Mind Caddie - Improve Your Mental Golf Game

How we can play golf in THIS moment  Today we welcome back on the show my good friend Susie Meyers to discuss more concepts around ‘Point A’ Susie is one of the very best coaches in the USA and wrote the highly acclaimed book ‘Golf from Point A’ which I believe is required reading for every golfer interested in maximising their golfing experience. Susie is on the list of the 100 Top Coaches in the USA Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/ She coaches at all levels of the game from start-up players to tour winners like Michael Thompson so her experience is extensive. Every time I get the chance to speak to Susan the conversation just flows and her passion and enthusiasm for the game of golf just oozes out of her On today’s show we discussed: What is POINT A golf and WHY is it so important? How we fall into the trap of trying to ‘fix’ our previous shot The dangers of linking one shot to another when every shot is a UNIQUE moment in time The ‘Thinker’ and the ‘Doer’ and why we need to understand the difference The BURDEN of the PAST The myth of ‘problem solving’ Can you control your golf swing? Can you control where the ball goes? The myth of control and how this creates so much instability With Point A there is NO PAST, NO FUTURE just this unique moment in time Why we need to be absorbed in the PICTURE of the shot and how these pictures influence our movements. How our PICTURES inform our body how to move Every shot has a different FORMULA How Point A can give you a different perspective on the golf course. The course is then no longer a THREAT Point A in everyday life  A brilliant session with a wonderful coach To find out more about Susie and her brilliant work go to https://susiemeyersgolf.com/ Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/    

Today on the show we are joined by top coach Hugh Marr. Download Mind Caddie for hundreds of short audio lessons and exercises produced by Karl and start improving your mental game the same way as six major champions: https://urlgeni.us/mindcaddie Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/ Hugh has an incredible depth of knowledge and experience having coached at all levels of the game but most notably with some of the best players in the world on the European Tour. As well as his full time role as a coach Hugh is now involved in his passion which is mentoring young aspiring coaches to be the very best version of themselves. We got the chance to discuss Hugh’s view of the current state of coaching. How many coaches respond to trends. The dangers of too much YouTube ‘information’ How we KNOW too much but UNDERSTAND too little. What does a good lesson REALLY look and feel like? How we can only influence ONE thing as coaches Why you should NEVER have to get worse to get better Why more practice is not the simple answer How the ‘team’ of a player needs to evolve Why it is important to prioritise WHO you are taking information from and WHEN How to make your practice more RELEVANT The vital importance of hitting ONE more green per round and holing ONE more putt from 6ft Why your CARRY distance is so important with your irons than total distance Why it is VITAL to know your golf course and the most RELEVANT shots you will hit The challenges of being a TOUR COACH The highs and the lows The challenge of not attaching personal emotion to players results Developing as a coach The importance of UNDERSTANDING as opposed to just knowledge The need to keep asking ‘WHY’ Effective critical thinking Why ‘quick fixes’ need to be part of a good coaches armoury To find out more about Hugh go to www.hughmarr.com Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/

Today we are joined on the Brain Booster by performance consultant Dr Greg Cartin who has worked with so many top level players. He is based in Boston USA ‘What we are thinking DOESN’T matter’!! Wow! Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/ Download Mind Caddie for hundreds of short audio lessons and exercises produced by Karl and start improving your mental game the same way as six major champions: https://urlgeni.us/mindcaddie For many people this is counter intuitive to what they have been led to believe. We have spent so long in the futile attempt to try to control our thinking. Yet as Greg explains today it is actually the RESISTANCE to what we are feeling and thinking that causes so many problems. It is this resistance that causes tension and it is the tension which affects our ability to access the SKILLS we have.   As he says: ‘You can think ANYTHING you want until you think it is WRONG’  It is so important to begin to change the RELATIONSHIP we have with our thoughts and feelings. To become an observer of them. As an observer we are able to create some DISTANCE without becoming FUSED with our thinking. We challenge many existing ‘norms’ in mental game coaching Routines could be making you WORSE! The staple of so much mental game coaching could actually be detrimental Why a rigid pre shot routine will NOT protect you from negative thoughts and emotions and may seriously hamper your CREATIVITY   Why it is so important to connect with what you ENJOY about the game of golf The best way of developing your skills and then more importantly how to ACCESS those skills Why trying to supress your emotions can harm your game   Why META COGNITION is so important The need to OBSERVE your discomfort as opposed to trying to get comfortable with being uncomfortable Trying less and caring less: Could this be a way out of the mental mire To find out more about Greg Cartin Go to https://www.drgregcartin.com/about   To get a copy of the new ‘Lost Art of Putting’ video program go to www.themindfactor.com To claim your 20% discount put in the Brain Booster code of TLA20  Join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR COACH – or simply come to improve your own game, go to : https://themindfactor.net/the-certification-course/                

Randy Joyner, a top US coach, discusses the 'Golf Machine' and its practical application to golf. They highlight the importance of mindset, simplifying the game, and staying present. They also explore compression, the history of the golf machine, and its impact on golf swings. Randy's coaching approach, focusing on intention and attitude, is praised.

