The latest golf psychology techniques are now more accessible than ever for the club golfer. The best mental golf tips have helped many golfers reduce their handicap way quicker than traditional lessons. So why is it so many golfers get stuck on a plateau, using the same golf psychology and getting the same results over and over? Their biggest handicap to improvement is their handicap!

I loved watching Phil Mickelson’s performance in the final round of the US Masters last weekend. His focus was immense, his commitment undeniable. As he strutted around the course he looked like he owned the place. Do you think he thinks like a 15 handicapper? Or a 10 handicapper? Or a 5 handicapper? I suspect none of these.

As soon we receive a handicap, the temptation is to identify with that handicap. For example, if we get a 15 handicap, we become attached to being “a 15 handicapper”. We start thinking like one, acting like one, having the doubts of one, and so continue playing like one. We know we can “get away” with some sloppy play. We develop expectations of a 15 handicapper. We expect to mostly chip and two putt, have the odd three putt, maybe lose a ball, have the odd par and the odd nightmare hole. The problem is, these expectations are massively limiting. We effectively tell ourselves each round to shoot a certain number over par, otherwise we are simply a “bandit”! Even though you may have a handicap, you can still have the expectations of a Master.

So whatever your handicap, I’d like to offer a challenge to your thinking now.

• If you had to maintain a handicap half of what it currently is, how would you be thinking?
• How would you treat each shot and each round differently?
• What habits would you have to stop doing, maybe that you currently enjoy doing, in order to make this possible?
• And what habits would you need to start doing, maybe habits you have so far avoided?
• What would be most important to you if you played at this level – and how would that be different to now?
• How would you judge success differently for each shot and for each round?
• Which areas of your game would you work on most in order to keep scoring at this lower level?
• Which elements of your mental golf game would need to change?
• How would you be committing differently to each shot?
• How would you need to handle your emotions?
• How would your long game expectations change?
• How would your short game expectations change?
• How would your putting expectations change?
• How would your scoring expectations change?

Whether you think like a Master or think like your current handicap, your expectations will either limit or bring out the best of your talents.

To further develop your own golf psychology, watch excellent golfers and imagine how they would be thinking about each shot. Notice the kind of mental golf they play and model it. You might not develop expectations of hitting the ball like them, but you will develop expectations of taking your game to the next level.

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Love every shot!

Adam Sprackling

Mental Golf Coach