The Mental Golf Show

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Host Josh Nichols shares from his own 18 years of competitive and coaching golf experiences as well as interviews with players, coaches, and experts in the golf industry, all with the goal of helping you think better on and off the golf course.

Josh Nichols


    • May 27, 2025 LATEST EPISODE
    • weekly NEW EPISODES
    • 33m AVG DURATION
    • 240 EPISODES


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    Latest episodes from The Mental Golf Show

    Joe Bronson - Exclusive Golf Courses, Balancing Golf and Life, and Simplifying a Complex Game

    Play Episode Listen Later May 27, 2025 71:52


    Joe Bronson joins The Mental Golf Show. He's the author of PARdon Me, which was just released and you can get the book, and any of Joe's other books, by clicking here. Topics & Timestamps: (00:00:00) Golf as a Cerebral Activity (00:03:46) Making Golf Simple (00:06:30) Does confidence come from playing experience, or practice? (00:09:14) How has Joe Bronson played almost all of the Top 100 golf courses in the world? (00:16:32) What's more fun: good venue, or competitive round at a so-so venue? (00:18:14) Good venue and bad playing partners? Or bad venue and good playing partners? (00:19:56) Playing Augusta, Pine Valley, and other Super Exclusive Courses (00:21:43) Good and Bad Experiences Under Pressure (00:30:50) The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course - joshnicholsgolf.com/course (00:32:57) How to Increase Your Love of the Game (00:38:21) Joe Helps Josh Maximize Enjoyment of the Game (00:47:02) Get the most out of your time with a Practice Plan - joshnicholsgolf.com/practice (00:49:22) Balance vs. Guilt in Playing Golf (00:53:42) The Most Exclusive Golf Course in the World (01:01:01) What Makes Pasatiempo So Difficult? (01:04:25) Pick One Country to Play Golf In for the Rest Of Your Life (01:06:35) Joseph Bronson, author of PARdon Me -----

    Dan Abrahams - Pressure, Fighting Your Brain, and Your A-B-C-D Game

    Play Episode Listen Later May 20, 2025 61:27


    Dan Abrahams is a Sport Psychologist and former professional golfer. At one time he was the Lead Psychologist for England Golf. Dan joins The Mental Golf Show.  Topics and timestamps: 00:00:00 Why is it so hard to perform under pressure? 00:07:42 How to choose what you think on the course 00:13:06 How to use past experience to make you better 00:17:12 The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course - joshnicholsgolf.com/course 00:20:26 Should we take responsibility for every mistake? 00:25:33 Your A-B-C-D Game 00:37:39 Upgrade your practice! Go to joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 00:39:59 The Masters: Rory, Bryson, and Rose and their Mental Games 00:51:48 Are we fighting our brain while we're on the course? 00:56:08 Dan Abrahams - danabrahams.com ----- Dan Abrahams' links: X Instagram Facebook danabrahams.com Golf Tough on Amazon -----

    Jayson Nickol - Going Low, the Most Important Stat, and How to Move On from Bad Shots

    Play Episode Listen Later May 13, 2025 57:48


    Jayson Nickol is one of the top golf instructors on Skillest, and perhaps most notably he's coach of Chasing Scratch's Mike Shade. Jayson kills em with kindness as he joins The Mental Golf Show.  Topics and timestamps: 00:00 What's Stopping Mike from Chasing Scratch from Getting to Scratch? 01:29 Prioritizing Reps in Practice Planning 08:09 Playing Well and Going Even Lower 10:31 Prioritizing Putting: How to Improve 15:58 The Perfect Pre-shot Routine digital course - joshnicholsgolf.com/course 18:05 Why does pressure cause us to swing worse? 25:52 Course Strategy: Accuracy, Length, Approach Shot Targets 34:35 Basic Practice Plan Template - joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 36:55 Greens In Regulation: The Most Important Stat? 39:50 Green Reading and Putting on Grainy Bermuda 44:48 Will Jayson be surprised if/when Mike Shade makes it to scratch? 48:30 Playing Defensively and How to Free Up and Just Send It 51:00 How to Move On and Be Present 53:06 Jayson Nickol ----- Jayson Nickol on Skillest Jayson Nickol on Instagram Jayson Nickol on X -----

