The Mental Golf Show

I played a tournament recently, and I want to talk through what I did really well, what went wrong, and of course, the result of the actual tournament. And ultimately I want to make this applicable to you. You don’t necessarily come here just to hear how Josh is doing, you’re here to improve your own game. So I’m confident you’ll leave this episode with some learnings to help you play better in your next competition. ----- Special thanks to: Titleist (for having the best golf equipment) Shot Pattern (for having the best GPS strategy and stat tracking app) ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Mental Game Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your inbox every week. ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Hopeful Folk Contemplative Loop” by Sonican on Pixabay Contemplative Mellow Thoughtful Piano Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay “Waterfall” Music by  from 

On today’s episode we’ve got special guest Gary Christian. If you haven’t heard of Gary, he’s a former PGA Tour player. In fact, he was the oldest rookie ever on the PGA Tour at 40 years old. We get into that story and more in depth to Gary’s history, but first we jump right into the importance of the mental game. Then we get into Gary’s personal journey and the way he improved his game. Gary has a great perspective on struggles and success, and some very unique methods he used to have his pro golf breakthroughs And Gary is also an author. He recently published the book Beat the Course, Not Yourself. Most mental game books could also read like a text book, where you’re presented a concept, why that concept is important, and how you can improve that concept to help you play better. But Gary’s book Beat the Course, Not Yourself is a story. He subtly introduces mental game and golf improvement concepts through the story of Jack, a 15 year old amateur golfer who’s trying to get recruited to play college golf. Which may sound unrelatable to those non-15 year olds out there, but the way this reads is highly relatable. A very interesting approach to the mental game. ----- Gary Christian's book: Beat the Course, Not Yourself ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Mental Game Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your inbox every week. ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: “Study” by Chillmore from Pixabay Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Thoughtful Contemplative Documentary Piano” Music by  from  “Inspiring Thoughtful Piano” Music by Ivan Luzan from Pixabay “Jazz Happy” by Music_For_Videos on Pixabay

There's not many more important skills than being able to move on from a bad golf shot. Which is why it's so important to actually have a plan for how to do it, and a way to train that ability. Because like any other part of the game, this mental skill is trainable. In this episode we go through a systematic, evidence-based 4-step plan for moving on from bad golf shots. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Waterfall” Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay

I've always struggled with driving accuracy. Even as a relatively short hitter compared to my peers, for large portions of my golf career I only hit around 50% of my fairways.  But there are some key psychological reasons for that, and processes that have helped me tremendously be able to swing more freely and hit more fairways (and hit it further). We go through 3 of those processes in this episode. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Study” by Chillmore from Pixabay

As you’ll hear in this episode, over my 20 years of competitive golf experience my relationship with equipment has been hot and cold. Which I believe has left me at a disadvantage not only with quality of shots but also with my confidence in my clubs. So in this episode I take you through my relationship with golf equipment, how Titleist stepped in and helped me see the error of my ways, and an interview with one of the best club fitters in all of golf, JJ Van Wezenbeeck. So stay tuned to the end to learn what he has to say about the psychological benefits of having the right equipment. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay

Golf is full of distractions. In this episode I want to go through two scientifically proven ways you can improve your attention span and equip you with tools to use while you’re on the course and give you the best chance to play well for a whole round, not just part of one. ----- Episode mentioned: How to Quickly Refocus on the Golf Course ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you! 🙏 ----- Assessment Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Improve how you practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay Smart Technology Music by Denys Kyshchuk from Pixabay

One of the most common things I hear from players is how they can’t access their skill in competition. Like something comes over them when they get in a tournament. Why does golf feel like a completely different game when it’s competitive? It’s the same clubs, same course—so why does everything change the moment the stakes go up? Today, we’re diving into the truth about pressure, where it comes from, and how embracing it can be the key to unlocking your best game. We’re going to go through what I call The Two Laws of Pressure and how they can help you play better in tournaments. ----- 📚 2025 Book Club! Click here to join the exclusive group chat where we discuss the books we're reading, questions and struggles about the mental game, and first access to Q&A's and event info. ----- Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- Elevate the quality of your practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Yes, I get a little cut when you use my link. Thank you! 🙏 ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel ****Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Inspiring Thoughtful Piano” Music by Ivan Luzan from Pixabay

It’s the end of the year and very soon the beginning of 2025, so we’re going to talk about fitness. But before you click away, I’m not going to preach at you about getting in shape. In this episode, Matt Myers of Nerd Fitness and I hit 3 major topics that have been huge for me: the all-or-nothing mentality, mindful eating, and systems over goals. And these aren’t strictly limited to fitness or nutrition. These principles apply to any endeavor you’d like to set out on, like any of your golf or life goals. I'm confident you'll leave this episode with a thorough understanding of how to get and stay motivated to accomplish fitness goals, not to mention any other goal you have for 2025. ----- Previous goal-setting episodes of The Mental Golf Show: 2024: https://pod.fo/e/294fa2 2023: https://pod.fo/e/21145d 2022: https://pod.fo/e/159525 2021: https://pod.fo/e/101a80 2020: https://pod.fo/e/d0ff1 2019: https://pod.fo/e/129bab ----- Elevate the quality of your practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan - 25% off for a limited time! Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Yes, I get a little cut when you use my link. Thank you! 🙏 ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Jazz Happy” by Music_For_Videos on Pixabay

On this episode, we’re going to be talking about goal-setting. It’s that time of year that we look ahead and set goals and plans. But I think just as important, if not more important, is to take stock of the year we just had. So in this episode we’re going to do both of those. You’ll hear me discussing my own year in golf, and my own golf goals for 2025. My hope is that you’ll be able to use what I say to inspire you and give you the tools to do it for yourself and have the best year of golf yet. ----- Mentioned in episode: The 4-Step Process for Setting and Achieving your Golf Goals in 2024 Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-mental-golf-show/id1477550168?i=1000640684543 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/1wsae7xkjzI629WGQxR9bT?si=b398bd9a58af47a5 ----- Elevate the quality of your practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan - 25% off for a limited time! Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Yes, I get a little cut when you use my link. Thank you! 🙏 ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music credits: Creative Technology Showreel Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay Smart Technology Music by Denys Kyshchuk from Pixabay “Thoughtful Contemplative Documentary Piano” Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay “Inspiring Thoughtful Piano” Music by Ivan Luzan from Pixabay

Feeling those first-tee jitters? In this episode, we break down what causes them and how to stop them from sabotaging your game. Learn three simple strategies to stay calm, focused, and confident—no matter how big the moment.   I'm confident you'll learn: Why first-tee jitters happen and what they mean. How to use awareness and grounding techniques to stay present. The power of pre-acceptance to build unshakable confidence. ----- Elevate the quality of your practice! Custom Weekly Practice Plan - 25% off for a limited time! Do you want to get the most out of your practice time? Let Josh hand-build your practice plan using your stats and your time availability so that you can start practicing more efficiently. ----- Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every week. ----- Take the FREE Mental Game Assessment⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement. ----- Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code 'MentalGolf10' to get 10% off your purchase Yes, I get a little cut when you use my link. Thank you! 🙏 ----- 1-on-1 Mental Coaching Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at ⁠⁠josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or head to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠joshnicholsgolf.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. ----- Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com ----- Follow Josh on social: X/Twitter: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@joshlukenichols⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Josh Nichols Golf ----- Music Credits: Creative Technology Showreel Music by Ivan Ohanezov from Pixabay “Cozy Coffeehouse” Royalty Free Music by Lunar Years on bensound.com Contemplative Mellow Thoughtful Piano Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay “Study” by Chillmore from Pixabay