The Mental Golf Show

280: John Dunigan - You Care Too Much About Your Golf Swing

John Dunigan is the cofounder of the Practice Golf Coach app. I haven't used the app personally yet, but one of my mental coaching clients uses it and he swears by it. He's sent me screenshots and it looks awesome. It uses AI combined with John and cofounder Dr. Will Wu's expertise and experience to build you custom workouts that change with you as you enter in more data. I'll have to check it out.
But this was an awesome conversation with John. He's extremely passionate about golfers practicing better and having a more well-rounded view of their game and improvement. Which is a soapbox I've been standing on for a long time, before and since starting this podcast.
Timestamps and Topics:
00:00 - Thinking Too Much About the Golf Swing
08:42 - Embrace Golf Like a Roller Coaster
16:58 - Fairways & Fundays ad
20:24 - Bigger Picture Perspective Enhances Acceptance of Outcomes
25:39 - Does the Golf Swing Matter?
32:13 - Shot Pattern ad
34:41 - Should We Strive for Consistency in the Golf Swing?
40:00 - Golf is Hard. Make Your Practice Just as Hard.
56:09 - Do Most Golf Instructors Teach the Wrong Things?
59:10 - Using a Golf Club as a Tool
1:01:51 - Errors are a Good Thing
1:05:40 - John Dunigan - Practice Coach app
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John Dunigan's stuff:
The Practice Golf Coach app
John Dunigan on Instagram
Website - johndunigangolf.com
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Mentioned in this episode:
🍀 Fairways & Fundays - Ireland Golf Tours - Named World’s Best Golf Tour Operator at the World Golf Awards in 2024 and 2025! If you’re interested in going on a golf trip to Ireland, send me an email and I’ll get you set up with them - josh@joshnicholsgolf.com
🏌️‍♂️ The Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
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Josh's stuff:
📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips atjoshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com to work with Josh on your mental game.
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Other podcast partners:
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
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🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

279: Andy Gorman - Putting Better is Easy

Andy Gorman is ThePASS (The Putting And Shortgame Specialist). And this episode is truly all about putting.
If you wonder why you don't putt better, whether you have the right putter for you, why you don't putt well under pressure, why you under-read so many putts, and then exactly how to address all of these things... then you're going to love this episode.
Andy is both extremely knowledgable about the ins and outs of every detail of the putting stroke, but he's also able to consolidate that info into very simple practices, fundamentals, and feelings that will instantly help you putt better. I've already been trying some of the things he told me about and I feel much more comfortable and confident over putts. Pretty cool stuff.
Here's a sample of the many topics we cover on this episode:
How life pressure is tied to golf pressure
The dangers of comparison to other players or the leaderboard
The one fundamental key to improving putting
What to think standing over a putt
Should you change your putting technique?
Is it better to be correct or consistent?
Why was (is? 👀) Tiger so good at putting?
How to stop under-reading greens
The biomechanics of the putting stroke
The 10-10 Drill to calibrate green speed and stroke length
The psychology of putting pressure
Putting yips
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Andy Gorman’s stuff:
Email: golf@andygorman.com
WhatsApp: +447966235706
YouTube: Andy Gorman ThePASS
Website: Andy Gorman Golf
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Mentioned in the episode:
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
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Josh's stuff:
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips atjoshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com to work with Josh on your mental game.
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Other podcast partners:
🏌️‍♂️ The Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
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🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

278: Cameron Strachan - Master Golf By Being Lazy and Stupid

📕 Click this link to get Cameron Strachan's book UNF*CK YOUR GOLF BRAIN, plus bonus videos, a pre-round cheat sheet, and more: https://bit.ly/ufygb-josh
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Cameron Strachan was not a name I had heard before this. But when he reached out to me expressing interest in being on the show and shared his book UNF*CK YOUR GOLF BRAIN with me, I gave it a read and I was immediately hooked. I read over half of it in about 30 minutes. It's unlike any golf book I've ever read before. The best way I can describe it is a wakeup call to the golfer who is obsessed with mechanics and swinging "correctly" and looking good on camera. And despite what I've learned over the years I would put myself in that class of golfers. It's a refreshing read, and I encourage you to pick it up.
This conversation with Cameron was equally refreshing. It's crazy to think that someone saying "just be yourself, let it rip, and go play" is controversial, yet it is. And it kind of broke my brain at times. I think you'll like this one.
Here are some of the topics we cover:
Balancing Golf and Family Life
Freedom in Golf: Letting Go of Control
Instruction vs. Coaching: What Actually Helps?
Trusting Your Swing
Mastery vs. Expertise in Golf
Why Simplicity Wins in Golf
Performance, Psychology, and Enjoyment
What Makes Golf Legends’ Swings Unique
Golf as a Journey of Self-Discovery
Playing Freely: An Art Form
Letting Go Is Harder Than You Think
Giving Yourself Permission to Play Your Game
Learning Without Losing the Joy
The “Lazy and Stupid” Approach to Golf
From Expert to Mastery: The Real Shift
Trust and Self-Acceptance on the Course
The Radical Idea of Playing Freely
Simplifying Your Game, Elevating Your Results
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Mentioned in the episode:
🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
-----
Josh's stuff:
📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips atjoshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com to work with Josh on your mental game.
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Podcast partners:
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 
 

277: Alex Fortey - Why Do We Make Golf So Complicated?

