The Mental Game Tip Golfers Will Actually Use

What if golfers could get mental game help right before they tee off… without having to read a book, hire a coach, or admit they’re “in their head”? 😏

In this episode, I’m sharing the new project I’m ridiculously excited about: Mental Game Monday QR tips at golf clubs. Weekly bite-sized mental game insights golfers can scan right at the course — before the first tee nerves, after the blow-up hole, or heading into a big tournament round.

We’re talking about the golfers who secretly struggle, the juniors learning the game right now, and why sometimes ONE small mindset shift changes everything.

Because better golf starts with a better-managed mind.

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Transcript

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SPEAKER_00 0:03

Hello my golf friend, and welcome back to Think Above Par. So I want to tell you about something I just built. I've been building a lot of things actually, and honestly, I'm pretty excited about this one too. I partnered with golf clubs to put mental game tips right where golfers actually need them. Not in their inbox after the round, not in a podcast they might listen to later, right there at the course before they tee off. And I want to walk you through why I did this, how it works, and how you can get these tips too, whether you're a golfer or you run a club or a golf association. All right, let's go. So this is who I'm really trying to reach by offering these tips weekly at golf clubs. I'm trying to find that mental game shy golfer. You know the one. They kind of sort of think there might be something to this mental stuff, but they're not going to admit it out loud. They're not buying a book on sports psychology. They're not signing up for mental game coaching. That feels too vulnerable. That's too woo-woo, too much, right? But they felt it cost them strokes. They know there's something there. Maybe their ego's in their way. They stood on the first T and felt their hands get tight. They've hit one bad shot and watched it turn into three bad shots. Maybe their buddies are telling them, dude, like you're all in your head. And they've been playing great for 12 holes and then done the math and fallen apart in the back nine. They know the mental game matters. They just don't want to make a big deal about it. Then maybe they don't even want to admit it. And I wanted to reach them. Not with a course or a coaching program or private coaching, not with something that requires them to raise their hand and say, you know what, I need some help with my mental game. I mean, they're likely not listening to this podcast anyway, so you might know who they are, but they just need a tip, a quick insight, something they can stumble across at their club and think, huh, maybe that makes sense. So no commitment, no vulnerability, just useful information right where they are. And then there's this second group, juniors, that I really want to reach. These are the kids that are developing their relationship with golf right now. And most of them are getting swing lessons. They're learning course management, they're working on their short game, but nobody's teaching them how to handle frustration, how to reset after a bad shot, how to stay present when they're nervous. So they're building patterns and mental patterns that are going to follow them for years. And I thought, what if I could plant some seeds early? What if a 14-year-old could scan a QR code at their club and read a tip about the first T? Or about not carrying a bad shot into the next hole. Not as a formal lesson, just as something that's there, something they can come back to when they need it. Because here's the thing junior golfers are sponges. They're learning the game. And if we can normalize the mental game as part of the game, not as a separate optional thing you deal with later, we're setting them up differently. We're giving them tools they're going to use for the rest of their golf life and life. And then there's the third group. And this one's really important. The golfers who've got something coming up, you know, a tournament, a club championship, an important round with clients, a member guest, member member, a match that matters. Right. And you're standing on the first T or you're standing on the range and you're looking for something, some last-minute reassurance, some way to feel more prepared. They're not going to call a coach two days before their event and say, can you fix my mental game by Saturday? But they might scan a QR code at their club the day before and read a tip about staying present or about what to do on the first T when the nerves show up. It's accessible and it's immediate. It's right there when they need it. And honestly, that might be the tip that helps them show up differently. So that's who I built this for. The mental game shy golfer who won't sign up for a course but will scan a QR code. The junior golfer who's forming their relationship with the game of golf right now. And the golfer standing at their club the day before something important, looking for a little bit of confidence. Those are the people that I wanted to reach. So here's how it works. Every Monday, I send out one mental game tip. Could be about the first T, could be about resetting after a bad shot, it could be about staying present on boring middle holes, could be