If you are serious about lowering your handicap, you better work on your mental game.

Here are 9 powerful and actionable mental techniques any golfer can use

* These thoughts got me a job as a PGA Tour coach

👇 1) A Commitment to Fun

Yes, you heard me correctly.

Too many golfers lose sight of why they are playing in the first place.

You are there to enjoy yourself; embrace it!

2000 years ago, a Roman emperor figured out the perfect golf mindset.

Here are 7 stoic principles from Marcus Aurelius

That should be the cornerstone of your golf game 👇 1) Control what you can - accept what you cannot

This is the most important principle.

I've been figuring out different ways to say this for the last 10 years!

There are roughly 65 million golfers in the world.

Less than 1% of them are scratch or better.

People assume they must have magical powers on the golf course.

But here are some stats that should blow your mind and, more importantly, give you perspective: Putting make rate % inside of 10 feet:

5 Feet = 66%
8 Feet = 41%
10 Feet = 33%

That's a lot of missed putts.

A collection of some of my best golf advice: A 15 hcp can hit a tour-level shot at any moment.

But an average baseball player can't throw a 95 mph heater or hit a 400-foot HR.

I think this is part of why golf drives us insane sometimes. We get glimpses of grandeur.

This is the mindset I used to win a USGA medal 🥇

Here is how it can help you break through scoring barriers: We naturally think about blowing it when we want something badly and start playing well.

This is normal.

Blowing it is VERY important to get what you want eventually.

You are standing on the tee box and thinking, "I have to hit a fairway here."

So you reach for your 3-wood instead of driver, assuming it will go straighter.

Was that the right decision?

Let's explore and change some minds 👇 Most golfers plan tee shots thinking about hitting the fairway only.

But there is more to consider:

• Distance (proximity on your next shot)
• Where is the big trouble?
• Is the rough that big of a penalty?
• Are shorter clubs straighter?

I used to be a very unhappy golfer. Stuck in a pattern of feeling like I couldn't reach my potential.

Over the last 10 years, I've figured a few things out. I've reached a plus handicap, won club championships, and a USGA medal.

Here's what I've learned 👇 I say this to anyone who wants to shoot their lowest scores.

Build your game around GIR. Work backward from there.

That means being a skilled iron player, keeping tee shots in play & smart strategy.

Do that & you’ve got a lot of scoring solved. Easier said than done!

Golfers tend to introduce more shot types in a quest to get better.

I am obsessed with removing them and making the game as simple as possible.

I believe it’s one of the keys to lower scores.

Here is *exactly* what I mean and why it’s going to make you a better player 👇 The beauty and curse of golf are options.

You can take any situation on the course and choose between a wide selection of shot types.

Draw/Fade/High/Low/Flop/Bump & Run/Punch/Etc

Golfers are making the game harder for themselves by playing the wrong clubs.

I've learned a ton about clubfitting and club design over the last 7+ years.

Here is a mega-thread that will make you a smarter consumer and avoid the marketing fluff 👇 The biggest myth is that clubfitting is only for better golfers.

If anything, higher handicaps stand *more* to gain from playing the right clubs.

Skilled players can get away with suboptimal equipment more.

Don’t make golf harder for yourself!

When people ask me what it took to become a scratch golfer, my answer is usually the same.

"I learned to control the clubface."

Let me explain why face control is THE skill all golfers need to lower their scores 👇 Here's what you'll learn by reading this:

1. What is face angle
2. How it affects scoring
3. Why it's the "glue" of the swing
4. A solution to the big problem

I've been playing golf for 25+ years.

I have made every mistake in the book.

I've also figured out how to play at a level that puts me in the top 0.5%

Here is what I have learned: I say this to anyone who wants to shoot their lowest scores

Build your game around hitting more GIR. Work backward from there.

That means:

• Skilled iron player
• Keeping tee shots in play
• Efficient strategy

Do that, and you’ve got a lot of scoring solved.

Want to know the secret to golf?

I'll teach you in less than 5 minutes with a series of graphics 👇 Birdies aren't the path to lower scores.

Less double bogeys are.

This took me 25+ years in golf to learn; I’ll teach it to you in 5 minutes: You will never reach your highest level without embracing your driver and irons.

It's just not possible.

Your wedges and putter are there to enhance your scoring.

Your driver and irons define them.

9 brutal truths about golf you need to hear: 1. The harder you squeeze, the harder golf pushes back.

This game attracts Type A control freaks

But you need to learn to give up control of:

• Scores
• Shot outcomes
• Your swing

The more you let go of, the stronger your game will be 💪

4 PGA Tour stats that will change your perspective on golf 👇 1) A typical PGA Tour player lands the ball 20 feet from the pin from 100-125 yards in the fairway.

This has implications for golfers of all levels and what defines a "good shot."

No matter how good you get at this game, you can never expect to land it close to the pin.

Give me a few minutes of your time, and I'll give you years of golf wisdom.

Here is some of my best advice: A lot of golfers have strategy backward:

• Too conservative off the tee
• Too aggressive on approach shots

What is a good wedge shot?

Most golfers have no idea!

Allow me to save you some strokes and increase your enjoyment level 😃

Let's explore 👇 If I asked most golfers what a good wedge shot is from any distance, they would come up with an arbitrary number.

"5 feet"

That sounds good, right?

Well, let's take a look...

9 brutal truths about golf you need to hear: 1) The harder you squeeze, the harder golf pushes back.

This game attracts Type A control freaks (hello 👋)

But you need to learn to give up control of:

• Scores
• Shot outcomes
• Your swing

The more you let go of, the stronger your game will be 💪

Most golfers default to blocked (repetitive) practice at the range.

But they do it all wrong and eventually complain that their range game never shows up on the course.

Here is how to practice properly and avoid what I call "Zombie Range Sessions" 👇 Engagement and intent are the two most important factors in building skills while practicing.

When you mindlessly hit your 7-iron 30 times "over there," you have very little chance of improving.

Also, you develop false confidence that leads to more disappointment on the course.

Yesterday I shot -4 and earned medalist honors at my local U.S. Mid Am qualifier 🏆

A dream come true!

It was the hardest mental battle I've ever had.

Here is what was going through my head all day, and hopefully, you can learn something for your own game: I have come close to making the U.S. Mid-Am three times before.

But before I tee it up, I am always reasonable with my expectations.

In the past, it would take a truly remarkable round to make it.

But I've gotten better, so now I know it won't take a perfect round.

There are roughly 65 million golfers in the world.

Less than 1% of them are scratch or better.

People assume they must have magical powers on the golf course.

But here are some stats that should blow your mind and, more importantly, give you perspective: Putting make rate % inside of 10 feet:

5 Feet = 66%
8 Feet = 41%
10 Feet = 33%

That's a lot of missed putts.