307: The Feel Fix: What to Do When Your Round Starts Going Bad

I get on-course with Mike from Chasing Scratch to talk through his thoughts on, well, his thoughts. We work through his process of how he manages his swing thoughts on the course. Mike is a great player and has improved a ton through gaining a better understanding of his own golf game.   -----   Mentioned in this episode:   📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game.   -----   Top episodes of The Mental Golf Show:   Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

In this episode, performance coach Karl Morris shares insights on how perception, mental models, and understanding the nature of golf can transform your game. Discover practical exercises and mental shifts to access your skills and enjoy golf more. Key topics (AI-generated 🤖) - The importance of accepting bad shots as part of golf - Using intention to improve golf interaction - Changing perception to reduce threat response - The concept of 'skill access' versus 'skill development' - The role of mental stories and beliefs in golf performance - Practical exercises to reframe bad shots and pressure situations - The analogy of golf as a made-up game like Monopoly - The impact of perception on access to skills during play - The importance of simplicity and focus in the mental game - How to question and redefine your relationship with golf   --   Mentioned in this episode: 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game.

Just a few weeks ago, Manuel Elvira was tied for the lead going into the final hole of the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth after making eagle on the 71st hole. Some would say he collapsed on the 72nd hole. But how does Manuel feel about it? What can you learn from his experience? Key topics from this episode (AI-generated 🤖) - Imposter syndrome and proving you belong - Handling pressure and nerves during critical shots - Mental routines and relaxation techniques - Learning from setbacks and maintaining confidence - The importance of commitment and decision-making - Balancing performance and mental health in sports   -----   Mentioned in this episode:   📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment - app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! ⛳️ PutterCup - Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game.   -----   Top episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

Jim Waldron (balancepointgolf.com) works remotely with golfers around the world on yips and general mental game coaching. He also teaches full swing, short game, and putting mechanics. In this conversation with Jim Waldron we talk through controlling your attention, managing stress, and developing a resilient mindset to improve performance under pressure. Here are the key topics we cover in this episode (AI-generated 🤖) - The role of self-image and ego in performance - Controlling consciousness like a flashlight - The “snow globe” analogy for a stressed mind - Deep acceptance and non-resistance to thoughts - The importance of routine and focus in golf - The concept of good stress and its benefits - The difference between internal and external focus - The impact of life outside golf on mental state - Strategies to develop meta-awareness - The importance of living in the present moment   -----   Mentioned in this episode:   📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. 🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game.   -----   Top episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

Gary Wise has been working with golfers for decades on their swings and their minds, and is the author of No Junk Reps.   In this episode we discuss: Mental management and mindset in sports and life The importance of routines and rehearsals in performance Perception and acceptance as tools for resilience The concept of adaptive performance state (APS) Training the mind and body for flow and zone states   -----   Mentioned in this episode: 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! 🎓 The Next Shot digital course - Get Module 1 for FREE! - Move on from the last shot and be more present on the next one. 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.   -----   Top episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

Join the October Group Coaching Cohort! More info here: https://joshnicholsgolf.com/group/ ----- Jared Tendler (author of his new book Everyday Golf Psychology) joins the pod to talk about: the importance of working on your weaknesses first how the different aspects of your game all have different A-B-C-games how to objectively measure your mental game handling pressure building mental resilience seeking discomfort and how to keep play and practice in their proper places Jared first appeared on the podcast way back in April 2021, so it's awesome having him back on. I really like the way Jared thinks about the mental game. I know you'll enjoy this one. https://jaredtendler.com/ ----- Mentioned in this episode: 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! ⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- Top 5 episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

Want to join the Mental Game Group Coaching Cohort? More info here: https://joshnicholsgolf.com/group/ Commitment to the golf shot is comprised of two key checks: Do I KNOW what I'm trying to do Do I LIKE what I'm trying to do In this episode, we develop a framework for getting to a clear, final commitment to the shot. No more hitting indecisive shots. ----- Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment: https://app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment Work on moving on from bad shots here: https://app.joshnicholsgolf.com/courses/the-next-shot

