Hey Fellow Golfer - 

Thank you for reading this week’s More Pars Than Bogeys Newsletter.

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

I’m researching to better understand my ideal audience for my podcast and newsletter.

I want to learn more about your challenges, fears, desires, and goals to create transformational content that impacts you and your game more deeply.

If you currently have a double-digit handicap and are determined to break 90 (or 80), I’d love to ask you a handful of questions over a quick Zoom call.

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Thank you so much.

P.S. Feel free to pass this along to any golfing friends with a double-digit handicap.

Ever feel like no matter how much you practice, you're not getting any better? 

You’re not alone.

Golf is a unique game in that one single swing produces perfect contact and a ball fight can be so indescribably captivating that it leaves you not only wanting to do it again and again but also feeling that you should be able to do it just like that every single time.

Sound familiar? 

In today’s newsletter, you’ll learn about the Conscious Competence Learning Model, a psychological framework describing the stages you progress through as you learn and master a new skill. 

When you understand this learning model, you are equipped with a clear roadmap for skill acquisition and game improvement. 

You also find greater ease in practicing patience and reducing frustration, which becomes a potent one-two combination to accelerate results. 

Let’s tee off!

The Conscious Competence Learning Model

The Conscious Competence model of learning, also known as the Adult Learning Model (ALM), is a psychological framework that describes the stages you progress through as you learn and master a new skill. 

It’s valuable to have a working understanding of this model to better understand and expect the different types of resistance you’ll encounter when learning and, eventually, mastering a new skill, such as the golf swing. 

In short, the model outlines the stages of progression as you move from being unaware of how to do a task to being able to execute it unconsciously with excellent proficiency.

Here are the four stages of the Conscious Competence learning model. 

#1. Unconscious Incompetence

In this stage, you’re not only unaware of how to do something, but you’re also unaware of all that you’re unaware of. 

You don’t know what you don’t know. 

In this stage, you may not even recognize that you need to learn a new skill or make a change. 

#2: Conscious Incompetence

You’re now aware of your inability to perform a specific skill at this stage. You not only recognize your knowledge gap but also recognize the value of learning said skill and addressing the knowledge gap. The latter is important as it can serve as motivation to study, learn, and practice more.

#3. Conscious Competence

Here, you know and understand how to do the skill; however, proper execution requires immense concentration and focus. 

You can execute the skill at this point - even well on occasion - yet there’s a strong degree of conscious thinking involved in executing every step of the skill. This may become draining and frustrating, often stifling a desire to continue practicing. 

#4. Unconscious Competence

In the final stage, the skill has become so second nature that it can be performed effortlessly and automatically. 

Executing said skill requires significantly less conscious thinking; thus, energetic bandwidth is freed up to focus on other elements. 

Now that you have a basic understanding of the four stages, allow me to highlight each one as you journey to proficiency in the fundamentals of the golf swing. 

The 4 Stages of Learning the Golf Swing

Below is an example of how most golfers experience the conscious competence model of learning when learning how to swing a golf club. 

#1. Unconscious Incompetence

Think back to the first time you saw a golf swing…

Regardless of your experience or knowledge of the game, you likely saw a professional on TV execute what appeared to be a simple and straightforward skill. 

Curious about the game, you went to your local driving range.

The result: you struggled mightily to hit the ball. 

The ball goes in all sorts of unpredictable directions, which causes confusion and frustration. You realized you had yet to learn how many moving parts went into executing this once-thought-to-be simple, straightforward skill. 

#2: Conscious Incompetence

At this point, you’re now well aware that a lot more goes into executing a consistent golf swing. And you recognize the value of taking the time to learn the proper technique. 

Yet, you feel overwhelmed with where to start.

There feels like a never-ending list of boxes to check before your swing, including a focus on ensuring you have the proper:

• Grip

• Alignment

• Stance

• Posture

• Position

Determined to improve your golf game, you seek help and hire a swing coach.

