Think Above Par | Your Mental Caddy for Golf Mindset & Performance

Mastering your golf brain is not complicated but it takes awareness, repetition, and persistence. I walk you through the 6 steps to take on the golf course to manage your mind before a shot (3 steps)  and after a shot (3 steps). The hardest part about managing your brain is questioning the thoughts you have and deciding to believe something different even when you might not have proof or evidence....

We limit our growth on the golf course (and life) when we label ourselves a certain type of person. These turn into beliefs that we have about who we are and how we show up  They can seem so innocent and so believable  but they hold us back. They can give us an out or an excuse when we don’t live up to our potential . Or we can we play small.  And then we often argue for these limitations. We want...

We can finish a round and talk about all the things that we should have done....things that should have gone a different way. We can do it in the middle of, around as well. then it starts to affect other shots and the other holes.  What it looks like is:  I should've made that putt.  I should have gotten up and down.  I shouldn't have short-sided myself.  I shouldn't have hit the ba...

To practice or not to practice...that is the question.  It is assumed that all practice is good practice but that is definitely not the case. Some golfers don't practice at all and others are range rats spending more time on the range than the course. In this week's episode, I share why you want to practice, what you are declaring if you don't practice, and how to practice effective...

If you are playing in a tournament or event, care or people are watching  you tee off, you likely will experience 1st tee jitters. They are pretty much inevitable.  It really is just means that you care about what you're doing. You care about your results. You care about the tournament,   People might notice that their  hands might shake a little bit. Their heart might pound, Their stomach mi...

Blow up holes....triple bogey or more...can ruin a perfectly good round.  You may feel like you have more than your fair share. Sometimes, they can just happen because of bad breaks or weird bounces. This is part of the game. But there are 4 main reasons that blow up holes happen and I share them with you in this week's podcast. It is worth being curious on why you are making those big number...

It is hard to believe in yourself and your golf game when you don't have ample evidence or proof. that you can perform. In this episode, I share some takeaways from a speech that I gave at the USGA Women's Senior Amateur Championship about Believing Without Evidence. You can watch the whole speech (recorded from an iphone) HERE. The link to jump on a Discovery Call is HERE. Want help man...

Most golfers experience first tee jitters. They are not a problem unless they hang out for a couple of holes and then we get off to a bad start. There are other reasons you may not get off to a good start. It can be the beliefs you have about what a good start means. it could be the pressure you put on yourself to par or play the first hole well. This can backfire and end up creating the result yo...

You’ve played solid golf … then collapse on the back nine. In this episode, Coach Kathy breaks down why golfers fall apart in the final holes and gives 4 mental game fixes so you can finish strong on the course . If you struggle with competition nerves, self-doubt late in rounds, or overthinking under pressure, this is for you. I’ll walk you through mental tools that help you stay into your game e...

Do you suck off the tee? It can get so bad that some people call it the driver yips. And while by design,  the driver is the club that goes the most sideways, it can be extremely penalizing if you miss more fairways than you hit. In this episode, I discuss some common technical issues along with some mental challenges that can create some driver drama for you during a round. If you struggle keepin...

Fear of failure on the golf course is a huge mental hurdle for golfers. It prevents you from taking your best golf to the course. In this episode, I take apart what contributes to this fear, what it means to fail on the golf course and ultimately what you make it mean about you and your game. Share comments or podcast topics with me at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com KathyHartWood.com Waitlist for next Me...

Do you ever feel like you are putting in the time practicing and not seeing the results? if this is the case it is worth taking a look at how you practice. In this episode, I add golf mechanics and mindset to expose some reasons why you are't seeing improvement in your game. I talk about how to best practice to get the most out of your time. The couple things you should do each practice sessi...

Golf is said to be 90% mental. Jack Nicklaus said it was 99.9% mental. This seems like a huge percentage. So is this true? Or is it hyperbole? Many people would argue that the game is not that mental...just relax and enjoy the day. This week I talk about how to tell when the game has gotten mental and what is going on in your brain. Registration is open (first week of August) for the LIVE workshop...