Dr. Izzy Justice is an author of 10 books, including Your Brain Swings Every Club, GYRA Golf, and Golf EQ. He joins The Mental Golf Show to talk the neuroscience of stress, negative thoughts, performing under pressure, and he makes some interesting claims about the term "flow state" that I had never heard before. Key topics covered in the episode (AI-generated) The impact of stress on golf swings Neuroscience of thoughts and muscle communication The concept of flow and reactive states in golf Managing thoughts before each shot The importance of mental endurance in golf The role of electricity and brain activity in performance Strategies for controlling the last 10 seconds before a shot The concept of upstream sources of negative thoughts Practical exercises for mental focus and inventory The importance of simplicity in mental strategies ----- Mentioned in this episode: 🎓 The Next Shot digital course - Get Module 1 for FREE! - Move on from the last shot and be more present on the next one. 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! 🤝 Join Mental Golf Club and Get Ad-Free Episodes of The Mental Golf Show (and more)! 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- Josh's stuff: 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🤝 Join Mental Golf Club and Get Ad-Free Episodes of The Mental Golf Show (and more)! 🏌️‍♂️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans - Get the most out of your practice time with higher quality practice. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game. Or send an email to [email protected]. 🎓 The Next Shot digital course - Get Module 1 for FREE! - Move on from the last shot and be more present on the next one. 🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. ----- Podcast partners: 👕 William Murray - Get the best looking and best fitting clothes in the game 15% off! 🎯 Shot Pattern - Course Management Made Easy - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there. ⛳️ The Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'. ⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 🏋️‍♂️ FREE Golf Workout - Nerd Fitness - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 🍀 Fairways & Fundays - Ireland Golf Tours - Named World’s Best Golf Tour Operator at the World Golf Awards in 2024 and 2025! If you’re interested in going on a golf trip to Ireland, send me an email and I’ll get you set up with them - [email protected] ----- 🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. ----- Top 5 episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks  

Robert Linville has been Josh’s coach for over 10 years. He was a pivotal part of Josh winning multiple events and making it to the finals of the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Robert has been a coach and swing instructor and owner of Precision Golf School in Greensboro, NC for 40+ years, working with some of the best players in the world on all levels of the game. Get Robert’s brand new book Responding Under Pressure on Amazon. respondingunderpressure.com ----- Mentioned in this episode: 🤝 Join Mental Golf Club and Get Ad-Free Episodes of The Mental Golf Show (and more)! 🏋️‍♂️ FREE Golf Workout - Nerd Fitness - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 🏌️‍♂️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans - Get the most out of your practice time with higher quality practice. 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- Josh's stuff: 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🤝 Join Mental Golf Club and Get Ad-Free Episodes of The Mental Golf Show (and more)! 🏌️‍♂️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans - Get the most out of your practice time with higher quality practice. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game. Or send an email to [email protected]. 🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. ----- Podcast partners: 🎯 Shot Pattern - Course Management Made Easy - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there. ⛳️ The Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'. ⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 🏋️‍♂️ FREE Golf Workout - Nerd Fitness - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 🍀 Fairways & Fundays - Ireland Golf Tours - Named World’s Best Golf Tour Operator at the World Golf Awards in 2024 and 2025! If you’re interested in going on a golf trip to Ireland, send me an email and I’ll get you set up with them - [email protected] ----- 🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. ---- Key takeaways (AI-produced): Golf mental performance and indifference — Josh's stated goal of "indifference" isn't apathy. Robert describes it as a deeper form of acceptance: trusting your prep enough to swing freely and let the result land wherever it lands. Belief systems outperform confidence in golf — Robert frames confidence as an emotion that fluctuates round to round, while belief is the durable foundation a golfer can lean on when confidence disappears mid-round. The "3 and 1" mental game exercise — Naming three things you did well each day (golf-related or not) builds a track record of small wins that reshapes a negative internal narrative over time. Golf strategy as probability, not fairness — Robert argues that course management and shot selection are really about stacking the odds in your favor, since preparation increases probability rather than guaranteeing certainty. The "law of deserving" and pressure in golf — Working harder often backfires when it creates an expectation of results rather than preparation for whatever happens; this mismatch is a hidden source of tournament pressure. Recovering from bad shots — the "three or four hole blur" — Robert explains why golfers spiral after a mistake and why physical cues (breathing, a glove touch, a look at a specific tree) help golfers self-regulate back into decision-making mode. Reframing narrative for golfers and parents of junior golfers — Parents can unintentionally reinforce a negative self-narrative by focusing on mistakes; Robert stresses that shifting the story a player tells about themselves matters more than swing mechanics alone. Practice quality over practice quantity — Robert's three-tier framework (practice, non-competitive play, competitive play) shows why tracking practice data reveals whether reps are building a real ceiling or just filling time. How much golf improvement is realistic in a year — Using handicap index as a benchmark, Robert suggests a 20–25% improvement is a reasonable target for a golfer who trains with real purpose. Staying the course versus chasing swing thoughts — Constantly changing technique based on the last shot (what Josh calls "swing thought number seventy-three") undermines long-term development; sticking with a trusted process built around a clear "why" produces better results. ----- Top 5 episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