    Jon Schram - Clutch, Flow, and Golf Confidence vs. Delusion

    Play Episode Listen Later May 6, 2025 69:25


    Jon Schram is a performance coach for competitive golfers, poker players, business executives and many other areas. He joins The Mental Golf Show. Topics and Timestamps: 00:00 What is clutch? 05:27 The Impact of Importance on Performance 08:57 When the lights turn on, are you better or worse? 12:16 Rory's Masters- He pulled off the hard shots, but flubbed the easy ones 14:09 The Shot, the Situation, or the Course: Which one do you play? 16:23 Flow: Balancing Between Boredom and Anxiety 20:21 Plan Your Practice: joshnicholsgolf.com/practice 22:41 How to Handle the Imperfections of Golf 29:26 Balancing Confidence and Delusion 31:22 Go to NerdFitness.com and during onboarding mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you 34:35 Goal Setting: Mountains vs. Ramps 40:31 How do you set goals if you're too busy to practice? 46:17 Playing Phil for $1 million: An entire round? Or one 150 yard shot? 49:28 Flow/the Zone: What should we be thinking about over the ball? 53:35 Trying vs. Letting Golf Happen 01:00:29 Flow and Clutch in Business and Life 01:06:13 Jon Schram - praxisperf.com ----- Jon Schram's website: praxisperf.com -----

    Lou Stagner - Stats, Expectations, and Managing Emotions on the Golf Course

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 29, 2025 73:30


    Lou Stagner is a statistician, coach, and one of the most influential voices in the golf industry. He joins The Mental Golf Show. Topics and Timestamps: 00:00 Emotional Control in Golf 05:07 Statistics and Anger 10:23 How much should we be thinking about stats? 12:56 The Importance of Data Tracking 14:49 Playing with Confidence vs. Emotion 19:15 Stat Tracking Apps 22:39 Does Lou practice what he preaches? 39:48 What to do when you don't know where the ball is going 41:31 How does Lou manage his own anger on the course? 46:20 Lou's Pre-shot Strategy Routine 48:25 What should our stat benchmark be? 55:33 Structuring Practice with Swing Changes 58:09 Does playing shorter tees help or hurt your handicap? 1:00:13 How can Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch get to scratch? 1:04:25 Does Statistics Actually Help You Improve? 1:06:19 Lou's Role as Statistician at Princeton Golf 1:09:45 Lou Stagner ----- Lou's newsletter: Lou Stagner Golf Lou on X Lou on Instagram -----

    Gary Nicol - Intention, Attention, Attitude, and Enjoying Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 23, 2025 50:56


    Gary Nicol joins The Mental Golf Show. Gary is a Performance Consultant, and co-author along with Karl Morris of The Lost Art Of Putting, The Lost Art Of Playing Golf, and The Lost Art Of The Short Game. Topics: - Golf is often seen as an identity rather than an activity. - Players frequently tie their self-worth to their scores. - The human brain struggles to stay present and often projects into the future. - Influencing performance involves intention, attention, and attitude. - Asking positive questions can shift mindset and focus. - Resetting one's mindset can be done after every hole, not just at the turn. - We tend to live out the stories we tell ourselves about our performance. - Golf should be fun, and enjoyment is key to performance. - Self-talk can significantly impact performance and mindset. - Clarity of intention is crucial for effective performance.  A good coach directs attention to useful areas. - Dividing attention can hinder performance. - Single-point focus is essential in golf. - Finding what works for you is crucial. - Dopamine hits from winning can lead to dissatisfaction. - Managing expectations is key in youth sports. - Golf should be enjoyable, not a grind. - Acceptance is a skill that can be developed. - Mistakes are a natural part of the game. - Emotions in golf can be both a challenge and a motivator. ----- Gary Nicol's links Books on Amazon performanceprinciples.co.uk thelostartofgolf.com Instagram X -----

