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• #80: [Inside the Mind] Shaun Diachkoff: Get Golf Strong, Hit More Bombs, and Conquer Chronic Low-Back Pain

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If I take time off, I’ll lose my swing.

If I skip a week, I’ll lose my edge.

If I’m not practicing, someone else is getting better.

Sound familiar?

These are the silent fears that keep so many golfers trapped in a cycle of constant effort but inconsistent results.

You believe that grinding is the only path to progress. That if you’re not actively working on your game, you’re falling behind.

But here’s the truth: progress doesn’t just happen in the doing—it happens in the integration.

And that integration? It requires rest.

I recently took a seven-day vacation. I brought a club with me, but between the small size of my VRBO, the all tile floors, and gravel yard, I couldn’t swing. 

So I didn’t.

Instead, I did a few feel drills. Visualized a few holes. Then I let the game go.

And when I came back?

• More energy. 

• More clarity. 

• More confidence. 

And better scores.

What felt like time off was actually time well spent. And it’s something I now encourage all my clients to do—because the benefits aren’t just physical. They’re neurological. Emotional. Strategic.

In today’s newsletter, you’ll learn why intentional time off accelerates improvement, how it strengthens your mindset, and how to structure three to seven-day breaks to optimize both performance and longevity.

Let’s tee off.

What Happens When You Take a Break

When you intentionally step away from golf, your brain doesn’t stop working. Quite the opposite—it shifts into integration mode. This is where the magic happens.

According to the adult learning model, skill acquisition progresses through four stages:

1. Unconscious Incompetence – you don’t know what you don’t know.

2. Conscious Incompetence – you realize what needs fixing.

3. Conscious Competence – you can do it, but only with effort and focus.

4. Unconscious Competence – the skill is automatic and embodied.

The transition between stages 3 and 4 doesn’t happen by grinding harder. It happens when your subconscious has the space to internalize new patterns.

Here’s what that looks like in action

A client of mine had been working for weeks on softening his grip pressure and improving tempo through the ball. During his range sessions, he was locked in—but still inconsistent on the course. Then, he went away for a five-day family trip. No range time. No reps. Just rest.

When he returned, he flushed it. Smooth, effortless swings with natural rhythm—without consciously thinking about it. Why? Because the work had been done, and the break gave his subconscious space to solidify the pattern.

That’s the power of integration.

It’s not the reps alone that change your game—it’s what happens after the reps, when the nervous system settles and new patterns take hold.

That’s why rest isn’t a setback—it’s a requirement for mastery.

6 Benefits of Strategic Breaks

When done with intention, taking a short break from golf doesn’t stall your improvement—it accelerates it. Here’s how:

1. Subconscious Integration

Learning doesn’t end when the lesson does. Your subconscious continues processing new information long after you leave the range. 

Strategic breaks allow your brain to take everything you've practiced—whether a new swing thought, pre-shot routine, or putting grip—and file it into long-term memory without the interference of more “input.”

2. Mental Reset

When you're playing often and not seeing the results you want, it's easy to get frustrated. You carry expectations, pressure, and self-judgment into every round, which builds mental tension. 

A break clears the emotional clutter.

3. Reduced Performance Pressure

When you're practicing constantly, you start evaluating everything. Every swing. Every score. Every drill. That pressure adds up and chips away at confidence.  Stepping away helps reset your nervous system, quiet the inner critic, and reconnect with a sense of ease and curiosity.

4. Increased Motivation

Absence really does make the heart grow fonder. When golf becomes a daily routine, it can start to feel like a chore, especially if progress plateaus. A short break allows you to miss the game again—to return with hunger and excitement, not obligation.

5. Longevity and Sustainability

Trying to push through fatigue, frustration, or minor injury leads to burnout or even physical breakdown. Golf is a long game—meant to be played for decades. Strategic rest protects your body, mind, and emotional well-being so you can play better and longer.

Example: One mid-60s golfer I coach began building in a 3-day “golf fast” every 6 weeks. Not only did his body feel better, but his competitive rounds became more consistent. He stopped overtraining and started playing with more energy—and less wear and tear.

6. Opportunity to Reinforce Fundamentals

When you step away from complex swing thoughts, it opens the door to revisit basics—grip, posture, and takeaway—without distraction. You don’t need a course or range to do this. You can rehearse feel, alignment, and visualization in just a few mindful minutes a day.

On my recent vacation, even though I didn’t swing much, I held a club each morning for 2 minutes. I practiced my grip, rehearsed my takeaway, and visualized a few holes. These micro-moments kept me connected to the fundamentals—and I came back sharper than before.

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.

But Won’t I Fall Behind?

This is the most common fear—“If I’m not practicing, I’m falling behind.”

Here’s the truth: growth isn’t always linear, and it’s definitely not always visible. You don’t fall behind by resting—you fall behind by grinding past the point of progress.

Read that again…

Rest allows your brain to connect the dots. It’s when the reps take root. It’s when clarity emerges. 

The golfers who fear falling behind are usually the ones who never slow down long enough to realize they’re already stuck.

If you’re always adding more input, your system never gets a chance to make sense of what it’s learning.

That’s not falling behind—that’s running in place.

A Note for Seasonal Golfers

If you only get to play golf for a few months each year due to weather, I hear you. You may feel like every available day should be spent playing, practicing, or squeezing in another round.

But here's the truth: rest isn’t the enemy of progress—exhaustion is. Even in a condensed season, you still benefit from building in strategic 3–4 day breaks every month or two. You’ll return to the course with more energy, more clarity, and better execution.

And for those long winter months?

That's when visualization, mental reps, and targeted mindset work take center stage—and help you return sharper in spring.

How to Take a Strategic Break (Without Losing Progress)

If you're ready to test the power of rest for yourself, try this:

Every six to eight weeks, schedule a three to seven-day period without practice or play.

Use this time to:

• Do light grip or takeaway drills (3–5 minutes max).

• Visualize a few shots or holes each day.

• Journal what you’ve learned recently or what you want to reinforce.

• Walk, sleep, and let your nervous system breathe.

Then, when you return, reflect on how you feel. Sharper? More present? More confident?

Exactly.

Final Thought: More Isn’t Always Better

If you’ve been feeling stuck—despite the hours, effort, and lessons—you don’t need another tip.

You need space.

• Space to let what you’ve learned sink in.

• Space to fall back in love with the game.

• Space to allow your subconscious mind to do its job.

Intentional rest isn’t about laziness or lack of commitment. 

It’s the mark of a mature, strategic player who understands that growth often happens in the pause—not the push.

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 plan your first three-day strategic break. Get it on the calendar. Disconnect and detach from the game. Give yourself permission to do so. And, come back fresher, energized, and more in love with the game than ever before. 

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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