Each practice session reveals more about what you don’t know, like managing swing path or clubface alignment. Now, you begin to feel overwhelmed, perhaps, even confused about what to and what not to focus on.

Often, beginner golfers report that lessons are counterproductive and make their swing and game worse. I attribute this to having too many conflicting swing thoughts that they feel pressured to think about.

The result is an inconsistent, doubtful mindset, which produces a lack of confidence and one too many anyway swings. 

#3. Conscious Competence

At this point, you know what you need to focus on, and deliberate practice has yielded increasing consistency in a well-executed swing. 

You’ve become more comfortable slowing down to check the boxes of your long pre-swing to-do list, yet it still requires intense concentration. 

Anytime you rush through the process or skip a step, it results in a poor shot. This, too, can be a significant source of frustration as you berate yourself about why you cannot consistently do what you need to do - and know - to do.

Most golfers get stuck in this phase not only because reps are simply part of the learning process but also because of impatience, which breeds frustration - the latter creates tension, which is the antithesis of a smooth, fluid swing.

In a previous edition of the More Pars Than Bogeys Newsletter, I detail how destructive unmanaged emotions can be during a swing and round of golf. Click here to read it next so you can learn a handful of effective strategies to maintain control of your emotions during a round. 

#4. Unconscious Competence

You no longer need to dedicate nearly as much conscious thinking to your pre-swing preparation list at this stage. 

Your swing has begun to feel and look more natural and fluid, and you can effortlessly set up and swing without expending too much mental energy. 

This frees up your mental bandwidth to focus on other aspects of the game outside of swing mechanics, such as:

• Course management strategy

• Emotional management

• Positive self-talk and redirection

The result: you can step up to each shot feeling confident and decisive, no longer letting swing thoughts fill your mind.

Your pre-shot routine feels automatic, and you’re focused on one specific cue to keep your focus in the present moment. 

Personal Note: I’ve found that specific aspects of my swing progress to this stage one at a time. For instance, my instructor taught me a simple framework of key points to focus on to prepare for and execute my swing:

• Grip

• Alignment

• Stance

• Backswing: toe up

• Hit down on the ball

• Swing through (toe up)

As of writing this journey, I believe that grip, alignment, and stance require minimal mental energy; thus, they’re likely bordering or in the unconscious competence category.

I’m currently focused on initiating the appropriate backswing path, hitting down on the ball, and swinging through. I am consciously aware and actively thinking about each; thus, they’re in the conscious competence stage now.

To catch up on my golf journey, tune in to each Tuesday’s “Journey to Scratch” series on The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast.

Start listening. 

Where Most Golfers Get Stuck

What makes golf so unique is that even a beginner can make perfect contact and experience the indescribable high of hitting the ball in the sweet spot and sending it hundreds of yards down range.

Once hooked, a natural expectation is formed that the swing and game are easy and the swing results should be effortlessly repeatable.

If only…

The result is a significant gap between expectation (crushing the ball each shot) and reality (hitting one perfect shot for every 20 attempts).

This gap invites frustration, anger, and impatience. 

A critical mistake I see many golfers make is setting rigid expectations that are incongruent and unrealistic with reality. I discuss this more in episode #11 of The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast. Listen to this next.

When learning any new skill, you will most likely experience frustration in the conscious incompetence and competence stage.

Let’s look at some of the common challenges, mistakes, and sources of frustration in each stage.

Conscious Incompetence

In this stage, you’re aware of everything you don’t know, which may feel overwhelming and defeating. Further compounding this overwhelming feeling is that there are millions of pieces of advice to choose from when learning to swing a golf club.

• Where do you start?

• Who do you trust?

• How long does it take for this new technique to “click?”

It’s a lot.

This information overload often leads to a pattern of starting and stopping one approach each time you encounter initial resistance or a less-than-desirable pace of progress. 

This breeds distrust, confusion, and uncertainty, which manifests as a lack of overall improvement. 