    Howard Falco - Confidence, Golf Trauma, and the Invincible Golf Mindset

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 16, 2025 64:10


    Howard Falco, author of Invincible: The Mindset of Infinite Potential and the Secret to Inevitable Success, joins The Mental Golf Show.  Topics and Timestamps: 00:00 Confidence Comes from Fundamentals 03:28 Bad Round: Fix or Adapt? 08:15 The Intersection of Life and Golf 14:40 What Makes Golf So Hard and So Great? 18:42 Optimism and Performance in Golf 24:59 Facing the Truth in Golf 33:29 Take Responsibility for Your Own Game 35:10 How to Recover from "Golf Trauma" 40:15 Rise to the Occasion? Or Fall to Preparation? 43:23 Take our time and learn? Or take the easy way out? 47:37 The Importance of Mindfulness and Calmness 54:03 Invincible by Howard Falco ----- Click here to check out Invincible by Howard Falco on Amazon -----

    Rory McIlroy Wins the 2025 Masters and the Career Grand Slam

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 14, 2025 27:13


    Josh tries his hardest to draw out to do it justice and draw out the mental aspects of Rory's win at the 2025 Masters. ----- Weekly Mental Game Newsletter Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your inbox every week. -----

    Debbie O'Connell - Self-Talk, Flow State, and Keeping a Good Round Going

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 8, 2025 65:09


    Debbie O'Connell joins The Mental Golf Show. Topics and timestamps: 00:00 Debbie O'Connell's Journey in Sports 04:19 Overcoming Nerves and Achieving Flow State 09:11 "The Grass Floor" 10:32 Taking the Leap: From College to Professional Golf 15:14 The Value of Nerves to Being in Flow 19:17 Techniques to Be in Flow 22:59 How to Keep a Good Round Going 29:48 What if Positive Self-Talk is Fake? 35:53 How You Interpret the Situation is Vital 38:51 Shifting Limiting Beliefs 47:15 How to Change Negative Beliefs 57:27 Debbie O'Connell -----

    Gary Christian - Improve without a Swing Change, Practice Smarter, and Maximize Your Time

    Play Episode Listen Later Apr 1, 2025 67:16


    Gary Christian, author of Beat the Course, Not Yourself, joins The Mental Golf Show for a second time.  Topics and Timestamps: 00:00 Maximizing Limited Practice Time 03:52 Using a Swing Coach to Work Smarter 10:35 Long-Term Improvement vs. Short-Term Results 18:03 Finding the Right Coach 21:00 Going long stretches without practice 22:37 Self-Coaching 25:26 Technique vs. Feel 30:17 The Balance of Enjoyment and Improvement in Golf 41:47 Structuring Effective Practice Sessions 47:00 Decision Making and Course Management 54:14 Mental Preparation for Tournaments 01:00:22 The Value of Mental Game Podcasts -----

    Jon Sherman - Dial In Your Routine, Compete Better, and Enjoy the Game

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 25, 2025 63:25


    Special guest Jon Sherman (Practical Golf) joins The Mental Golf Show. Topics and timestamps below: 00:00 The Balance of Fun and Score in Golf 03:55 Jon's Experience winning a U.S. Mid-Amateur Qualifier 08:16 Titleist 12:33 Strategies for Slowing Down in Golf 14:27 Jon's Experience at the 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur 17:26 How to Slow Things Down on the Course 19:11 Do the Opposite to Get What You Want 21:28 Jon Sherman's Putting Routine 25:26 Dealing with and Learning from Missed Opportunities 31:42 Improving Your Driver 36:22 The Divot Board 38:57 What is Face Control and How Do You Work On It? 43:33 Changing or Playing with What You Got? 46:59 Confidence Competing Against Others 51:30 Managing Reactions to Bad Shots 01:02:03 The Mental Golf Show w/ Jon Sherman ----- Special thanks to: Titleist and The Divot Board Join Team Titleist Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    Ryan Mouque - Consistency, Swing Thoughts, and Better Practice