I had the pleasure of hosting Alex Fortey on the podcast. Alex is a content creator with over 300,000 subscribers on YouTube (The Art of Simple Golf). He's a pro golfer with some very strong opinions on the golf industry and golf instruction, and has some very honest takes on how to make golf simpler.
Some of the topics we cover:
The Complexity of Golf Instruction
Understanding the Disconnect in Golf Performance
The Importance of Setup in Golf
Simplifying Golf: The Art of Simple Golf
The Psychological Aspects of Golf
Overcoming Fear and Embracing Authenticity
The Journey of Improvement in Golf
The Pursuit of Perfection in Golf
The Role of Expectations in Performance
Finding Joy in the Game of Golf
The Impact of External Perceptions
The Power of a Simple Checklist
Reducing Variables for Better Performance
The Balance of Enjoyment and Competition
Future Goals and the Fear of Failure
Alex Fortey's YouTube channel: The Art of Simple Golf
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Mentioned in the episode:
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there
🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
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📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

276: Brendon Post - Why Trying Harder Makes Golf Harder

Is chasing consistency actually hurting your golf game?
In this episode, I’m joined by Brendon Post — a longtime competitive player, coach, and caddie with decades of experience at the college and professional levels. Brendon brings a rare perspective from living on both sides of the rope: competing under pressure and watching the game with total clarity as a coach and caddie.
Topics covered:
Why your ability doesn’t disappear under pressure — your ability to access it does
How “tournament mode” creates mental clutter and breaks down trust
Why easy shots often produce more fear than hard ones
The danger of chasing repeatability and “perfect” ball striking
How acceptance has to be credible to actually work
Why messy golf can still produce low scores
The caddie/coach perspective vs. the player perspective
Swing thoughts vs. feels (and why it’s completely individual)
Course management as a true separator at higher levels
What to prioritize when time is limited: body, mind, and putting — not panic practice
This one genuinely changed how I think about practice and performance under pressure.
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🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there
🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 
 

275: Steven Yellin - There Is Only One Way to Play Good Golf

I had the honor of hosting Steven Yellin on the podcast. Steven is an author of the book Simplicity. He holds some very strong positions on how good golf must be played. But he claims they aren't his ideas, they are just the way the brain and the body work. I truly can't spell it all out here, you'll have to listen to know what I'm talking about. 
If you like this podcast in general, you're going to love this conversation with Steven Yellin.
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Steven Yellin's links:
Website: stevenyellin.com
Book: Simplicity: The Fluid Motion Factor Golf Program
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🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 
 

274: How to Play Fearless Golf

🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.
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I used to always play golf with a ton of fear. And frankly, I still play golf with fear. But not as much as I once did, thanks to an understanding of some of the core reasons we as humans encounter fear.
In this episode, you will learn what the core sources of human fear are, why we fear those things, how that relates to golf, and a solution for dealing with and extinguishing each of the core sources of human fear.
I'm confident you will leave this episode with a better understanding of yourself, your tendencies, and having new tools to play better golf.
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 
 

273: Dr. Gio Valiante - Fear, Flow, and Mastery vs. Ego

I had the great honor of hosting Dr. Gio Valiante for a conversation that had me thinking from the moment he started talking. Something about the way Dr. Gio explains things makes me feel like golf is on the one hand deep and rich and complex, but on the other hand incredibly simple and fundamental to who we are as humans. His grasp of human psychology is aspirational, so it's no wonder he's been a pillar of the golf psychology arena for decades.
I know you'll enjoy this episode, and I'm confident you will leave this episode with a deeper understanding of your golf game as well as yourself and why you do what you do on and off the course.
Topics:
Is Fear the Root of Most Mental Game Problems in Golf?
Fear, Flow, and the Full Spectrum of Golf Psychology
What Fear Does to Skill, Decision-Making, and Performance
Why Golf Creates Fear: Social Judgment and the Human Brain
Mastery Orientation vs. Ego Orientation in Golf
How Golf Shifts from Love of the Game to Results and Approval
Embarrassment, Shame, and the Conditioning of Fearful Golf
Why Ego-Driven Golf Makes Flow States Unlikely
What It Means to Compete in Golf—and Who You’re Really Competing Against
Playing the Golf Course: Targets, Process, and Task Focus
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Dr. Gio Valiante's books on Amazon:
Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game
Golf Flow: Master your mind, Master the course
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
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🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 
 

272: Matt Myers - How to Make Golf Fitness Stupid Easy (Q1 2026)

🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!
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I worked with Matt Myers at Nerd Fitness for the entirety of 2025 as my personal trainer. But far beyond building workout plans and keeping me accountable to nutrition goals, he was a partner on a journey. I know for a fact I would be so far off course from where I started 2025 had I been trying to go it alone. I can say without exaggeration that Nerd Fitness has changed my life.
Matt and I want to do quarterly updates through 2026, so this is Q1 2026 Update.
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
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📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here. 

271: 10 Lessons 2025 Taught Me (and What I’m Carrying Into 2026)

I've done a goal-setting episode at the end of every year for the past 6 years, but I don't think I've ever done a review of the year that just ended. This episode will show you a simple, proven way to review your year (or your day or your round of golf) that you can and should use. And I of course set some golf and podcast goals for 2026, which I think can help you do the same.
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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.
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🏋️‍♂️ Nerd Fitness: Head to nerdfitness.com, and when (not if) you go through onboarding just mention Josh at The Mental Golf Show sent you.
📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.
👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email josh@joshnicholsgolf.com or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.
🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.
⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.
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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.