My Advice: Cultivate a one-track mind and follow the advice from one coach, book, course, video, or person you follow online. 

When you commit to one person’s advice, you can be blind to the remainder of distractions and conflicting opinions. 

This allows you to distribute your limited mental bandwidth better to implement the information you learn from one source, expediting understanding and consistent execution. 

I talk about the need to commit to a one-track mind when learning a new skill in episode #17 of The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast.

Start listening now.

Conscious Competence

In this stage, you’re more confident in your approach and the technical aspects of the swing. You understand when and why mistakes occur and what to do to correct them.

Yet, if you’re anything like me, you feel exhausted even thinking about the number of pre-shot boxes you must check before initiating your swing. 

This can become a source of frustration and impatience as the mental energy suck you experience begins to weigh on you. 

Most golfers struggle with impatience in this phase. 

You feel that it shouldn’t take this long.

Thur frustration creates tension in the swing, which disrupts your show and creates more frustration.

It’s a vicious cycle. 

• Information overload

• Lack of commitment to one strategy

• Lack of trust

• Frustration

• Impatience

As a Golf Hypnotherapist, I use hypnosis to defuse the emotional charge of toxic emotions such as anger, frustration, and impatience, which leads to a smoother learning and integration process.

When you can naturally progress through the four stages of learning without big emotional reactions, you can make progress faster. 

Click here to schedule a free Mental Game Strategy session to learn how I can help you learn faster and shoot lower scores.

5 Benefits of Understanding The Conscious Competence Model of Learning

When you understand this learning model - which applies to learning any skill in every aspect of life - you become equipped with a clear roadmap for skill acquisition and improvement in your game.

Specifically, it raises awareness of the known and expected challenges, providing an opportunity to proactively address potentially destructive emotional states. 

This awareness fosters patience and persistence, which will help you remain committed to practicing consistently.

By identifying which stage you’re in for a particular skill of your game, you can adopt appropriate strategies to advance to the next level, ensuring continuous improvement and a more satisfying and successful golfing experience.

In short, understanding this model of learning can help you cultivate the following:

• A Clear Path for Progress: When you can identify which stage of learning you’re in, you can better understand your current capabilities and what you need to do to improve. This clarity can make the learning process more structured and less daunting.

• Enhanced Motivation: Recognizing the progress from one stage to the next can be highly motivating. As you move from unconscious incompetence to conscious competence, you can see tangible improvements in your performance, which encourages continued effort and practice.

• Effective Use of Time and Effort: By understanding each learning model stage, you can more effectively tailor your practice and learning strategies to your current needs, avoiding wasted time on inappropriate or overly advanced techniques.

• Reduced Frustration: Understanding that challenges and difficulties are normal parts of the learning process can help you maintain and reduce frustration with yourself. Knowing mastery requires passing through each stage, which can keep expectations realistic and morale high.

• Self-Directed Learning: With greater awareness, you can now become more self-directed in your learning, choosing resources, coaches, and practice methods that align with your current stage of competence. This autonomy in learning makes the process more efficient and more satisfying.

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, take an honest inventory of which stage you’re in related to your golf swing, your short game, your putting, or an even more granular aspect of the game.

This awareness will provide peace of mind while realigning appropriate expectations and clarifying where and how to best spend your time to increase proficiency.

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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When you're ready, there are three ways I can help you:

1. Listen to The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast: Whether you’re an occasional amateur, a weekend regular, or a competitor seeking a tournament trophy or your pro card, this podcast will help you overcome the mental hazards of your mind to shoot more pars than bogeys. Start listening.
   

2. Overcome the Mental Hazards of Your Mind: How Hypnosis Can Help You Shoot Lower Scores: Whether you spend two or ten hours at the range each week, if you don’t learn to address and overcome your mind's mental and emotional hazards, you’ll remain stuck in the proverbial bunker of poor performance playing well short of your potential. Shoot More Pars.
   

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