Episodes

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… Playing my first round with my new clubs (did they fix everything?). Playing 18 on back-to-back days (and my driver forgot to show up). Hitting a new low number of putts. Looking hard to find the (many) positives after each round. Where I’m spending time away from the course getting better this week. Start listening. P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you get unstuck from the proverbial bunker of ...

Meet Dr. Jason Novetsky - a sports psychology and mental toughness coach for numerous elite athletes. You may know him from his ties to the Chasing Scratch Podcast, but you may not know the breadth and depth of experience he has helping golfers and athletes alike overcome their own obstacles and achieve their personal championships. In this episode, you’ll get a front-row seat to the topics and teachings he focuses on when working with some of the top golfers in the world. Specifically, you’ll...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… The round that could’ve been…but was still my lowest round of the year The key frustrations I’m experiencing in my swing - and what’s going incredibly well How fear of success manifested in my game this weekend My lifelong battle with slowing down, and how it’s showing up (and costing me) on the course How I’m feeling about getting new clubs… Start listening. P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you...

Have you ever started a round strong, only to crumble as the finish line approaches? Have you ever felt so close to a financial, health, or golf goal that you succumbed to unconscious, sabotaging behaviors when it was almost within reach? If you answered yes to any of the above, you have an upper-limit problem. In this episode, you’ll learn what an upper-limit problem is - that frustrating, invisible barrier that keeps you from reaching your full potential, both on the golf course and in life...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… The last two rounds and a mind-boggling lesson (where did my swing go?) The highs and lows of my swing and my game How I’m working on finding peace, patience, and trust in my swing What I’m doing to recruit my subconscious to help me feel more confident in my swing My relationship with practice and the important role in plays in shooting lower scores for life Start listening. P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnothe...

Meet Josh Nichols - a Golf Psychology Coach with an impressive resume over 20 years of competitive golf. Josh was 36 holes away from qualifying for the Masters. You’ll learn more about his mental and emotional experience before, during, and after this 36-hole finale and how it shaped who he is today and what he does. This is truly one of the most fascinating conversations I've had, and I know you’ll find it valuable and enjoy it. In today’s episode, you’ll learn more about the mental and emot...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… Sitting six over after five only to implode on the final four holes. Playing alongside three golfers who shot in the 70s - and overwhelmingly underperforming. Asking for help and hiring a coach. The exact goal-setting framework and approach I’m using to shoot sub-90 in 92 days… Start listening. P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypnotherapy can help you get unstuck from the proverbial bunker of poor performance on the ...

“Who do you need to become to shoot par?” This is the starting point of today’s episode, which features a detailed breakdown of how to deconstruct and ultimately create the golf identity you need to play to your potential. You’ll learn what an alter ego is, its role, and how you can create one to shoot better scores on the course. Plus, you’ll learn the exact framework I use (and use with my clients) to help them align with the person they desire and are destined to become. Whether you're aim...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… What it felt like coming back down to reality after two tough rounds Navigating the emotional and physical challenges of playing 18 holes back-to-back for the first time. Feeling as if I forgot how to swing a golf club Setting my ego aside and finally doing what needs to be done How I’m feeling after two disappointing rounds - and where I’m focused moving forward Start listening. P.S. If you’re interested in learning more about how mindset coaching and hypn...

Bo Watson and Shannon Shuskey are two of the top sought-after mental game coaches in the golf world. They’re the founders of In the Zone Mental Training and co-authors of the game-changing book, “In the Zone Secrets.” They are each one of the world’s foremost authorities on mental performance. Hundreds of elite performers and top athletes worldwide have used their mental performance training strategies, including those on the PGA and LPGA Tours. In today’s episode, you’ll learn how they’re help...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… How I navigated unsolicited swing advice on the range. Playing a new course with a new friend (who I met in a golf Facebook group) - and the events that unfolded. The emotion currently present within my golf game (read: I need to take my own advice on the topic of commitment). The importance of building a positive relationship with yourself and auditing your self-talk. Start listening. Accelerate Improvement in Your Golf Game. Check out the Golf Noob YouTube...

There’s a stark difference between being interested in improving your golf game and being committed to improving it. Unfortunately, many say they’re committed, yet they’re merely interested. In today’s episode, you’ll learn the difference between being interested in shooting lower scores versus being committed to shooting lower scores, as well as five specific areas you can bring commitment to so that you can begin shooting more pars than bogeys. Start listening. P.S. Curious about how hypno...

In today’s episode, I’ll recap… This past week, I played five balls per hole on a par-three short course (seriously), Breaking 100 for the second time Playing the front nine solo and the back nine with a group of rowdy buddies Grinding my way through some less-than-pretty golf Keeping golf fun Managing self-placed expectations. Start listening. P.S. I’m conducting research to better understand how I can provide the content and education you need to shoot more pars than bogeys. I want to...

