Hey Fellow Golfer - 

Thank you for reading this week’s More Pars Than Bogeys Newsletter. If you find it valuable, could you forward this email to a fellow golfer?

Thank you.

You can click here to read the online version of this week’s newsletter. 

And be sure to catch up on this week’s podcast episode:

• #83: 2025 Q2 Recap: Mindset Shifts, Breakthroughs, and The Dark Side of Progress

P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you get unstuck from the proverbial bunker of poor performance on (and off) the course, click here to schedule a coaching discovery call with me. 

If you’ve ever walked off the 18th green feeling like you left something essential out there—like you betrayed your own potential—then you’ll understand exactly what drove me these past three months.

Today, I’m giving you a raw, unfiltered look at my journey from a 21 handicap to the cusp of single digits. 

You’ll hear about the setbacks, the unexpected breakthroughs, the mindset shifts, and the equipment upgrades that reshaped my identity as a golfer.

In today’s newsletter, you’ll learn:

• How finishing last in my first member-member tournament triggered the mindset shift I didn’t know I needed

• The swing change that helped me break multiple personal scoring records in six weeks

• Why embracing your darker, competitive instincts can be the edge you’ve been avoiding

• The role of equipment upgrades and fitness in building consistency and confidence

• The dangers of overconfidence and how I’m learning to stay present after a hot start

• What I’m focusing on in Q3 to keep the momentum going

My hope is that by the end, you’ll see a mirror—an invitation to confront whatever part of yourself is still holding back.

Let’s tee off!

The First Line in the Sand: Last Place in the Member-Member

It started on April 27th.

I was wrapping up my first-ever member-member tournament at Tampa Palms, telling myself the story that I was there purely for the experience - you know, for camaraderie, getting to know other members, and, for…

Fun.

New to the club. 

New to fatherhood. 

New to this level of competition.

I rationalized everything:

• The rushed prep.

• The casual attitude.

• The lack of clear intention.

After all, it was just about shaking hands, meeting members, and collecting memories.

But when the points were posted on the board—my partner and I dead last in our flight—it hit me in a way I didn’t expect.

At first, I brushed it off.

Then, slowly, the frustration started to boil over.

Because the truth was, I hadn’t competed. I’d hidden behind the story of “just having fun,” too afraid to let my own fire show.

That moment became a line in the sand.

Reconnecting with My Competitive Fire

From that Sunday on, everything changed.

I gave myself permission to stop apologizing for caring so much - permission to find fuel wherever I could.

One round summed it up perfectly.

I was paired with a stranger—early 30s, played high school golf—and after I duck-hooked my opening drive, he patted me on the back:

“Hey man, no big deal. We’re just out here to have fun.”

Internally, I snapped:

“No, we’re not.”

That tiny comment lit a fuse. The next shot - yes, from the neighboring hole’s fairway - I piped a 5-wood from 225 onto the green and two-putted for par.

And, then went on to shoot my lowest round ever…

In that moment, I remembered how much I loved measuring myself against someone—how much I loved proving, even if only to myself, that I wasn’t here to coast.

The Swing Change that Changed Everything

Technically, the simplest but most impactful adjustment was making my takeaway deliberate.

I’d developed this lazy, slow-motion backswing that left way too much time to think—and when I thought, my clubface stayed wide open.

The result: slices, pushes, and the occasional hosel rocket.

By simply adding speed and intention to the takeaway, everything shifted.

Yes, it took a toll on my body. Yes, I’m still learning to moderate it. But I can’t argue with the results:

• New 18-hole low at Tampa Palms: 91

• A lifetime-low 87 from the blue tees at Heritage Isles

• Best-ever 9-hole score: 38

Intention is everything.

And, if you’re lacking intention, chances are you’re lacking results. 

If you’re serious about taking your game to the next level - on and off the course - click here to schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call to learn how I can help you plug your energy leaks and play to your potential.

Changing Coaches, Changing Results

Another decision that paid dividends: switching coaches.

Melvin was phenomenal, but the logistics were brutal—45 minutes each way and hours blocked off I just didn’t have.

Instead, I started working with KK, the head pro at Tampa Palms. His insights on putting and short game were like flipping a switch:

• My putting went from tentative and inconsistent to confident and precise.

• Around the greens, I finally understood how to create reliable contact.

• This shift alone shaved strokes off my rounds.

