PHOENIX (KSAZ) -
Baseball legend Yogi Berra famously said; 99% of the game is 50% mental.
Meaning physical talent is only part of the picture when it comes to success in sports.
A strong and calm mind is also essential that's where sports psychology comes in.
Hitting a baseball is one of the hardest things to do in sports. The ball can come whipping in at speeds of over 90 miles an hour.
You've got to see it, swing at precisely the right time, and precisely the right place to connect.
It's a physical and mental challenge, players trying to capture a certain feeling with every swing.
"When you have that positive energy working for you and a hot streak, it allows you to feel more comfortable and confident when you are at the plate," said Ricky Wagner.
Baseball coaches work on a batter's mechanics. Jim Afremow works on their minds.
He is a sports mental performance consultant who spent years working with athletes at ASU and he's also the author of the new book "The Champions Mind: How Great Athletes Think, Train, and Thrive."
"Part of it is clearing your mind, good breathing, and at bat routines so that when you get up to the plate, all you at thinking about is the pitcher's release point and tearing the cover off the ball," said Wagner.
Players at al levels train at Arizona World of Baseball in Tempe. Managers here see the value in working with a player's thought process, as well as physical technique.
"Sports psychology is a really neat aspect because you are having somebody help unlock positive potential in an athlete," he said.
And it's not just for baseball. There may be no sport that requires more concentration, more mental toughness than golf. So how do good players approach the game from a mental standpoint?
We visited Phoenix's beautiful and historic Encanto Golf Course and spoke to club professional Mike Swartz, who played on the PGA tour and carded a 61 on this course.
"I think through practice, working really really hard, developing your self-image so you feel you deserve to play really really well, when you go out and play on the golf course you have worked so hard at it that you deserve it," said Swartz.
Jim Afremow says changing your attitude towards practice is the key.
"The way we compete is the way we train. A lot of athletes treat practice as something to get through and almost get credit for showing up, but champions look at practice as no different from Game Seven. You are always in it to win it. So when you get to the big day it is just like practice," said Afremow.
"I completely agree with that, so when I tried to practice it was long and difficult, put myself in situations that were challenging, so when I was out on the golf course there would be no surprises," said Swartz.
Another valuable technique is picturing yourself being successful.
"Visualization is one of the most important mental skills out there. Basically, it is seeing and feeling your performance before you actually do it. If you have a big game coming up see yourself coming through in the clutch. So when you get to the situation you almost feel like I've been here before, and it is no different," said Afremow.
Win at those mind games, and you can win at the course, court, or field.
What is the approach when it comes to working with sports teams as opposed to individual athletes? Sports psychology consultants try to strike a balance. So players compete against each other in practice but support each other 100% in competition.