276: Brendon Post - Why Trying Harder Makes Golf Harder

Is chasing consistency actually hurting your golf game? In this episode, I’m joined by Brendon Post — a longtime competitive player, coach, and caddie with decades of experience at the college and professional levels. Brendon brings a rare perspective from living on both sides of the rope: competing under pressure and watching the game with total clarity as a coach and caddie. Topics covered: Why your ability doesn’t disappear under pressure — your ability to access it does How “tournament mode” creates mental clutter and breaks down trust Why easy shots often produce more fear than hard ones The danger of chasing repeatability and “perfect” ball striking How acceptance has to be credible to actually work Why messy golf can still produce low scores The caddie/coach perspective vs. the player perspective Swing thoughts vs. feels (and why it’s completely individual) Course management as a true separator at higher levels What to prioritize when time is limited: body, mind, and putting — not panic practice This one genuinely changed how I think about practice and performance under pressure. ----- 🎓 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 🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.   

I had the honor of hosting Steven Yellin on the podcast. Steven is an author of the book Simplicity. He holds some very strong positions on how good golf must be played. But he claims they aren't his ideas, they are just the way the brain and the body work. I truly can't spell it all out here, you'll have to listen to know what I'm talking about.  If you like this podcast in general, you're going to love this conversation with Steven Yellin. ----- Steven Yellin's links: Website: stevenyellin.com Book: Simplicity: The Fluid Motion Factor Golf Program ----- 🎓 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 ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.   

🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf. ----- I used to always play golf with a ton of fear. And frankly, I still play golf with fear. But not as much as I once did, thanks to an understanding of some of the core reasons we as humans encounter fear. In this episode, you will learn what the core sources of human fear are, why we fear those things, how that relates to golf, and a solution for dealing with and extinguishing each of the core sources of human fear. I'm confident you will leave this episode with a better understanding of yourself, your tendencies, and having new tools to play better golf. ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.   

I had the great honor of hosting Dr. Gio Valiante for a conversation that had me thinking from the moment he started talking. Something about the way Dr. Gio explains things makes me feel like golf is on the one hand deep and rich and complex, but on the other hand incredibly simple and fundamental to who we are as humans. His grasp of human psychology is aspirational, so it's no wonder he's been a pillar of the golf psychology arena for decades. I know you'll enjoy this episode, and I'm confident you will leave this episode with a deeper understanding of your golf game as well as yourself and why you do what you do on and off the course. Topics: Is Fear the Root of Most Mental Game Problems in Golf? Fear, Flow, and the Full Spectrum of Golf Psychology What Fear Does to Skill, Decision-Making, and Performance Why Golf Creates Fear: Social Judgment and the Human Brain Mastery Orientation vs. Ego Orientation in Golf How Golf Shifts from Love of the Game to Results and Approval Embarrassment, Shame, and the Conditioning of Fearful Golf Why Ego-Driven Golf Makes Flow States Unlikely What It Means to Compete in Golf—and Who You’re Really Competing Against Playing the Golf Course: Targets, Process, and Task Focus ----- Dr. Gio Valiante's books on Amazon: Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game Golf Flow: Master your mind, Master the course ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- 🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.   

🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here! ----- I worked with Matt Myers at Nerd Fitness for the entirety of 2025 as my personal trainer. But far beyond building workout plans and keeping me accountable to nutrition goals, he was a partner on a journey. I know for a fact I would be so far off course from where I started 2025 had I been trying to go it alone. I can say without exaggeration that Nerd Fitness has changed my life. Matt and I want to do quarterly updates through 2026, so this is Q1 2026 Update. ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

I've done a goal-setting episode at the end of every year for the past 6 years, but I don't think I've ever done a review of the year that just ended. This episode will show you a simple, proven way to review your year (or your day or your round of golf) that you can and should use. And I of course set some golf and podcast goals for 2026, which I think can help you do the same. ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- 🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

