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.

If you’re open to it, you can schedule at your convenience here.

Thank you so much.

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

It's the first hole. 

You've placed your tee in the ground and adjusted it to the perfect height. 

You've taken a step back and begun to double-check your grip, alignment, and stance.

You’ve taken a few calming, collective breaths to gain your composure, taken perhaps one, maybe even two practice swings, and begun to quiet your mind as you prepare to initiate your backswing.

In the milliseconds before initiating your backswing, you notice something feels a little off, almost like you're standing on a pebble. 

• It may be noticing a bit of tightness in your lower back,

• It may be second-guessing your alignment or club selection, or

• It may be an indescribable feeling that something isn’t right.

But you swing anyway.

Sound familiar?

Whether you’re struggling to break 100 or on the cusp of breaking 80, these moments happen often during a round.

However, the major difference separating the great from the average golfer is his ability to clearly recognize and confidently step back from a pre-shot routine when he notices something is off.

Failure to do so may cost him a few (or more) strokes per round.

In today’s newsletter, you’ll learn why and how this particular swing is holding you back from shaving four, six, or even more strokes off your score. 

You’ll begin to recognize how prevalent it is in your round and learn a handful of strategies to rid it entirely.

Let’s tee off!

What is an “Anyway” Shot?

An anyway shot occurs each time you begin your pre-shot routine and feel, see, or hear something that’s either distracting, off, or not right, yet you proceed to hit the shot anyway. 

• It’s the moment when you’re forced to play an awkward downhill lie that you’re unfamiliar with and uncertain how to adjust to. You feel awkward setting up, and rather than taking a step back, you bring that uncertainty into your swing and hit it anyway.
  

• It’s the moment something feels off - whether it’s your grip, stance, alignment, or position relative to the ball - but you ignore it and hit it anyway.
  

• It’s the moment the grounds crew speeds by you, a bird squawks, or a ball lands near you milliseconds before you begin your backswing, yet you hit it anyway.
  

• It’s the collection of memories in which you previously misplayed this hole that begins to flood your mind as you stand over the tee box, yet you hit it anyway.

And, in each of these situations, you choose not to listen to the voice or trust the feeling that something isn’t right and hit the shot anyway.

The result?

A mishit, mistake, or poor shot.

This, as we both know well, often triggers a destructive mindset program and sends you down a negative spiral of defeat, frustration, and anger…

A round of golf offers no shortage of physical, emotional, and mental distractions.

This is why great golfers place a premium on their ability to cultivate concentration and focus on demand. 

Anytime you allow a crack in that metaphorical armor of your pre-shot routine, you invite in temptation and distraction that may look and feel like doubt, uncertainty, and second-guessing yourself. 

• It may sound like an animal noise from afar, the rustling or wrestling of clubs or the phone or jingling of keys from your playing partner or collectively your foursome.

• It may sound like something completely out of nowhere from another hole nearby. 

Underneath it all, however, is a voice whispering something is not right. This voice is accompanied by a deep knowing that something is off and you should take a step back.

Yet, it’s almost like a magnetic force compels you to carry on and execute the remainder of our pre-shot routine and swing anyway.

Can you relate?

I thought so.

And, if so, I’m here to tell you that your anyway shot is likely costing you at least four - if not eight - strokes per round.

Here are five specific reasons you’ve struggled to let go of the tight grip this voice and feeling have. 

I’m excited to announce that The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast has added a second weekly episode.

Tuesday will feature a 15 - 20-minute episode recapping my play, practice, challenges, wins, and progress from the previous week. 

Suppose you want a raw and vulnerable look into my thoughts and emotions as I tackle my first short-term goal (one I must achieve by November 13) and, ultimately, become a scratch golfer and start competing locally. 

In that case, you’ll enjoy this series of episodes. 

You can catch the first edition of the “Journey to Scratch” episode here.

Thursday will continue to be a mix of “Inside the Mind” interviews and solo episodes. 

5 Reasons You Swing Anyway Too Often

Reason #1: You Lack a Consistent Pre-Shot Routine

First, it’s essential to recognize that if you’re new to the game or returning after a long break, the likelihood of making more mistakes often stems from a lack of familiarity and practice with a consistent pre-shot routine.

If you're like me, returning to the game after a 15-year hiatus, learning to execute a pre-shot routine was energetically demanding. Remembering to check my grip, alignment, aim, and stance felt like a win.

I became mentally fatigued quickly and would go through the motions to ensure I familiarized myself with the process I’d been taught. This approach helped me complete more swing reps, but it also slowed down the process of embedding the new routine. Worse, it ingrained a bad habit of forcing the routine, making it more challenging to unlearn.

Reminders:

1. It’s safe to back off your pre-shot routine and start again.

2. Quality trumps quantity every time.

Reason #2: You’ve Created a False Sense of Urgency

Once you’ve established a consistent pre-shot routine, the biggest culprit behind increased shots during a round is often a false sense of urgency.

This false urgency might come from your playing group, the foursome behind you, or even yourself. 

Why do you feel the need to play so fast?

You know the overwhelming tension and anxiety when you feel the foursome behind you breathing down your neck. This rushed feeling and pressure to play quickly not only rob you of the joy, peace, and calm that a round of golf should provide but also lead to rushed shots, resulting in mishits, mistakes, and misery.