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 18, 2025 61:05


    Special guest Ryan Mouque joins Josh Nichols on The Mental Golf Show (for the second time). Topics and chapter marks below: Chapters 00:00 Understanding Consistency in Golf 01:55 The Purpose of Practice 04:17 Managing Expectations 05:38 Acceptance 07:57 Is Ryan still improving? 09:21 Pressure Situations in Golf 12:52 Physical and Mental Game Affect on Each Other 18:10 Should We Think About Our Swing While We Play? 26:28 The Purpose of Practice 30:29 Can A Player Improve By Themselves? 33:22 Navigating Golf Content: What's Relevant for You? 42:55 Coaches that Challenge Conventional Wisdom 50:20 What is Ryan Mouque Known For? ----- Ryan Mouque's links Ryan Mouque Golf Ryan Mouque on X Ryan Mouque on Instagram ----- Special thanks to: The Divot Board for partnering with The Mental Golf Show. Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    Monday Mental Breakdown: Rory Conquers Conditions and Playoff at the 2025 Players

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 17, 2025 24:19


    Welcome to Mental Breakdown, a series where we dive into how players handled the pressure of the latest tour event. Today we're recapping the exciting and adverse-condition-packed 2025 Players Championship. What can we learn from the tournament? What can we take away from how the playoff went down? This tournament and the playoff were a great case study in mental toughness. ----- Special thanks to: The Divot Board for partnering with The Mental Golf Show. Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    Robert Linville – Know Your Why, Play Your Best

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 11, 2025 66:41


    Special guest Robert Linville joins the podcast. Robert is the founder of Precision Golf School in Greensboro, NC, U.S. and has been teaching the best players in the region for decades. And he and Josh have been working together since 2016. Robert has worked with elite amateurs, USGA Champions, LPGA and PGA Tour players, and even USGA runner-ups ;) In this episode, Robert and Josh discuss these topics: how to trust the process consistency acceptance in performance the journey of improvement overcoming challenges self-belief managing expectations accessing skills under pressure balance between caring too much and not caring enough finding your 'why' and why that's so important It's always great to talk with Robert and learn from his wisdom and experience, so I know you'll get a lot out of this episode. ----- Episode chapters 00:00 Intro 00:40 Robert Linville 22:45 The Divot Board 25:46 Robert Linville ----- Robert Linville's links: Instagram X Precision Golf School ----- Special thanks to: The Divot Board for partnering with The Mental Golf Show. Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    Monday Mental Breakdown: Henley Handles Pressure at Arnold Palmer Invitational

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 10, 2025 24:05


    Welcome to Mental Breakdown, a series where we dive into how players handled the pressure of the final 9 holes of the latest tour event. This week we're exploring the final 9 of the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Who improved, who got worse, and the stats to back it up. We draw out some mental game observations that will help you play better under pressure. ----- Special thanks to: The Divot Board for partnering with The Mental Golf Show. Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    Adam Young - What is Good Technique?