"I suck" and "you suck" are likely the most common self-deprecating words spoken in golf. (depending on whether you speak in first person or second person) The words can spontaneously blurt out as a knee-jerk reaction to an errant shot.  The phrase has become acceptable as a valid explanation for a golfer's poor performance. You can think that they are just two harmless wo...

This week, at The Open, the drama was all about Bryson DeChambeau and his driver and the “suck” heard round the world. There were so many valuable takeaways from the equipment drama, Cobra’s comments, and the apology that I sat down to record a podcast over the weekend and put it in the line up to share with you today. I heard three key sentences or words in interviews that revealed so much about...

"Expectation is the root of all heartache" according to William Shakespeare. Even though he wasn't a golfer, I think most can relate to this quote at some point. Many people think that high expectations are the same as having high goals. The idea  of lowering expectations doesn't mean you need to quit caring or trying. In this episode, I distinguish the difference between the t...

If you want to grow in the game, you have to be willing to be uncomfortable. But, In general, most people are not willing to experience discomfort. I am not talking about the discomfort that comes from wearing shoes that are too small or playing with a physical injury.  Nothing that inflicts pain. In this episode, I discuss the discomfort necessary for you to change as a golfer. I share 3 differen...

If you have felt like quitting the game of golf, you are not alone. Truly quitting golf would be selling your clubs and never playing again. This is really  quitting. But there are subtle ways that you quit on yourself and your golf game...and they slow your progress. In this episode of Above Par, I discuss why we quit, where we quit and how to break the habit of quitting. If you are a serious gol...

This is the second part of the Confident Golfer series. In this podcast, I share the 3 traits of a self-confident golfers/person. Everyone is looking for more self-confidence, especially on the golf course.  It is often thought that confidence only comes when we play well or score well. That is not the case. Self-confidence is a skill that you can practice and build. I promise it's available...

Do you want a little more confidence on the golf course? Of course you do! It is the ultimate golf emotion. As Jason Dufner said " Confidence is KING". In this episode, I talk about  the difference between self-confidence and confidence. I share how you can have confidence regardless of how you are hitting  the ball. I discuss the effectiveness of positive affirmations and differentiate...

If you ever find yourself stuck and not making improvements, it is worth look for scarcity thoughts. They are subtle...and you think they are facts but they hold you back and limit your growth as a golfer. In this episode, I shines a light on some common examples and give you ways to shift these thoughts so you an take your game to the next level. If you want guidance, jump on a free call with me...

No doubt, golf can be a frustrating game.  There is nothing wrong with being angry until it affects your next shot or next few holes.  You want to learn how to control your anger on the golf course so that you perform your best. In this episode,  I discuss the main reasons anger occurs, how it builds in a round and how to categorize it. Also I share 4 action steps you can take to control your ange...

Not too long ago, using visualization on the golf course was a new-age tactic. With Phil Mickelson's win in the 2021 PGA Championship, the benefits of visualization are in the spotlight.  There are a couple of different ways to use visualization in golf. In this episode, I share them with you along with best practices if this is new to you.  I also discuss two amazing studies that prove the p...

Perfectionism can seem noble...valued...a sign you care and that you want to excel. But in fact it is driven from fear. Perfectionistic golfers (PG) think if they swing, play, score perfectly they get a pass on the fears, and  judgement and shame. That is a lot of pressure to put on your swing or putting stroke, or flip shot. And then there is the anxiety that comes with perfectionism If you are a...

Do you mess up a few shots or holes due to lack of concentration? Well, this episode is going to shed light on three reasons you lose your concentration. And hang in there to the end where you learn an easy tactic to use on the course to regain your focus and finish your round strong. You can learn more about working with Kathy one to one at KathyHartWood.com Or join the Masterclass at MasterYourG...