🧠 Fixing a Weak Mental Game

Plus: Your Opponents' secret tricks revealed

What we'll cover this week

  • Mental Game - How to get out of your head

  • Secret Tricks - Save ANY bad round

  • Repeatability - Bryson teaches range practice

Estimated read time: 6 minutes

This Week I Learned

Progress > Score.

Despite all my training and playing, my tournament scores this year are the same as last year. Seems like I still suck. Yet, my overall performance is improving, and maybe it's just bad luck striking at the worst times.

It’s hard to look beyond your scores and focus on your progress.

Useless golf videos we’ve watched this week, so you don’t have to:

15 = 185 minutes saved

Fix Mental Game Struggles

After a rough tournament weekend, I needed a reminder to level my mental game and stop being my own worst critic.

If you're struggling with your mental game too, this video might be a great starting point to ease up on yourself and see golf for what it truly is: a game that thrives on routines.

Video length: 8:54

TL;DW

  • Have a Pre-Tournament Routine
    Don’t just show up at the first tee-box expecting to be ready without a warm-up. An hour of warm-up (range, chipping, putting, signing in) seems to be the sweet spot. Additionally, I stick to just one bucket of balls to go through my entire range of clubs.

  • Pre-Shot Routine
    The routine itself isn’t as important as repeating it consistently. Even on the range, every shot should follow a routine. Sure, it’s fun to smash the ball a million times, but devote a portion of your range practice to perfecting your pre-shot routine, and you’ll see fast results. (The video includes an example routine for long shots and putting.)

Routines, routines, routines. Take the thinking out of your game and accept the results as you did all your best to influence the outcome.

The video is part of a mental game playlist that I highly recommend for strengthening one’s mental approach.

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Save Any Bad Round

Here’s some good advice on how to save any bad round easily. Delivers instant results. (of course, he’s joking, or is he?)

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Repeatability For Your Swing

A lesson worth repeating by Bryson.

This is BY FAR the best video I’ve seen all year that teaches a concept rather than a mechanic. I realized I hadn't done this exercise in a while, so I thought you might enjoy this refresher too.

The basic concept: Don’t just smash balls on the range; hit a target repeatedly.

Video length: 17:12

Even though Bryson talks to a junior golfer, the lessons apply to us all.

TL;DW

  • Imaginary Fairway: Pick an imaginary fairway on the range, marked by, for instance, two posts.

  • One Shot Shape: How many times in a row can you hit the same shape? Practice the same shape as close to “ideal shape” as possible. Aim for consistency, not just “close enough.”

  • Achieve 5 in a Row: Keep hitting the same imaginary fairway with the same shape until you achieve 5 in a row. If you miss, start over from 0.

  • Listen to Your Body: This drill helps you sync with your body. You’ll feel what your body is doing when you hit certain shots.

This drill boosts consistency and helps you get out of your head. After multiple misses, you’ll start hitting with a feel rather than overthinking mechanics. After multiple misses, you’ll start to get out of your head with swing thoughts, attune to your body’s rhythm, and start hitting with a feeling in mind instead of “I need to raise my arm like this and that.”

Plus, it simulates pressure on the range when you’re close to hitting 5 in a row.

Quick Bites for the Road

🚀 Rapsodo MLM2 Pro Worth it? Check out this in-depth review of the Rapsodo Launch Monitor. Is it the best launch monitor under $1,000? Spoiler: Breaking Eighty says yes!

👀 POV of Rickie Fowler at The Open Get a behind-the-scenes look with Rickie Fowler. It's fascinating to see how uncomfortable players get with a new camera, even though they're surrounded by them 24/7. “We got a spy in our midst!” 😆

🧠 How to Mentally Warm-Up Before a Round This simple 3-step warm-up routine is perfect for preparing your mind (not just your body) for a great round of golf.

Quiz

Who are the current top-ranked amateurs (m/f)?

👇 Answer see below 👇

Hole-In-One Putter

This guy shoots a hole-in-one with a putter from the tee box, and here I am, slicing and hooking my drives all over the course. I'm seriously questioning my approach to the tee box now! 🤔😅

Quiz answer

Lottie Woad from England is leading among female amateur golfers, and Gordon Sargent from the U.S. is the leading male amateur. It’s always fascinating to see how these rising stars transition to the pro circles!

source: wagr.com

Sincerely, your Magic Rabbit.

Leader through the rabbit hole. Last seen heading to the first tee with only a putter.