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:

• #89: Why Good Enough is Holding You Back in Golf and Life

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. 

You’ve probably been told your whole life that success is about adding more.

More practice. 

More tips. 

More books. 

More podcasts. 

More effort.

And for a while, it feels good. 

You binge golf YouTube videos, buy the latest training aid, or absorb another podcast on confidence. Your brain lights up with dopamine—reward chemicals making you feel like you’ve done something productive.

But here’s the truth: you don’t have an information problem. You have an interference problem.

Your mind is already overwhelmed by the flood of thoughts, beliefs, habits, and distractions you carry into every round. Every time you add more to the pile, you bury yourself deeper under the noise.

The fastest way to add results isn’t by adding more. It’s by subtracting what’s holding you back.

“The more you want to achieve, the more you need to subtract.”

In today’s newsletter, you’ll discover why subtraction is the key to progress, why letting go is so difficult, and how deleting the wrong inputs—whether thoughts, habits, or even people—will accelerate your results on the course and off.

Let’s tee off!

Why More (Information) Isn’t The Answer

We live in the noisiest era in history. 

At any given moment, you can scroll through thousands of swing tips, mental game hacks, or quick-fix drills. It feels easier than ever to “improve,” but the reality is sobering: the more you consume, the less you retain.

Neuroscience explains why. 

Every new video, article, or post delivers a tiny dopamine hit—a chemical rush that makes you feel accomplished, even when nothing has actually changed in your behavior.

But here’s the problem: your brain is already overloaded.

Working memory—the mental “scratchpad” where you process ideas—has limited capacity. When you try to hold onto multiple conflicting swing thoughts, tips, and strategies at once, you overwhelm that system. It’s like asking your computer to run ten programs at once. It slows down, crashes, and fails to save progress.

That’s why you can spend hours consuming golf content and still feel stuck - or more stuck. The more you add, the more interference you create: hesitation, mental clutter, and confusion.

This is where strategic tunnel vision becomes your ally. Instead of scattering your attention across five different thoughts, you channel all your mental energy into one. For example, focusing solely on finishing your swing with balance.

When you do this, your brain processes and retains information far more effectively:

• You learn faster. Narrowed focus accelerates the formation of neural pathways, which makes skills easier to repeat and refine.

• You retain more. Instead of spreading yourself thin across multiple tips, you embed one concept deeply, allowing it to stick.

• You simplify decision-making. One clear focus eliminates hesitation and second-guessing.

• You stay calm under pressure. With less mental clutter, you can trust your swing and execute freely.

Golf is hard enough without the weight of a hundred swing tips rattling around in your head. The solution isn’t more information—it’s subtraction. Delete the noise. Narrow your focus. And watch how quickly your game begins to feel like yours again.

The Subtraction Solution

If addition creates interference, subtraction creates clarity.

• You don’t need to add another swing thought—you need to delete the five you’re juggling.

• You don’t need to add another drill—you need to delete the ones that don’t align with your priority.

• You don’t need to add more mental strategies—you need to subtract the negative self-talk and destructive programs running on autopilot.

This is where strategic tunnel vision comes into play.

By subtracting the excess, you create space for one clear, intentional point of focus. Instead of overloading your brain with ten competing ideas, you channel your awareness and energy into one. That’s how you simplify decision-making, accelerate learning, and calm your nerves when it matters most.

Think of it like decluttering your garage: when it’s stuffed with boxes and tools, you can’t find what you need. Once you clear out the junk, you instantly know where everything belongs. 

Your golf game works the same way. When you subtract the clutter, confidence and clarity surface naturally.

The truth is, subtraction isn’t about doing less. It’s about making more room for what matters most.

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.

The Hard Truth: Deleting Beliefs, Behaviors, and People

Here’s the candid truth: there are thoughts, habits, and even people in your life that need to be deleted if you’re serious about reaching your goals.

For many golfers, the biggest roadblocks aren’t swing mechanics—they’re the destructive patterns you carry round after round:

Limiting beliefs like:

• “I’ll never break 80—I’m just not talented enough.”

• “I always choke under pressure.”

• “I don’t belong playing with better golfers.”

• “No matter what I do, I’ll never be consistent.”

Each of these is a subconscious anchor keeping you tied to your current level of performance.

Destructive habits like:

• Late-night scrolling that leaves you tired and unfocused the next morning.

• Neglecting a warm-up because you’re “too busy.”

• Numbing frustration with alcohol after a bad round instead of reflecting and learning.

• Talking down to yourself after every mistake, reinforcing doubt instead of confidence.

And it doesn’t stop at thoughts or habits—sometimes, the weight comes from the people around you:

• The buddy who laughs when you invest in coaching.

• The family member who rolls their eyes at how seriously you take golf.

• The coworker who constantly drags conversations into negativity.

Every one of these influences is a leak in your bucket. They drain your energy, your focus, and your belief in yourself.

I’ve coached countless golfers and business owners who experienced their breakthrough not because they added another drill, book, or strategy—but because they finally subtracted the toxic beliefs, habits, and people holding them back.

When you delete the noise, you create the space necessary for clarity, focus, and confidence to take root. That’s when transformation begins.

(Pssst…see what my clients are achieving and saying about working with me here).

Why Letting Go Feels So Hard

If subtraction is so powerful, why do you keep holding on?

Because holding on feels safer than letting go.

• Familiarity. Even destructive habits feel “comfortable” because they’re known.

• Fear of judgment. You worry about what others will think if you change.

• Perceived safety. Holding on to old beliefs gives the illusion of control, even as they sabotage your progress.

But safety is a lie. 

Familiarity is a trap. 

And judgment will come either way.

What’s scarier—letting go of what’s holding you back, or living the rest of your life never becoming who you could be?

Gulp.

The Fastest Way Forward

On the golf course, addition by subtraction looks like this:

• Deleting three conflicting swing thoughts so you can trust one simple cue.

• Deleting the belief that “I always choke under pressure,” so you can step into shots with confidence.

• Deleting the habit of berating yourself after mistakes, replacing it with a reset routine that keeps you composed.

• Deleting the thought “I don’t belong with better players,” so you can free yourself to learn and compete without fear.

Off the golf course, subtraction is just as important:

• Deleting late-night scrolling so you wake up sharp, rested, and focused.

• Deleting the habit of skipping your warm-up or rushing to the tee, so you start rounds prepared.

• Deleting the toxic belief that “I’ll never be consistent,” so you can stop proving it true every round.

• Deleting negative voices—the people who mock your ambition, question your commitment, or pull you into cycles of doubt.

Every subtraction frees up energy, focus, and confidence that you can channel into the priorities that matter most.

The more you want to achieve, the more you need to subtract.

And if you’re serious about becoming the golfer—and the man—you’re capable of being, subtraction isn’t optional. It’s the only path forward.

Final Thought

The truth is simple: you don’t need more tips, more drills, or more information. You need less of what’s weighing you down.

The fastest way to add results to your game—and your life—is to subtract the destructive beliefs, habits, and distractions holding you back.

That’s exactly what I help my clients do every single day. 

As a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach, I guide you through the process of deleting the subconscious programs, toxic thoughts, and self-sabotaging behaviors that keep you stuck—so you can finally step into clarity, confidence, and consistency.

If you’re ready to subtract what no longer serves you and make playing to your potential a habit, I invite you to book a free Mindset Coaching Discovery Call today.

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, choose one belief, one person, and one behavior to DELETE. Your future self will thank you.

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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