The Mental Golf Show
Host Josh Nichols shares from his own 20 years of competitive and golf psychology coaching experiences, along with years of learning psychology, as well as interviews with players, coaches, and experts in the golf industry, all with the goal of helping you think better on and off the golf course. *This podcast is not meant to apply to every individuals’ mental health. And not all opinions expressed by guests reflect Josh’s opinions and experiences.
Listen on:
Episodes
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
Thursday Sep 14, 2023
On this episode we’re going to be talking about watching leaderboards and knowing where you stand and knowing your score during a round.
Is it good, bad, should you avoid it at all costs or would it be helpful to know?
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
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Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
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Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
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Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
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Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
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Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
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Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
Tuesday Sep 12, 2023
On this episode we’ve got Michael Leonard of Wicked Smart Golf.
We’re going to be talking about
- how to get into a good mental space before the round
- why expecting bad things to happen is actually a good strategy
- how to catch yourself when you’re going mentally off the rails
- and more
And this is just part 1 of 2, so stay tuned for more on the next episode with Michael.
You’ll hear him talk about it but he quit his 6 figure job to fully dive into golf from both a business side and a playing side. So the guy loves the game, and it's exciting for me to hear someone so passionate about golf talk about their love for it and their pursuit of improvement.
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Michael Leonard's links:
TikTok
Instagram
YouTube
Book
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
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Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Thursday Sep 07, 2023
Thursday Sep 07, 2023
On this episode we’re going to be talking about the US Mid-Amateur. On the day this is released the first day of practice rounds are happening right now at the US Mid-Am at Sleepy Hollow. No, I’m not there. And yes, I’m extremely jealous.
But I want to take this episode to talk about the mentality that it takes to get good enough to play in a US Mid-Am, and make it all the way to the finals.
Now I know what you might be saying, “this episode isn’t for me, there’s no way I could ever get that good or I don’t like setting goals like that or I don’t have that kind of time.” I think this episode is more than just about achieving this one specific goal. It’s more about becoming the type of player that you aspire to be, no matter what that level is. Mine might be different than yours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get better and improve toward your goals.
As some of you have heard me talk about, I made it to the finals of the 2017 US Mid-Am. That’s getting farther and farther into the past, but the process I used to get there has solidified over time.
And if you’re actually currently playing in the US Mid-Am, maybe this can help you pace out your days and hopefully your long road to the final. And you have to promise me if you make it to the final like I did you gotta give The Mental Golf Show a shout out.
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
Tuesday Sep 05, 2023
On this episode we’ve got part 2 of our re-release of my all-time favorite episode of the podcast. It’s from the very first conversation I had with Raymond Prior titled Golf Beneath the Surface released back in February of 2022.
Again, this conversation was formative for me because it completely shifted my focus from the surface level mental game that we read about and hear on social media to deeper level psychology that actually gets at the heart of the issue. And it’s the way I believe we should all be addressing our own improvement. Rather than jumping from one quick fix to the next, instead taking the time to address what’s at the heart of our struggles. As Prior says, patiently and systematically working on something might be a slow road, but it’s still the fasted road to sustainable change.
So I hope you learn as much as I did in talking to Raymond Prior. I think you can even hear how I’m being challenged on my thinking during this episode. So I encourage you to take some notes and commit these things to belief.
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Raymond Prior, PhD:
Raymond Prior's website: btsmindset.com
Amazon book- Golf Beneath the Surface: The New Science of Golf Psychology
Raymond Prior, PhD on Twitter: @bts_mindset
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
Thursday Aug 31, 2023
I wanted to bring back a very popular episode of the podcast about quieting your mind.
When things are going sideways on the course, the mental chatter starts to ramp up. And maybe even more difficult, when things are going well on the course the mind gets very noisy. Past, future, good, bad. So being able to handle this properly is an essential skill for playing good golf.
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
Tuesday Aug 29, 2023
We’re going to do something a little different this time. I actually don’t think I’ve ever done this in the 4 and a half year history of The Mental Golf Show.