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 5, 2025 80:46


    Special guest Adam Young joins The Mental Golf Show (for the second time). Josh and Adam discuss: The concept that good golf technique is not one-size-fits-all. The evolution of technique, consistency, and the role of equipment in performance. Key principles of golf mechanics, emphasizing impact and ground contact. The importance of intent, shot pattern recognition, and tools for managing patterns. The psychological side of golf, including overcoming fear and developing a flexible mindset. Shot control, understanding personal shot patterns, and mental strategies. Adaptability, especially when dealing with mistakes or the yips in putting. A structured improvement process and the role of self-awareness. Resources for golfers looking to improve their skills. ----- Episode Chapters 00:00 Understanding Golf Technique 05:18 Defining Good Technique 10:35 The Role of Equipment 16:16 Simplifying Golf Mechanics 23:46 Simplifying Complexity in Golf Instruction 31:18 Understanding Patterns and Adjustments in Golf 40:37 Overcoming Fear on the Golf Course 49:46 Understanding Control in Golf Shots 55:23 Adapting to Mistakes and Consistency 01:04:05 Self-Awareness in Golf Technique 01:10:55 Resources for Golf Improvement ----- Special thanks to: The Divot Board for partnering with The Mental Golf Show. Get 10% off a Divot Board! Go to divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow and use the code MentalGolf10 to get 10% off your entire purchase. Get a great deal AND support The Mental Golf Show. Thank you!

    I Played a Tournament with No Practice—What I did Right and Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 20, 2025 32:21


    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!

    Stop Beating Yourself (feat. Gary Christian)

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 14, 2025 59:47


    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!

    How to Move On from Any Bad Golf Shot

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 5, 2025 16:59


    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!

    3 Ways to Increase Your Odds of Hitting the Fairway

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 29, 2025 14:26


    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!

    The Psychology of Having the Right Equipment (feat. JJ Van Wezenbeeck with Titleist)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 22, 2025 69:08


    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!

    How to Stay Focused for All 18 Holes

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 14, 2025 26:54


    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!

    How to Play Better Tournament Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 7, 2025 11:25


    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. -----

    Crush Your Fitness Goals and Elevate Your Golf Game in 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 31, 2024 47:42


    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!

    How to Accomplish Your Golf Goals in 2025

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 23, 2024 17:25


    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!

    First Tee Jitters: 3 Proven Strategies to Calm Your Anxiety

    Play Episode Listen Later Dec 17, 2024 14:30


    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!

    How to Commit to a Golf Shot

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 19, 2024 10:21


    On this episode of The Mental Golf Show we're going to be talking about a key element of the pre-shot routine: commitment. You've chosen your target, now you need to hit the shot. But the step between those two is commitment to the target. You should leave this episode with a better understanding of what commitment is, and a tangible way to be more committed on every shot to give yourself the best access to your skills. ----- 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!

    Golf Burnout: What is it and Why? And How Do You Stop It?

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 11, 2024 10:30


    What is burnout? What causes it? Can we stop it from happening? If so, how? In this episode, Josh dives into the concept of burnout and give you some knowledge and tools to be able to withstand the forces that can cause burnout, and to bounce out of it if (or when) it happens. ----- 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!

    Mega Mailbag #1: Overthinking, Injuries, Expectations, Finishing Great Rounds, and Much More

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 7, 2024 107:38


    We hit a TON of very rich questions in this one. Here's the list of topics we tackle: 1. What happens physically when a player overthinks? 2. Please discuss the strategy of acceptance in golf. Can accepting the results before hitting the shot help a person play better golf? 3. Mental struggles with injuries 4. What is an area that could be taught/coached better? 5. What if negative thoughts were repackaged as opposing fans? 6. Pre-accepting two or three bad shots in a row 7. Best tips for finishing great rounds 8. Tips for adjusting expectations with life getting in the way of practicing and playing. 9. How do you accept a truly awful break that just ruins your round? 10. Practice- Most bang for your buck 11. Managing slow pace of play 12. Dealing with the nerves and pressure of tournament play on an unfamiliar course 13. Tips for working with junior golfers mentally 14. Dealing with constant bad luck during the round 15. Special bonus question at the end ----- 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. ----- 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!

