Having previously completed a Master’s degree, during which he examined the reasons why a number of leading amateur players failed to make a successful transition to the pro game, Peek took his investigation further for his PhD.
The results were eye-opening as players opened up about their struggles and the effects of the downward spiral that accelerated when their touring days came to an end.
In an interview with Martin Dempster, the golf correspondent of The Scotsman newspaper, Peek said: “I had a core of 16 players, all just recently retired from the tour, with one still being there in 2020. Over a three-year period, they told me their stories.
“They let me into their lives about what they went through during their careers. Some of the highs but also a lot of the lows. What I’m going to describe as psychological struggles. It was a mix of the good and also the s*** they went through during the course of their career. I split the career into five stages and the fourth stage was cameos. They’d been famous but became people who were hanging on to careers that are no longer there.
“When they came off tour, there was nothing else for them as they’d lost their purpose in life, seven of the 16 experienced prolonged depression anxiety, which meant going to the doctor, getting pills, having therapy. Four of the 16 still suffer. I thought I knew a bit about the industry, but that shocked me to hear how many had a successful career but, at the same time, had things going on in the background and how they really did suffer.
“The reason for that was obviously losing form, which means you start earning less. You’ve built up a lifestyle and that is impacted. Tour friends also went missing and then there’s that thought of ‘what do I do now as this is all I’ve done in my life?’.”
In The Scotsman article it was also reported that the DP World Tour, under the guidance of Dr Andrew Murray, had recently set up a new Mental Fitness and Recovery Zone to support players at January’s Hero Dubai Desert Classic.
Peek, whose varied work in the golf industry also includes a consultancy role with the Swiss Golf Federation, saw the Dubai facility himself and hopes it can help the drive towards a better understanding of mental illness and encourage other players to come forward.
“Those four days at the Desert Classic were a test drive and I think this is hopefully the start of better times,” he added. "It (mental health) was a kind of taboo.
“It’s still such a macho sport, an alpha male syndrome where no one is really going to admit to anyone that they are feeling bad. That’s obviously been a lot of the stuff that has held people back, but society is changing.
“I spoke with my group of players to let them know this was happening and they said ‘thank goodness’. All these lads wanted was that if they could help someone coming along behind them not suffer so much, then it would be a job well done. That’s my drive as well.
“Two of the lads talked about suicide. When you hear that, you think ‘wow’. Obviously they didn’t do it, but it crossed their mind. Too many professional golfers have suffered in silence for too long. If my research can help improve the situation, it will have been worth it.”
For further resources on Mental Health, visit PGA Learn: https://pga.portal-agylia.com/#/catalogue/item/c8224c2a-82c8-424a-ac57-68cb1717ef70/
There’s also the 24/7 helpline within the Members' Area: https://www.pga.info/members/membership-services/mental-health-support/