I’m bringing back my all-time favorite episode the podcast. It’s the original Golf Beneath the Surface episode with Raymond Prior from back in February 2022. This episode had a huuuuge effect on me. It set me on a path toward a much more research- and scientifically-based approach to the mental game, or as I’ve come to start rightfully terming it, golf psychology. It had a direct impact on the way I read and research, coach my players, how I run this podcast, and even tweet.
Underneath all of the symptomatic things that we try to address is our inner experience. Our psychology. If you’re only addressing the end results, you’ll constantly be spinning your wheels.
So Raymond Prior’s approach to how he works with his players in a bottom up way has changed me in profound ways. And I hope I do him justice in the way that I talk about the psychological side of the game.
You’ll hear us talking about his upcoming book Golf Beneath the Surface which he released a year after this conversation. It’s by far the best golf book I’ve ever read. So if you haven’t read that yet then you need to right now.
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Raymond Prior, PhD:
Raymond Prior's website: btsmindset.com
Amazon book- Golf Beneath the Surface: The New Science of Golf Psychology
Raymond Prior, PhD on Twitter: @bts_mindset
-----
Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Thursday Aug 24, 2023
Thursday Aug 24, 2023
On this episode we’re going to be talking about how to play a golf course for the first time.
You’re going to learn why playing a course blind is difficult from a strategic and psychological perspective, and how to still show up and play your best.
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
Tuesday Aug 22, 2023
On this episode we’ve got Jon Sherman back for Part 2 of 2.
You’re going to learn about what causes you to play scared, how to have a basic system for course strategy, when to be aggressive and conservative, how to simplify the game, getting over blow up holes, and more.
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Jon Sherman on Twitter (X) - @practicalgolf
Jon Sherman's website - practical-golf.com
Jon Sherman's book on Amazon - The Four Foundations of Golf
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
Tuesday Aug 15, 2023
On today’s episode we have Jon Sherman who you most likely know as @practicalgolf on twitter (X) and the writer of The Four Foundations of Golf.
I had Jon on the podcast back in October of 2020. It was a great conversation but he’s done some great things since then that I’ll let him tell you about. He’s always been one of the best voices in the industry for how he helps the regular golfer play better and enjoy the game more in a very, um, practical way.
We recorded this back in June so we start off with some talk about the US Open, then we talk about our feelings for Rory and how his strategy might need to change in order to win a major, the loneliness of playing pro golf, Jon Sherman’s book Four Foundations of Golf and how he’s trying to overdeliver on value for the reader, his philosophy on golf, how to manage expectations, acceptance of any outcome and more.
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Jon Sherman on Twitter (X) - @practicalgolf
Jon Sherman's website - practical-golf.com
Jon Sherman's book on Amazon - The Four Foundations of Golf
-----
Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
Thursday Aug 10, 2023
On today’s episode we’re going to be talking about BEATING YOURSELF UP.
You’re going to learn WHY you beat yourself up, where it probably started to become a habit, why it makes you play worse, and how to break the cycle of constantly berating yourself.
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Are you a competitive golfer? Interested in working 1-on-1 with Josh as your Golf Psychology Coach? Email Josh directly at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com or head to joshnicholsgolf.com.
-----
Take the Mental Game Assessment and learn your top mental game traits and your areas in most need of improvement.
-----
Want to be a SPONSOR on The Mental Golf Show? Email us with inquiries at mentalgolfshow@gmail.com
-----
Click here to sign up for The Mental Re-Grip ⛳️ Newsletter to receive mental game tips in your email inbox every-ish Tuesday.
-----
Have a suggestion for a topic or guest? Drop your suggestions here.
-----
Follow Josh on social:
Twitter: @joshlukenichols
Instagram: @joshlukenichols
TikTok: @joshlukenichols
-----
Follow The Mental Golf Show on social:
Twitter: @mentalgolfshow
Instagram: mentalgolfshow
TikTok: mentalgolfshow