Golfers who struggle the most with their golf psychology tend to over-think and over-analyze. Analytical golfers are unusually smart, especially when it comes to solving problems. Unfortunately, this quality can get you into trouble in golf.
Here’s the problem with being a superstar problem-solver. You fall in love with your own brain.
You try to use your head (intellect) to solve every problem, including the ones in golf. You get so good at using your intellect you can’t remember how to trust your body or your heart anymore.
There’s an old adage. “When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” If the only tool for peak performance you have is your intellect, you’ll use it to solve every problem out there.
This is bad.
It’s bad because you second-guess your body. You override your sixth sense in golf.
Instead of cultivating your Great Jock Mind, you snuff it out. It lays dormant inside you. It might surface every now and again by accident.
When it does, it’s glorious. You’re glorious. But then you chase it away by over-analysing.
Here’s what golf pro John Daly said about over-thinking: “The average golfer steps up to the ball and starts thinking a mile a minute. ‘What’s my target line, how’s my grip, where are my elbows, take it back low and slow, remember to pivot, cock my wrists, bring my shoulder down…By the time I’m ready to start my swing, I’ve stopped thinking…what I try to do is go blank. Not consciously think about ANYTHING.”
John admits it took him a long, long time to learn how to stop over-thinking everything. You can do it in as little as week simply by refusing to engage your analytical mind and trusting your body instead.
Instead of over-analyzing, you play with confidence and relaxation. You gain a winning golf psychology consistently and effortlessly.