This false sense of urgency is one reason casual golfers remain turned off by the game and don’t take further steps to learn and improve. When you rush, you hit more poor shots, increasing frustration and zapping the fun out of the game.

Who wants to continue playing a game that leaves them feeling worse than when they started?

Not many people…

Reason #3: You Lack Skill and Experience Executing A Specific Shot (or Lie)

One of the most enjoyable yet challenging aspects of golf is the endless variety of unfamiliar and difficult situations you may encounter during a round.

Depending on your experience level and familiarity with the course, this uncertainty can breed doubt.

When you lack the confidence and clarity needed for a particular shot, it’s easy to impulsively hit the shot without proper consideration or to skip regrouping and seeking advice.

For example, last week, I played with a new friend, a teaching pro, at Cove Cay in Clearwater, Florida. Facing a 60-yard shot with a difficult lie and trees in front of me, I initially felt unsure of how to proceed with my 52-degree wedge.

If I had let my ego take over, I might have tried a risky "blast and pray" shot over the trees, likely resulting in a poor outcome. Instead, I set aside my pride and asked for help.

Chris guided me through the situation, and as a result, I executed a punch shot just left of the green, leaving me with an easy chip.

While you might not always have someone to consult, you can always take a step back and use one of the breathing techniques I often discuss. By slowing down, taking deep breaths, and mentally regrouping, you can turn down the noise of your emotional brain and enhance your critical thinking, leading to more confident and effective shot execution.

Reason #4: You Fear Judgment from Your Peers

When you slow down and alter the pace of play, you may feel you’re upsetting your playing partners or the group behind you. 

At first glance, this may seem insignificant, but it’s important to remember that we’re a tribal, community-centric species, and our ability to feel accepted, connected, and like we belong is hardwired into our DNA.

This is how and why our species has survived throughout the years. 

Any behavior threatening your sense of belonging is met with resistance to continue accomplishing. 

For instance, you logically know that it’s safe and okay to take your time and hit your best shot, yet, depending on your playing circumstances, this may feel incredibly challenging because of an invisible pressure to play fast to appease your playing partners or the golfers behind you. 

To satisfy your core need of acceptance and belonging, your subconscious will deploy several behaviors to help meet those needs. In this case, you’ll find excuses, justifications, and an almost uncontrollable urge to play fast and hit it anyway. 

Sounds familiar?

Reason #5: You Fear Next-Level Success

Another common reason you fall prone to hitting an anyway shot is that you’ve become incredibly skilled at convincing yourself that this shot doesn’t matter.

“It’s only one shot,” you tell yourself.

This is a cop-out rooted in fear - fear of success.

Every shot matters during a round of golf. 

If you think otherwise, you lack the focus, concentration, and mental discipline needed to take your game to the next level.

I played a round with a friend a couple of months ago.

After casually shooting a 43 on the front nine, he told me he always shoots a little worse on the back nine. “I’m fat and out of shape. I’ll be lucky to break 50,” he’d say.

Yet, this was the same person who had spent significant time (and money) investing in his game and told me how he was determined to break 80. 

Can you spot the incongruency?

On one hand, his actions and words speak, “I’m committed to breaking 80.”

Yet, on the other hand, when it really counts, his actions speak: “I’m merely interested in shooting 80, and it’s not that big a deal.”

As a hypnotherapist and mindset coach, I always see this type of self-sabotage in my line of work. Your subconscious is wired to keep you safe and in a pattern of predictability and familiarity. 

In my friend’s case, breaking 80 is not only foreign and atypical; it’d require a change in identity and potentially provide a new set of challenges, expectations, and pressure.

His subconscious sees that possibility as dangerous and attempts to prevent it from happening at all costs. 

I help golfers overcome the mental and emotional hazards of their minds to shoot more pars than bogeys (using hypnosis).

Whether you’re a double-digit handicapper trying to claw your way to single digits or a single-digit handicapper looking to win your next tournament, mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you get unstuck from the proverbial bunker of playing below your potential.

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

Stop hitting “Anyway” Shots

To be frank, simply reading this newsletter will help reduce the number of anyway shots you hit in a round.

Why?

Awareness is curative.

In this example, you know how destructive an anyway shot is on your ability to score more pars than bogeys.

This awareness alone will help you think twice before hitting a shot that feels off anyway.

You need to complement this awareness with action to help reduce the number of unnecessary shots in your round.

After reading today’s newsletter, I want you to prioritize adding a scoring metric to your scorecard during your next round: “anyway shots.”

Then, track the number you hit on each hole during your next round.

The number may surprise you…

Once you gain awareness of how often you execute an anyway shot, the next step is to identify a theme or trend of the situations in which you’re most likely to hit these shots. 

• Does it occur commonly when you play with a specific group of friends or peers?
  

• Does it occur commonly when you feel the foursome behind you is breathing down your neck?

• Does it occur commonly in situations where you have a lie that you haven't worked on much? 

Make a note of it and take this information to review and learn from after the round. 

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 want you to prioritize adding an additional metric to your scorecard during your next round: “anyway shots.”

Then, track the number you hit on each hole during your next round.

Post your scorecard on Instagram or Twitter, and tag me.

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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Thank you for reading.

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.
   

3. 1-1 Mindset Coaching and Hypnotherapy for Golfers: I help golfers overcome the emotional and mental hazards of their minds to shoot lower scores (and have more fun) using hypnosis. Book a free Golf Mental Game Strategy Call Today.