Meet Henry Kurusz IV, also known as Bear. He attended a high school golf powerhouse - the same school Charlie Woods now attends and the one Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman sent their kids to - and despite having two small school offers to play collegiate golf, he decided to walk on Florida State to play. He won the walk-on tournament to make the team. Unfortunately, an injury derailed his college career, yet it would prove to be minuscule to the lupus diagnosis that almost took the game away fro...

Welcome to the first installment of the “Journey to Scratch” series of The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast. Rather than trying to cram valuable coaching and education alongside updates on my own journey to scratch into a single episode, I believe you’ll get more value if I separate the two entirely. Each Tuesday, I’ll recap my past week of practice, play, wins, and challenges, as well as detail what I’m working on and how I’m working on overcoming current challenges. In today’s episode, I’ll...

Whether you’re trying to gain proficiency in the golf swing or speaking another language, there are four distinct stages you’ll progress through as you ascend from beginner to master. The challenge most face, however, is the overwhelming amount of frustration and impatience they experience early on, which dissuades them from putting in the right type of work necessary to hone that skill. In today’s episode, I’ll introduce you to the Conscious Competence Model of Adult Learning, which describes...

Meet Matt Stilwell, a Mindset Coach and host of the Positive Golf Mindset Podcast, who helps people from all walks of life understand and overcome their biggest challenges. Matt, an avid golfer, works specifically with golfers who struggle with adapting the growth mindset, default positivity, and emotional resiliency needed to play their best golf. In today’s episode, Matt shares insights into cultivating a positive mindset to shoot lower scores. He offers tangible tactics to help you defuse y...

The expectation each time you step on the course is to play your best and shoot more pars than bogeys, right? Expecting to play your best is the goal; however, your best differs day-to-day based on numerous variables. A critical mistake I see many golfers make is setting rigid expectations that are incongruent and unrealistic with reality. The result? It’s a miserable experience of frustration, anger, envy, and poor performance. In today’s episode, I’ll help you understand how a large space...

Meet Bryan Taylor - founder of Leaderboards of America, handicap golfer, multi-tournament winner, and someone who truly strives to reach his potential - while lifting up those around him - every single day. Bryan didn’t start playing golf until the age of 30 - seriously! And since, he’s been on a path of greatness, including having won multiple tournaments and accumulating some wickedly low scores along the way. In today’s conversation, we go inside the mind of Bryan to learn his take on the i...

Golf is a game of emotional regulation. If you cannot manage the accumulated emotions - from anger and envy to excitement and joy - then you’ll continue to shoot subpar scores relative to your potential. In today’s episode, you’ll learn what emotion is, why you feel tension or tightness when experiencing an emotional reaction, and a simple, effective strategy to begin emotionally off-gassing during your rounds to remain locked into your flow state. Start listening. *** Subscribe to the More...

Meet Matt Doud, former caddie at Pebble Beach Golf Club in Carmel, CA, sub-five handicap golfer, and a Business Made Simple Coach in the Kansas City Metro Area. In today’s episode, we go inside the mind of Matt to unpack the insights and learning lessons he gleaned from caddying for all of these years. You’ll learn about the critical mistakes most golfers make when it comes to course management, as well as how impactful errors in club selection can be. Gulp - the latter one hit home for me. W...

At some point, it’s no longer a swing problem holding you back from shooting lower scores. It’s a mindset problem. Many golfers I work with are hesitant to admit that emotional and mental hazards of their mind are, in fact, present in their game. And, if they are humble enough to admit it on their own, they often think self-talk and logic are enough to defuse the anger, frustration, tension, and inability to maintain focus that plagues their round. Sure, that may work - at a snail’s pace (if ...

Meet Luke Barton, the Business Development Director for 360IT Partners who has a sub-four handicap. Luke’s golf journey began by grabbing a bag of clubs that was left out with his neighbor’s trash. It was this curiosity that sparked an incredible rise in his skill and a drop in his score as he began to play the game of golf. And, just last week, Luke carded his lowest score ever - a 69 at one of his local courses in Virginia Beach. In today’s episode, we go inside the mind of Luke to learn and...

Dr. Trevor Hirsch is a Titleist Performance Institute Medical Level 2 Certified Physical Therapist, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, and Owner of Empower U PT & Performance, which specializes in adding years and yards to golfer's games. In today’s episode, we go inside the mind of Dr. Hirsch to learn more about the value of an off-the-course exercise regimen, as well as the specific types of exercises, movements, and muscle groups that should be prioritized to shoot lower scores ...