Steve Wheatcroft played professional golf for 19 years, almost all of those on the Korn Ferry and PGA Tour. In this episode we get into the experiences he had, the fallout of retiring, and the journey since.  Topics discussed: The Silence After Professional Sports Identity Beyond the Game The Balance of Passion and Profession Learning to Practice Effectively The Journey of Becoming a Golfer Self-Perception and Mental Challenges Lessons Learned and Advice for Others The Humor in Golf: A Lighthearted Approach The Feeling of Not Belonging: A Personal Journey Aspirations and Realities: The Golfing Dream The Pressure of Early Success: A Cautionary Tale The Long-Term View: Sustainability in Golf Careers Identity Beyond Golf: Finding Self-Worth Reflections on the Book: Cocktails and Range Balls The Identity Crisis After Golf Struggles with Alcoholism and Depression The Journey to Recovery Finding Purpose Through Storytelling Transitioning from Professional Golf The Mulligan Foundation: A New Hope Writing for Change: The Power of a Story ----- Steve Wheatcroft's links: Book: Cocktails and Range Balls: One's Too Many, Ten's Not Enough The Mulligan Foundation ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. ----- 🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

🎓 The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course: Dial in your pre-shot routine here. ----- This year has been a monumental one for The Mental Golf Show. It's the most interviews I've ever done (33 up to this point) and I feel like my skill as an interviewer has drastically improved across this year, and certainly over the life of the podcast. So with guest episodes in mind, I wanted to pull out some of my favorite nuggets from interviews in 2025. I wanted to include so many more than this, but I also wanted the episode to be about an hour long so I landed on 9 guest nuggets (I said 8 in the pod intro, pardon my bad counting skills). Below are all the guests and their episode number so you can go back and listen to their full episode: Webb Simpson: What confidence is made of, how to grow it, and what hurts Webb's confidence (Episode 242) Dan Abrahams: How to get the most out of your ABCD Game (Episode 239) Jayson Nickol: Getting comfortable going low and eliminating “Anyway Shots” (Episode 238) Ross MacLeod: Is putting the most important part of the game? (Episode 244) Mike Booker: The difference between a “Tournament Golfer” and a “Golfer Who Plays Tournaments” (Episode 241) Gary Waters: The benefit of detaching yourself from your results (Episode 254) Lou Stagner: Where should players set their stat benchmarks? (Episode 236) Jim Waldron: What and how much should we be thinking about during the golf swing? (Episode 245) Dawn Grant: How do you maximize joy on the golf course? (Episode 250) ----- 🗓️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans: Get more organized with your practice at joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you. 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

🎓 The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course: Dial in your pre-shot routine here. 🗓️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans: Get more organized with your practice at joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you. ----- Will Knauth is a +5 handicap U.S. Mid-Amateur competitor, a PhD student in Theoretical Statistics and Time Series Analysis, and he has opinions on how to play better golf. In this episode, you'll hear those opinions. I'm confident you'll leave here knowing more about the game with real things to try and having changed your thinking on different parts of golf. Will is one of my favorite guests because he has no skin in the game--he's not pushing or selling anything, he's not trying to build a personal brand... he's just a good golfer who's incredibly smart. I think you'll enjoy it. ----- Topics discussed: Two and a Half Years of Fighting the Hooks The Physics of Pushing vs. Pulling: Finding a New Swing Feel Swing Thoughts on the Course: Why Mental Chatter Isn't the Enemy Block Practice vs. Random Practice: The Internal Dialogue The Music Analogy: Distraction and the Sequence of Thoughts Bridging the Gap: Taking Your Range Game to the Course The Bottom of the Pendulum: Knowing When to Change Swing Thoughts Peaking for the US Mid-Am: Timing Your Game The Tale of the 13: A US Mid-Am Disaster Making Golf Work with a Demanding Life: Commitment and Sacrifice Time vs. Efficiency: There's No Substitute for Hours The Choice to Stay Competitive: What Are You Willing to Give Up? ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

🎓 The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course: Dial in your pre-shot routine here. 🗓️ Basic and Custom Practice Plans: Get more organized with your practice at joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you. ----- David Buck is a former professional playing pro who’s competed on the Canadian Tour, mini tours, and traveled extensively across North America and internationally chasing the game. He now operates an engaged community through his brand Big Swing Kings, where he blends humor and real coaching, swing roasts, and totally unique ways of thinking about the game. And he says he does this all with the intent to help players play better and enjoy the game more. You can find David at these places: Youtube: Big Swing Kings TikTok: bigswingkings Instagram: bigswingkings Website: bigswingkings.com ----- 📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement. 📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter. 👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions. 🏌️‍♂️ 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. ----- 🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.