Again, I come back to intention. 

I now have more intention around the green than ever before because I have a deeper understanding of what, how, when,and  why in my decision-making process.

I’m a tremendous believer in coaching.

Asking for help accelerates results.

My coaches to date have allowed me to excel both on and off the course and I’m grateful for their support, encouragement, and accountability. 

The Six-Week Heater (and What it Exposed)

For about six weeks in Q2, I was on an absolute heater.

Round after round, whether 9 or 18 holes, the scores kept dropping:

48, 46, 45, 43, 42…38.

It felt unstoppable. For a moment, I thought that 5 handicap was 30 days away (kidding, but kinda not).

But this streak exposed a mindset flaw: overconfidence.

Anytime I started a round with two or three pars, my brain would fast-forward to the finish line—imagining a career round rather than staying in the present.

Every time I let that excitement get ahead of me, I’d end up with a double or two. Not a blowup hole—just enough to derail momentum.

Q3 is about learning to rein that in.

Equipment and Body Upgrades

In the middle of this transformation, I finally retired my early 2000s Nike driver and invested in a new TaylorMade Qi-35.

Just in my fitting session alone, I added 40 yards.

It felt like cheating.

But more distance means more responsibility. More discipline. More reps to keep that swing under control.

I also picked up a 56-degree wedge to round out my gapping, and it’s already proving invaluable around the greens.

Meanwhile, a nagging glute and hip issue has been teaching me humility—especially after coming back too hot from a Costa Rica trip and flaring it up.

But that’s the price of progress: if you’re not occasionally overreaching, you’re not growing.

I’ve also been diligently working with Shaun Diachkoff from Fairway Performance all of Q2. He’s provided me with an effective golf-specific workout that’s added mobility, flexibility, strength, power, and yardage. 

I cannot recommend working with him enough.

The Identity Death: Killing Off Q1 Me

If I had to sum up Q2 in one theme, it would be this:

Time under tension kills the old identity.

Every repetition—every deliberate takeaway, every disciplined range session, every moment I let my competitive edge show—was a nail in the coffin of the golfer I used to be.

• The guy who was satisfied breaking 100.

• The guy who played it cool and didn’t care too much.

• The guy who told himself he’d improve “eventually.”

That version of me is gone.

In his place is a golfer who:

• Welcomes discomfort.

• Seeks out pressure.

• Competes every time the tee goes in the ground.

And I’ll be honest—this new version feels damn good, yet, I know he needs to fade, too, to level up this coming quarter.

Final Result and Looking Ahead to Round 3

In Q2, I dropped a stagnant handicap that lingered between 21 and 23 down to 15.8.

I’m pleased, but I also recognize that the hard work is only beginning.

Here’s where my focus is going in Q3:

• Par Fives: My scoring average here is still over six. That’s unacceptable.

• Driver Consistency: More reps with the new Qi-10 to build confidence.

• Competitive Rounds: More events. More money games. More strangers to measure myself against.

• Fitness: Daily commitment to golf-specific training with Shaun to build a body that can sustain this level of play.

And, doing what I know needs to be done regardless of how I feel.

I don’t know what my handicap will be when Q3 ends.

But I do know this:

• I will be relentless.

• I will show up.

• I will refuse to apologize for wanting to win.

Your Invitation

If you’ve been coasting—telling yourself that you’re out there “just to have fun”—yet quietly frustrated by the lack of progress, consider this your wake-up call.

• There is nothing wrong with wanting to win. 

• Nothing wrong with striving for your potential. 

• Nothing wrong with going dark to find your edge.

The question is: Are you willing to kill the old version of yourself to get there?

I am.

And if you are too, let’s make Q3 the quarter everything changes.

Until then—stay committed, stay relentless, and never apologize for wanting more.

Your Next Step

Every newsletter will conclude with a suggested action step and further resources on the topic we discussed.

After reading today’s newsletter, I encourage you to take action and schedule a mindset coaching discovery call with me to learn how upgrading your mindset can have a positive ripple effect on every area of your life. 

If you have any questions, feel free to DM me on Instagram (@thegolfhypnotherapist) or send me an email directly: [email protected]

Thank you for reading today’s newsletter.

If you found it valuable, share it with a fellow golfer ready to take their game to the next level.

Until next time,

Paul

P.S. What did you think of today’s newsletter? Reply back / drop a comment below to let me know.

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