The Mental Game Series – Trust Your Swing
Trust Your Swing: Why the First Tee Feels Like a Different Sport
Settle in. Let’s talk golf.
I hit it great… when no one’s watching.
On the range?
Solid.
In my man-cave with the launch monitor?
Pure.
Inside the net, aiming at a target?
Dialed.
Then I step onto the first tee.
And suddenly I look like a duck learning to walk.
The Range Version of Me
On the range:
I swing free.
I commit.
I don’t care.
The ball goes 160 yards toward the green.
Feels easy.
The Tee Box Version of Me
On the tee box?
Everything changes.
Now I’m thinking:
Are my feet shoulder width?
Are my knees bent enough?
Am I on the balls of my feet?
Is the club flat?
Don’t forget hinge.
Smooth transition.
Full follow-through.
Look athletic.
Don’t embarrass yourself.
And then…
I hit it 16 feet.
And immediately think:
“No one saw that… right?”
The Pressure I Created
Here’s the part that makes it worse.
I practice daily.
I talk about practicing daily.
I have the tools.
The gadgets.
The launch monitor.
The net.
The reps.
So when I step onto the course, there’s this voice:
“You should be better than this.”
Not because my golf-mates judge me.
They don’t.
It’s all in my head.
The Real Problem
The problem isn’t mechanics.
It’s expectation.
On the range, I’m swinging.
On the tee box, I’m performing.
And golf doesn’t reward performance anxiety.
It rewards commitment.
Addressing the Ball Is Not the Time to Build a Swing
This one took me a while to learn.
Standing over the ball is NOT the time to think about:
• Shoulder width
• Knee flex
• Weight distribution
• Wrist hinge
• Re-hinge
• Smooth tempo
• Looking good
You can’t build a swing in 2 seconds over the ball.
You either brought it with you…
Or you didn’t.
That’s where trust your swing comes in.
What “Trust Your Swing” Actually Means
It doesn’t mean you’re perfect.
It means:
You did the work already.
Now commit.
One thought at most.
Maybe rhythm.
Maybe target.
But not ten mechanical checkpoints.
The range is for thinking.
The course is for trusting.
The Endless Cycle
The more I tried to prove I was better…
The worse I played.
The more I worried about how I looked…
The less athletic I became.
The tighter I got…
The shorter I hit it.
It’s a cycle.
Until you interrupt it.
The Shift
The breakthrough wasn’t a new drill.
It was this:
“I’m allowed to be a beginner.”
Even if I practice daily.
Even if I own all the gear.
Even if I tell people I’m working hard.
Improvement isn’t owed.
It’s earned quietly.
And sometimes awkwardly.
The Next Shot
Your next shot doesn’t have to be perfect — just intentional.
Trust the swing you brought with you.
Be honest – do you hit it better when no one’s watching?
Drop a comment. I promise you’re not the only one.
Real Talk. Play Better.
Effort builds results.