    How to Enjoy a Round of Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 30, 2024 22:05


    On this episode we're uncovering the way to enjoy golf, and the main culprit that prevents us from enjoying golf. I'm confident you're going to leave this episode with an understanding of the psychology behind what causes those unenjoyable rounds, as well as real practical ways to let those things go and have more fun when you play. ----- Fit For Golf - Get 20% off a great golf fitness app! Use this link: https://fitforgolf.blog/#MentalGolfCoach Use this code at checkout: MentalGolf20 ----- Submit Q&A tweet: @joshlukenichols ----- 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!

    The Power of Gratitude in Golf w/ Karl Morris (part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 23, 2024 39:46


    In part 1 of this conversation with Karl Morris, we discussed the importance of building skill, rather than obsessing over golf swing. And how you can access that skill through having a more optimistic view of the circumstances you're in. But that was mostly concept. In part 2, I want to make it more concrete. I want something for the player that is in the middle of a bad round and needs something to go to. A tactic to put into place to help them through it. A way to adapt to changes in the environment or in ourselves. Karl Morris guides us through some great ways to do just that. ----- Karl Morris's podcast: Mind Caddie Apple: Mind Caddie Spotify: Mind Caddie ----- 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!

    How to Build AND Access Skill w/ Karl Morris (part 1)

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 17, 2024 24:53


    How do you actually get good at golf? How do you know what to work on? And then how do you access those skills when you play? Josh hosts Karl Morris where they dive into these topics. ----- Karl Morris's podcast: Mind Caddie Apple: Mind Caddie Spotify: Mind Caddie ----- 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!

    Why Anger is NOT Ok on the Golf Course

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 10, 2024 29:10


    On this episode we talk about anger. Anger is basically synonymous with golf. I've never met a golfer who didn't get angry at some point, let alone every round. I do, and I'm sure you do. But I want to go through some reasons why anger should be avoided. Why it's actively bad to get angry. I actually learned a thing or two in researching this, so I'm confident you'll learn something. ----- 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!

    My Pre-Shot Routine

    Play Episode Listen Later Oct 2, 2024 33:39


    We're going to be talking about my own personal pre-shot routine and how it can hopefully help you dial in your pre-shot routine. I'm confident you're going to leave this episode with a better understanding of what a pre-shout routine is for, and the different components that most experts do that you should probably be doing to in order for you to play better. ----- 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. ----- 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!

    How to Quickly Refocus On the Course

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 25, 2024 31:34


    On this episode we're going to be talking through a simple, but scientifically proven way to mentally reset and refocus on the course. I'm confident you're going to leave this episode with practical steps for what to actually do on the course when you need to refocus and hit a good shot. ----- Music credits: Elevate by Benjamin Tissot on bensound.com Jazzy Frenchy by Benjamin Tissot on bensound.com Study by Chillmore from Pixabay ----- 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. ----- 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!

    Develop a Better Relationship with Golf w/ Matt Davis

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 18, 2024 81:01


    Josh and special guest Matt Davis (Founder of PutterCup) discuss: - how to balance family and golf time - why being grounded in the present is so valuable in life and golf - how to find the right swing coach - what can cause golf burnout and how to get out of it - speed training and gaining distance - practice planning - trusting your preparation when you go play ----- Head to puttercupgolf.com to get your Speed Bump or Center Cup ----- Music Credits: Music by Roman Senyk from Pixabay Music by Ashot Danielyan from Pixabay Music by Aleksey Chistilin from Pixabay Music by Sergio Prosvirini from Pixabay Music by Chillmore from Pixabay Music by yourtunes from Pixabay ----- 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. ----- 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!

    How to Play Well When It Matters Most

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 11, 2024 32:08


    When the pressure is at its highest, how do you handle that pressure? How do you talk to yourself about that pressure? What is your relationship with pressure? In this episode, we tackle all of those questions. You should leave this episode with a very practical way to handle pressure the next time you're in that big moment. ----- 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. ----- 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!