Listen to this episode ad-free: join Mental Golf Club Hello everybody, welcome to The Mental Golf Show, where we explore high performance through the lens of golf. On today’s episode we have Michael Leonard, host of the Wicked Smart podcast, author of several golf books, and phenomenal player himself. This is actually Michael’s second appearance on The Mental Golf Show 3 years later. Feel free to go back to that one to learn more of Michael’s own story. In this episode you’re going to learn how to neutralize pressure, not only handle discomfort but use it to grow, have a better target selection process, understand your own shot shape and decision making, the power of visualization and how you can use visualization to make yourself a better golfer, and how to push through scoring barriers and go lower. I know you’re going to enjoy this one. Wicked Smart Golf Academy - Michael Leonard's hub for game improvement ----- Topics we hit: Is golf really that hard? “Only the paranoid survive” - How to continually improve The What/Why/How of Visualization Why Do We Play Worse Under Pressure? The Value of Getting Out of Your Comfort Zone Anger: Is It Bad? Can We Use It Beneficially? Josh Figures Out How to Stop Swinging Scared Josh’s Realization About Playing Freely How Michael is Going to Go from a +2 to a +5 ----- Mentioned in this episode: 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🏌️‍♂️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans - Practice made simple, intentional, and accountable. ⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. ----- Josh's stuff: 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: app.joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🏌️‍♂️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans - Practice made simple, intentional, and accountable. 👨🏻‍🏫 1-on-1 Mental Coaching with Josh: Visit joshnicholsgolf.com/coaching to see plans and pricing to work with Josh on your mental game. Or send an email to [email protected]. 🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. ----- Podcast partners: 🎯 Shot Pattern - Course Management Made Easy - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there. ⛳️ The Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'. ⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter. 🏋️‍♂️ FREE Golf Workout - Nerd Fitness - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 🍀 Fairways & Fundays - Ireland Golf Tours - Named World’s Best Golf Tour Operator at the World Golf Awards in 2024 and 2025! If you’re interested in going on a golf trip to Ireland, send me an email and I’ll get you set up with them - [email protected] ----- 🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. ----- Key takeaways from the episode (AI-produced): 1. Tee It Forward to Practice Low Rounds Playing a tee up in casual rounds exposes golfers to birdie and eagle chances more often, priming the mind for a low score before it happens in competition. 2. One Shot Shape Beats Two Committing to a single stock shot off the tee removes swing-thought clutter and builds the kind of target-picking confidence Michael saw in tour pros at the U.S. Open. 3. Visualization Needs Repetition, Not a One-Off A single pump-up visualization the night before a round does little; Michael's work with the Kairo app involved dozens of sessions to actually build new neural pathways. 4. Train the Process, Not the Score Visualizing routines, breathing, and target selection carries over under pressure in a way that visualizing the final number doesn't, since outcome-focused thinking tends to break down in competition. 5. Anger Can Be Fuel Michael compares it to Bruce Banner learning to direct the Hulk — once a player learns to channel anger toward focus instead of letting it spiral, it stops being a liability. 6. Process Bad Shots Neutrally Naming what happened without self-attack — "that went left" instead of "I suck" — keeps a bad shot from compounding into a bad hole. 7. Discomfort Is Where Growth Lives Michael ties his biggest breakthroughs, quitting his job and playing Q-School among them, to moments of extreme discomfort, arguing the same principle applies off the course. 8. Long Putts Miss Short More Than Golfers Realize A Korn Ferry player's stats review revealed Michael left 70% of 30-plus footers short; aiming past the hole on the high side helped correct the bias. 9. Vague Instructions Produce Vague Results Telling your brain "hit the fairway" is weaker than picturing an exact line, distance, and landing spot. Specificity is what turns intention into a committed swing. 10. More Tournament Reps Normalize Pressure Closing the gap between practice-round comfort and tournament-day nerves comes down to playing more competitive rounds — and following the actual rules when playing casually too. ----- Top 5 episodes of The Mental Golf Show: Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch - Letting Scratch Happen How to Trust Your Swing even when things are Going Wrong Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf Lean Into Your Golf Personality with John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type) How to Juggle Golf and Life with Andy Walker and Steve Hinks