A coach and his journey to excellence  Today we are joined on the Brain Booster by top coach Anthony McCarthy the author of a wonderful book called ‘The Golf Coach’ which is all about the business of golf coaching and the multi dimensional approach a great modern day coach must embrace to be the very best version of themselves. Find out more about The Mind Caddie App here: https://apps.apple.com/app/mind-caddie/id1567910600 We had a great conversation about the influences that have driven Anthony especially the legendary footballer Johan Cruyyf the pioneer of TOTAL football The mystique of how he coached One of his quotes: ‘There is no higher praise than being acclaimed for your style’   It is not ONLY about the result but the WAY the result is achieved  Understanding how important it is to EXPRESS your capabilities The variability of outcomes and why we shouldn’t attach everything to them What the vast majority of golfers REALLY want to achieve Why it is SO important to really understand a player’s UNIQUE desire Why we should hold back our ASSUMPTIONS How your coaching philosophy should EVOLVE Beginning with the SHOT and working from there Becoming obsessed with the BALL FLIGHT When to dive into technique and when NOT Is your intervention actually improving IMPACT? John Jacobs ‘Golf is what the BALL does’ Spending more time observing players ON the COURSE Why you shouldn’t have to ‘get worse to get better”   A great session with an extremely knowledgeable coach who has immersed himself in the development of his craft   To find out more about Anthony go to www.golfcoachinstitute.com   To get a copy of the new ‘Lost Art of Putting’ video program go to www.themindfactor.com To claim your 20% discount put in the Brain Booster code of TLA20   To join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR coach go to www.themindfactor.com      

How to CENTRE Mind and Body to free up your performance  Today we welcome back onto the Brain Booster a good friend of the show Jayne Storey Jayne has been a pioneer in the field of bringing ancient martial arts wisdom into the modern world of performance sport She is someone who actually embodies and practices herself all of the concepts she teaches We get to talk about some of the origins of martial arts as they emerged from India and the practice of Kalari The relationship between INTENTION and ACTION and how conscious intervention can be so damaging for our touch and feel on the greens How the analytical mind does NOT play good golf How the mind is being force fed with SO much technical information which stops us holing putts on the golf course How the Martial arts can provide some balance with this issue The fundamentals of ACTUAL movement Why a ‘busy’ mind shouldn’t be overloaded with more ‘mental game’ tools Did the great Jack Nicklaus have a TOUGH mind or a QUIET mind? How the line and pace will REVEAL itself from a mind that is quiet The importance of a DAILY practice How ‘self observation’ can be so transformative and allows you to understand the repetitive nature of the mind The FOUR FUNDAMENTAL ACTIONS How movement emerges from the ground Rooted in the feet, moves through the waist and expressed with the hands. The essential nature of BALANCE Why you shouldn’t try to putt from the shoulders How movement emerges from the ‘dantien’ Jayne Storey, Movement and Performance Coach is the founder of Chi Performance. Her background includes 35 years training and teaching in the Eastern arts, including formal Buddhist meditation and the Taoist arts of chi kung and tai chi which she has streamlined into a PERFORMANCE PRACTICE helping those who love sport and the arts, to perform under pressure. Jayne is the author of several books including Breathe Golf; The Missing Link to a Winning Performance and The Practice of High-Performance; 10 Essential Keys to Mastering Pressure. She has been featured on BBC Television and Radio, The Sunday Times and in a number of golf and other publications including Women’s Golf Journal, Golf International, Atlantic Golf and Lifestyle, Kingdom, Sports Coach, Cosmopolitan and Zest. To get a copy of CONNECTED PUTTING go to https://www.chi-performance.com/product/connected-putting/ To get a copy of the new ‘Lost Art of Putting’ video program go to www.themindfactor.com To claim your 20% discount put in the Brain Booster code of TLA20 To join us in Manchester in November and become a CERTIFIED MIND FACTOR coach go to www.themindfactor.com    