    Accept the Past to Be More Present w/ Gary Waters

    Play Episode Listen Later Sep 4, 2024 79:08


    We have special guest Gary Waters on today. We go deep on this one. We discuss perfectionism, self-imposed pressure, not believing you're good enough, self-talk, moving on from your past, being more unemotional about results, letting the future be what it will be, caring without worrying, and healthy goal setting. Hope you enjoy! ----- 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. ----- 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!

    How to Perform Under Pressure

    Play Episode Listen Later Aug 13, 2024 24:53


    On this episode we're going to be talking about pressure, stress, our brain's role in helping us survive threatening situations, how to close out a good round, and some real practical mental strategies for being present and free while you play. You're going to learn how to face your struggles, rather than hiding from them.  We're going to use this concept to help you on a bigger picture of dealing with obstacles and setbacks in your own golf pursuit, but this will also apply to helping you deal with pressure during a round. ----- Get 10% off your 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!

    Hypnotherapy: Useful for Golf? w/ Paul Salter

    Play Episode Listen Later Jul 25, 2024 63:09


    In this episode of The Mental Golf Show, we have Paul Salter, a mindset coach and hypnotherapist for golfers. We discuss how hypnotherapy has a misconstrued reputation, why Paul believes it can speed up the mental improvement and performance of golfers. We also discuss the amateur golfer's common diet mistakes, how to get premium fuel for your body, how ‘scarcity mentality' applies to golf and can affect your game, how long golf improvement should take, how nonjudgmental curiosity can help us change the internal rules we've created, what's at the heart of fear of failure, how fear of getting kicked out of the group can fuel playing scared, and the power of clear visualization, and specifically clear visualization of mistakes. ----- 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!

    How to Trust Your Swing Even When Things Are Going Wrong

    Play Episode Listen Later Jun 6, 2024 27:38


    How can you trust your swing and play your best golf even when things aren't going well? In this episode we discuss how to more reliably and more often access your skills. ----- 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!

    If Golf is Hard, Why Do We Expect it to be Easy?

    Play Episode Listen Later May 30, 2024 32:05


    We're going to be talking about success, failure, positivity, negativity, visualization, why you feel fragile and lack confidence, and how to have a much more robust mental game to handle the difficulties of golf. ----- 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!

    How to Juggle Golf and Life w/ Andy Walker and Steve Hinks

    Play Episode Listen Later May 8, 2024 89:02


    On this episode I have Andy Walker and Steve Hinks from The Missing Links Golf Show podcast. We discuss: Time management Goal setting Fatherhood Work/life/golf balance Strategic planning Practical tips to get the most out of your time How to practice and play more golf And much more.   My hope for this episode is that you can learn along with me how to get a better hold of your time and set goals and be more intentional with your life. I certainly learned a lot about those things from talking to Andy and Steve. ----- Mentioned in this episode: Apple: The Missing Links Golf Show Spotify: The Missing Links Golf Show Josh's tweet to all the dad's out there. Free Mental Game Assessment ----- 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!

    Golf Thought Thursday: The Easiest (and Hardest) Way to Play Better Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 14, 2024 21:26


    How do you get confidence and trust and commitment and get rid of the yips, all without actually trying to get rid of them? My hope is that you'll leave this episode with some better knowledge of how to navigate the obstacles and failures that golf constantly throws at us. ----- Mentioned in this episode: Mark Manson's YouTube video: How to Get What You Want By Letting Go Free Mental Game Assessment ----- 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!

    Golf Thought Thursday: How To Handle Annoying Playing Partners

    Play Episode Listen Later Mar 7, 2024 15:09


    On this episode we're going to be talking about handling playing partners that get under your skin and make you play worse. And we're going to build a strong mental foundation for handling anything that golf throws at you. ----- The 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!