about dealing with difficult people. It's short, it's clear, it's something you can actually use that week. And I built it as a 52-week system. That means there's a tip for every week of the year, a full mental game curriculum delivered one week at a time. You're not trying to learn everything at once. You're building the skill week by week. And here's the part I got really excited about. I didn't want this just sitting in people's inboxes in case you opened up your email, though that is available to you. I just wanted it at golf clubs. I thought about it being in the pro shop when you check in or on the range, when you go and warm up, or in the locker room, maybe where you can scan it discreetly, or in the golf academy when you're taking a lesson. So I created QR codes that clubs can put up in all of those places or wherever is convenient. You scan the code, you get that week's tip, and you can sign up to get them sent to you every Monday in your email or not. You can just search down that QR code every week. So it's right there, right before you're around, when you actually need it. And so I started reaching out to clubs, and the response has been pretty amazing because here's what clubs want. They want to help their members play better golf. They want to offer value, they want to be a resource. And this is something they can give their golfers for free. No cost to the club, no extra work. Just a simple way to help people play better. So we're rolling it out. Clubs are putting up the QR codes and golfers are scanning them and getting the tips and putting them to use. That's the whole point. So why does this matter? Let me tell you a story. I have a client, his name's John, and he said something to me years ago, actually, just recently, again, he brought it up. He said, Kathy, you have a way of having me look at things from a different angle that I never would have seen before. And he gave me this analogy. He said, It's like there's a Coke can sitting there. And after working with me, I shifted the side of the Coke can or the angle, and suddenly he could see things in a whole new way. He saw a different side of the can. And I thought, that's what these tips can do. Maybe one, that's all you need, one tip that shifts the way you've been looking at yourself or your golf game. And it makes a huge impact. For me, it was one thought that changed my whole outlook on the game of golf, on my putting, one shift, one reframe, and everything opened up. That's what I'm hoping to do with these tips. Maybe one will land. One will be the thing that helps you see the first T differently, or helps you let go of a bad shot faster, or helps you stay present when your brain wants to do the math. You don't need all 52. You don't have to memorize them all. You just need the one that shifts your angle. And here's the thing: most golfers think the mental game is this vague, mysterious thing. They know it matters. They felt it cost them strokes, but they don't know what to do about it. They don't have a process, they don't have a system, they're just hoping their brain behaves. And that works sometimes, but not consistently, not when it matters. So mental game Monday gives you a starting point, one tip, one thing to focus on, one thing to practice. And over time, week by week, you start building a real mental game process. You start recognizing the moments that cost you strokes, the first T after a bad shot, people, scores, after a big number, and you start having tools for those moments instead of just hoping your way through them. That's what I want for every golfer. Not just the golfers who can afford private coaching, not just the people who have time to read a whole book, every golfer every week. One clear insight. And especially those mental game shy golfers who never raise their hand and say, I need help. Those junior golfers who are learning the game right now and deserve to have those tools from the beginning and the resources and access to them. Parents don't know where to get help for mental golf. And that golfer standing at the club the day before the big event looking for a little reassurance that they're going to show up the way they want to. So their partner doesn't get ticked off at them. That's the mission. So here's where you can come in. Two ways to get these tips. If you're a club owner, a golf pro, or you run a league or an association and you want these tips at your facility, just reach out to me. I'll send you everything you need. The QR codes, the landing page, all of it. It's free for the club, and it's a great way to offer value to your members or your golfers, especially if you have junior golfers. This is a simple way to start normalizing the mental game as part of their development. The email is also in the show notes, so just say, I want mental game Monday at my club and I'll set you up. Or you can ask me questions. And if you're a golfer who just wants these tips sent to you every Monday, go to the link in the show notes and sign up. It's free, one mental game insight every week, something you can actually use on the course. Either way, I'd love to help you play better golf. All right, my friend, if this landed, share it with a golfer who needs it or a club pro who might want to bring this to their facility. Everyone deserves to play golf with a well managed mind. Have a beautiful week, and I'll talk to you next Wednesday. Bye.