 Who are we really?  What is our TRUE nature? Today we are joined on the Brain Booster by Performance Coach Andy Morrison who works with a host of professional players on numerous tours sharing with them the ‘Inside Out’ understanding of experience. Andy was heavily influenced in his coaching by some of our previous guests on the podcast such as Garret Kramer, Dicken Bettinger and Sam Jarman who have all built on the work of Sydney Banks exploring the ideas of the Three Principles A lot of what Andy says may well challenge a lot of our existing beliefs especially about our constant need to try to FIX our thinking or to try to get into a perfect mental state to play golf Why trying to ‘fix’ the mind often just stirs it up more Knowing WHERE your experience actually comes from How to get back to the TASK at hand When your thinking settles down INSIGHTS appear To get a copy of the new ‘Lost Art of Putting’ video program go to www.themindfactor.com To claim your 20% discount put in the Brain Booster code of TLA20 To join us for a special two days at Archerfield with our ‘Lost Art Golf School” 13th -14th August go to www.themindfactor.com  

It is wonderful to welcome back onto the Brain Booster my very good friend Gary Nicol, co-author of the best-selling ‘Lost Art of Golf’ series. We had as usual a wonderful conversation particularly about our Lost Art schools at Archerfield  We discussed the concept of our RELATIONSHIP to the game of golf  What do we really want from the game?  How we can become a little more SELF LESS and a less SELFISH  Why becoming a great playing partner may actually unlock your own performance.  Why the outcome of a golf shot should never determine your self worth  The biggest myths around consistency How the Trackman numbers tell us what does and doesn’t change much in a swing What we should be aiming to influence and WHERE we need to place our ATTENTION We have lots of what I call ‘surface conversations’ about golf such as how can I hit it further, score lower, get handicaps down but what about going to a bit deeper level and finding out what REALLY matters to you when you play. How can you get the very most out of this fleeting opportunity called LIFE Is that a conversation REALLY worth having ? To get a copy of the new ‘Lost Art of Putting’ video program go to www.themindfactor.com To claim your 20% discount put in the Brain Booster code of TLA20 To join us for a special two days at Archerfield with our ‘Lost Art Golf School” 13th -14th August go to www.themindfactor.com

It is great to welcome onto the show mental skills and golf coach Trevor Jones to explore a different way of dealing with the thoughts and sensations that can hold such sway over us.  He has a fascinating story to tell as both a player and a coach at a very high level. We discussed how many of the existing models of trying to ‘control’ thoughts and just use visualisation techniques proved so ineffective.  How many time have you hit bad shots when you feel GOOD and conversely we have all hit good shots when we are feeling BAD  The psychological flexibility model  Acceptance and Commitment Training Instead of trying to control thoughts and feelings understand how YOU are NOT your thoughts Why it is a myth to think you have to ‘feel good’ to play good The way our brain just ‘pumps’ out thought  Why we should give our brain a name!!  How you can ‘diffuse’ from your thinking  The way out of the matrix  The importance of VALUES based behaviour  How we can move towards what we REALLY value  OPEN  AWARE  ENGAGED   ‘Trevor won the Welsh National Championship in 2008, and played full time professional golf for the next 3 years, yet he struggled when applying traditional sport psychology to himself. After discovering ACT (Acceptance and commitment training) in 2012, Trevor immersed himself in the theory and practice, his research being guided by some of the best in the field. A decade later, Trevor now works for the US based Aware Performance Group, helping college golfers improve their Psychological Flexibility. Trevor also mentors two Sport Psychologists, works privately with up and coming junior golfers, and runs a golf coaching business as a PGA professional. His book ‘Get out of your mind and into your game – how to build Psychological Flexibility on the fairways and beyond’ is due for release later this year.’     Social media for Trevor is @mind_your_golf    To book your place at Archerfield for the ‘Lost Art School’ go to www.themindfactor.com        

After the first session I did with Jim Waldron a couple of weeks ago we had such an outstanding response I had to get him back for part two. And what a session it was. The conversation just flowed as it tends to do with Jim and we explored even deeper levels of the Mind Body connection. You will find some really valuable insights in this show  We had the chance to discuss:  The Mind – Body connection and how to ACTUALLY change your swing  Honouring the goal of making movement without conscious thought  How to expand awareness  More feel based less thought based  Why you should do Tai Chi  The 3 Primary sensory channels and how you need to know YOUR preference  The myth of ‘swing thoughts’ and why they ‘seem’ to work  The focal point system  The holy grail of the ‘one point’  The need for BALANCE awareness   So many nuggets of pure gold from a legendary coach   Jim Waldron is a nationally acclaimed golf teaching professional, mental game coach, author, and lecturer best known for his pioneering research on the mind/body connection approach to learning and teaching golf. His holistic approach to golf improvement blends swing and short game mechanics, mental focus skills, physical fitness and emotional state control into a revolutionary golf instruction paradigm. He is recognized as one of the game's best golf swing instructors and swing theorists.   To find out more about Jim Waldron and his coaching go to https://balancepointgolf.com/       To book your Mind Factor workshop get in touch with us at www.themindfactor.com