    Golf Thought Thursday: Expect Bad Golf to Get Good Golf

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 29, 2024 19:24


    On this episode, we'll be discussing expectations, expectation management, and the deeper psychology of expectations, needing to play well, wanting to play well, and how to better handle when the pressure and emotions cause you to make steery, guidey, protective swings. ----- Mentioned in this episode: Everything is F*cked by Mark Manson on Amazon The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck by Mark Manson Raymond Prior's Golf Beneath the Surface Podcast on Apple Podcasts and Spotify ----- The 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!

    Letting Scratch Happen w/ Mike & Eli of Chasing Scratch

    Play Episode Listen Later Feb 6, 2024 74:53


    On this episode we have Mike & Eli from the Chasing Scratch podcast. For the 3 people that haven't heard of or listened to Chasing Scratch, Mike & Eli started a journey back in 2018 at 11 handicaps and were trying to get to scratch in a year. I won't spoil anything for you but it's been 6 years since then and they're still doing the podcast, so I'll let you deduce whether or not they've made it to scratch. We talk: - what it's like to run a big podcast and get a lot of attention - why they sometimes shy from that attention - contrast their mental and physical game from Season 1 to now - mental fragility - negative thinking - handling pressure - the worst and best case scenarios of their competitive golf in 2024 - difference between nerves and anxiety - a better competitive mentality - balancing working on physical and mental game - and of course we have the obligatory team bear vs team shark conversation at the end, but with a different spin on it. ----- 'Freewheeling' episode of Chasing Scratch (where they had Josh on) - Apple Podcasts 'Freewheeling' - Spotify Chasing Scratch on Apple Podcasts Chasing Scratch on Spotify ----- The 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

    Get Clarity in Your Golf Game w/ Evan Singer of The Par Train

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 30, 2024 89:58 Transcription Available


    In this episode of The Mental Golf Show, we have Evan Singer, the host of the Par Train podcast. We talk about overcoming obstacles, finding clarity, and embracing challenges. We discuss visualization and vocalization techniques, as well as the importance of balance between technique and being present as an athlete. We also explore the broader life lessons that golf teaches us. Overall, this episode provides valuable insights for improving your mental game and enjoying the journey. ----- thepartrain.com Josh's appearance on The Par Train: 7 Things Amateur Golfers Get Backwards with Josh Nichols from The Mental Golf Show ----- Chapters: 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

    Lean Into Your Golf Personality w/ John Weir (creator of Mental Golf Type)

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 11, 2024 85:14


    On this episode we've got John Weir, the creator of Mental Golf Type. Mental Golf Type is an incredible tool for understanding yourself better, learning why you are the way you are, and how to lean into who you are to help you play your best golf. You're going to leave this episode with a better understanding of the importance of self-awareness, and some actionable tools that you can use to improve your psychology, and therefore improve your golf game. If you can better handle the things you encounter, then you can play better golf, and this episode gives you some of the tools to do just that. ----- The 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

    The 4-Step Process for Setting and Achieving Your Golf Goals in 2024

    Play Episode Listen Later Jan 5, 2024 23:12


    On this episode we're going to be talking about goal setting and achieving. You're going to leave this episode with knowledge about goal setting, a step by step process for achieving your goals, and towards the end we're going to walk through a scientifically proven exercise for helping you initiate and stick to your habits. ----- The 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

    The 5 Steps of a Swing Change w/ Jayson Nickol (Part 2)

    Play Episode Listen Later Nov 21, 2023 39:26


    On this episode we've got Part 2 of my conversation with Jayson Nickol. We're going to be talking about: the improvement curve shifting your skill bell curve to be better why do we swing worse when there's a golf ball there? the difficulty of making swing changes the value of slow motion swings Jayson's mental game and his own swing changes And wait til the end… we get into one of the most important questions that can be asked. Jayson is a golf coach who works with players on Skillest, but that just scratches the surface on Jayson. If you want to know more about Jayson you should listen to part 1. ----- Jayson Nickol on Skillest Jayson Nickol on X/Twitter Jayson Nickol on Instagram ----- The 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

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