers think of themselves as competent when they perform better than others; this focus on normative comparisons is referred to as an ego orientation. Another way to define competence is via intrapersonal comparison. Some golfers think of themselves as competent when they learn something new or improve their skills; this mastery focus is referred to as task orientation (Nicholls, 1984, 1989). In this chapter, we examine how goal orientations are related to the ways golfers think about themselves (self-esteem, contingencies of self-worth), are attached to the game (obsessive and harmonious passion) and behave ethically in competition (self-handicapping and sandbagging).
