The Mental Game Series Part 2 Meditation or Mindset
Get Out of Your Head: Why a Pre-Shot Routine Changes Everything
Settle in. Let’s talk golf.
In Part 1, we talked about trusting your swing.
But trusting your swing isn’t just about tempo.
It’s about managing your mind.
Because let’s be honest…
The first tee doesn’t attack your mechanics.
It attacks your thoughts.
The Spiral
You step onto the tee.
And suddenly your brain lights up:
Don’t embarrass yourself.
You practice every day.
You should be better than this.
Don’t hit it 16 feet again.
And now instead of swinging…
You’re performing.
That’s when the overthinking starts:
Feet shoulder width?
Knees bent enough?
On the balls of my feet?
Hinge.
Re-hinge.
Smooth transition.
Full finish.
Look athletic.
You’re trying to fix everything in three seconds.
That’s not trust.
That’s panic disguised as preparation.
What the Best Golfers Actually Do
Here’s what’s interesting.
The best golfers in the world don’t stand over the ball thinking:
“Keep your head down.”
“Don’t come over the top.”
“Rotate more.”
They have a system.
Some hum a tune.
Some chew gum.
Some focus on a target.
Some think about something completely unrelated.
But none of them are building a swing over the ball.
They’ve already done that work.
Now they execute.
Less Time = Less Trouble
Research consistently shows something simple:
The longer you stand over the ball thinking…
The worse the outcome tends to be.
The mind wanders.
Doubt creeps in.
Negative self-talk shows up.
That’s why you’ll often see pros:
• Take a rehearsal swing
• Step in
• Look once
• Go
No lingering.
No debating.
No spiraling.
They’re limiting the time their mind has to sabotage them.
What Changed My Perspective
One of the books that reshaped how I think about this is The Four Foundations of Golf by Jon Sherman.
One of the big themes?
Golfers get trapped obsessing over results and outcomes.
Score.
Expectations.
What just happened.
What might happen next.
Instead of staying present.
Instead of staying on this shot.
That hit home for me.
Because when I chunk one 16 feet…
I’m not thinking about the next target.
I’m thinking about what everyone thinks of me.
That’s not golf.
That’s ego.
What a Pre-Shot Routine Actually Does
It’s not superstition.
It’s containment.
A pre-shot routine:
• Gives your brain something structured to focus on
• Reduces wandering thoughts
• Signals “it’s time to swing”
• Builds consistency
It creates mental guardrails.
Instead of:
“What if I mess this up?”
You move to:
“Here’s my process.”
That shift is powerful.
Mine Is Simple
I’m not humming a song.
I’m not thinking about did I leave the coffee pot turned on.
Mine looks like this:
Pick the smallest possible target.
One rehearsal swing with rhythm.
Step in.
Look once.
Go.
No extra thoughts allowed.
If I start adjusting mechanics at address?
I step off.
Reset.
Because addressing the ball is not the time to rebuild a swing.
Meditation Isn’t What You Think
When people hear “mindfulness,” they picture:
Sitting cross-legged.
Eyes closed.
Deep breathing in a dark room.
But in golf, mindfulness is simpler.
It’s:
Staying with this shot.
Not replaying the last one.
Not predicting the next one.
Just being present.
That’s it.
You don’t need incense.
You need awareness.
The Real Shift
The breakthrough wasn’t eliminating nerves.
It was accepting them.
“I’m nervous” is fine.
“I can’t mess this up” is destructive.
Nerves mean you care.
Overthinking means you’re attached to outcome.
The goal isn’t calm.
It’s commitment. (well, it might be both)
The Next Shot
Your next shot doesn’t have to be perfect – just intentional.
Trust your process. Then swing.
Do you have a pre-shot routine yet?
Or are you still negotiating with yourself over the ball?
Drop it in the comments – I’d love to hear what works for you.
Real Talk. Play Better.
Effort builds results.
