Have you ever been playing great golf, maybe even heading toward your best score, when suddenly your brain pipes up with, "Don't screw this up!"?

And just like that, the game that felt so easy becomes a struggle.

What if it's not your golf swing that's holding you back? What if it's what you believe about yourself as a golfer?

We're talking about self-sabotage, limiting beliefs, and how the identity we've created around our golf game can keep us playing the same golf we've always played.

We'll explore six ways self-sabotage can show up on the course, from protecting a good score to expecting that inevitable blow-up hole. More importantly, we'll talk about how to recognize those patterns and start responding differently.

Because just because you've always been a certain kind of golfer doesn't mean that's who you have to be.

And what we're learning about ourselves on the golf course has a funny way of showing up in the rest of our lives.

Your past golf experiences don't have to predict your future.

Let's find out what else might be possible.

Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE

How many shots is your mental golf costing you?
Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com

Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE

Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching

Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook

Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain

Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book

Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com

Website: KathyHartWood.com

Why is it so easy to remember the one bad golf shot and forget all the things you did well?

It has a lot to do with negativity bias—your brain's natural tendency to notice, remember, and give more weight to negative experiences. And understanding this tendency can make a big difference in your golf mental game.

One missed putt becomes “I can't putt.” One bad drive becomes “My driver is terrible.” Two bad holes somehow become the story of an otherwise solid round.

In this episode of Think Above Par, mental golf coach Kathy Hart explains how negativity bias affects your golf mindset, why your brain automatically looks for what's wrong, and how negative thoughts can begin influencing the rest of your round.

You'll also learn why intentionally noticing your mental wins can help you develop a more accurate picture of your golf game and the golfer you're becoming.

This isn't about ignoring bad shots or forcing yourself to think positively. It's about learning to manage your mind on the golf course—and making sure one bad shot doesn't become the verdict on your entire round.

Your brain is already pretty good at keeping score of what went wrong. It's time to teach it to keep score of what went right.

Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE

How many shots is your mental golf costing you?
Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com

Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE

Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching

Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook

Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain

Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book

Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com

Website: KathyHartWood.com

What if the way you think on the golf course isn't just a golf problem?

The patterns you practice in everyday life often come with you to the course. Perfectionism. People pleasing. Overthinking. Catastrophizing. The need for control. Fear of failure. Self-criticism. Even the tendency to take care of everyone else while forgetting about yourself.

In this episode of Think Above Par, Kathy explores how these familiar patterns can show up in your golf game—and how the golf course can become a powerful place to recognize them and practice responding differently.

You'll learn why a bad shot can trigger the same mental habits you experience off the course, how even useful traits can sometimes work against you, and why the goal isn't necessarily to change who you are. It's to become aware of your patterns and ask:

Is this pattern helping me here?

Because golf doesn't just reveal your swing. It reveals your patterns. And once you can see a pattern, you have an opportunity to practice a different response—on the course and off.

Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE

How many shots is your mental golf costing you?
Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com

Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE

Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching

Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook

Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain

Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book

Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com

Website: KathyHartWood.com