Mindset Coaching For Golf

[19th hole]

Evening all...I'm hoping for some opinions from you knowledgeable people....

So my day job is that I'm an Executive Coach, Hypnotherapist and Neuro Linguistic Programming Practitioner. I typically work with Businesses and individuals to change/improve, amongst other things, mindsets and thought processes. Recently I started working with a young lad at my home club who has just turned pro to help with his mindset when playing competitive golf and the feedback has been really positive. I'm a 7 handicapper so a long way from being a pro myself.

Do you think that there is a market for Mindset Training in the amateur game or are people satisfied with just booking a lesson with their local club pro? Any opinions valued.

 

[fundy]

Personally think there is a demand but its quite small (but should be bigger based on a lot of the golfers ive played with!). Have used one myself previously and wouldnt hesitate to do so again in the future, I think the issue you may find is you will be able to charge more in the business world than you can for a "golf lesson" and its quite hard to quantify the effect of a "mind" lesson and whether it is successful for the golfer

 

[19th hole]

Personally think there is a demand but its quite small (but should be bigger based on a lot of the golfers ive played with!). Have used one myself previously and wouldnt hesitate to do so again in the future, I think the issue you may find is you will be able to charge more in the business world than you can for a "golf lesson" and its quite hard to quantify the effect of a "mind" lesson and whether it is successful for the golfer

I tend to agree - certainly around the golf lesson charge vs business day-rate charge.

 

[BrianM]

How much would a session typically cost?

 

[19th hole]

How much would a session typically cost?

Not really sure to be honest. In my 'proper' work I charge far more than a golf lesson but I think that for this type of thing it would have to inline with the cost of a lesson with a club pro. What do you think?

 

[patricks148]

How much would a session typically cost?

Brian, just get the wife to whisper , you are a great golfer in your lugg while you are asleep, job done

 

[HomerJSimpson]

It's an interesting topic. I was lucky enough to get the chance to do some work with a guy called James Lambdon (Think Clearly Golf) and he was very good. Nothing earth shattering and if I'm honest revisited a lot of stuff I got involved in with GOlf Monthly and New Golf Thinking at the Grove a few years back. Sometimes you just need the same things said a different way. Just putting this out there to the OP but why not get a list of interested parties on here, pick one and offer a couple of sessions and get the lucky person to feed back how it's helped their game. Nothing better than positive word of mouth

 

[louise_a]

By coincidence, a club local to me is advertising an evening on changing your mindset.
My personal thoughts are that unless you are a very good amateur golfer mindset doesn't play a great part

 

[pokerjoke]

I would have thought in the amateur game there will not be much demand,purely because we are not playing for enough money.

Maybe if you gave your services away for free to an up and coming pro to get your name out there.

Tough business to get into

 

[Walshie]

Hi,

I have recently started getting back into golf and I am really starting to get the bug for it.
I find my self watching and reading as much as I can on all sorts of different golf related tips. In what way would this be different to an ordinary Golf Lesson?

 

[19th hole]

It's an interesting topic. I was lucky enough to get the chance to do some work with a guy called James Lambdon (Think Clearly Golf) and he was very good. Nothing earth shattering and if I'm honest revisited a lot of stuff I got involved in with GOlf Monthly and New Golf Thinking at the Grove a few years back. Sometimes you just need the same things said a different way. Just putting this out there to the OP but why not get a list of interested parties on here, pick one and offer a couple of sessions and get the lucky person to feed back how it's helped their game. Nothing better than positive word of mouth

Great idea Homer! Thank you.
If anyone is interested in a couple of sessions (for free) then please let me know. I'm based in the Kent/Surrey/South London area so the closer the better. I'm happy to travel within an hour or so.

 

[pokerjoke]

It's an interesting topic. I was lucky enough to get the chance to do some work with a guy called James Lambdon (Think Clearly Golf) and he was very good. Nothing earth shattering and if I'm honest revisited a lot of stuff I got involved in with GOlf Monthly and New Golf Thinking at the Grove a few years back. Sometimes you just need the same things said a different way. Just putting this out there to the OP but why not get a list of interested parties on here, pick one and offer a couple of sessions and get the lucky person to feed back how it's helped their game. Nothing better than positive word of mouth

Prime example that’s for some it’s pointless.
No disrespect Homer but in a lot of threads your so negative with your comments it’s hard to see you ever being overly positive.

 

[19th hole]

Hi,

I have recently started getting back into golf and I am really starting to get the bug for it.
I find my self watching and reading as much as I can on all sorts of different golf related tips. In what way would this be different to an ordinary Golf Lesson?

That would be determined by the outcome that you were looking for.
For example, if you wanted to work on controlling nerves on the first tee or when standing over a winning putt then we could work on that. I'm sure there are plenty of people that could work on keeping their head after a bad shot!

 

[duncan mackie]

The fundamental dynamic is pretty simple - Below elite level handicap golfers will see any competitive improvement offset by a handicap reduction ie there is no long term competitive advantage.

Whilst you might point to the numerous aspects of people paying for clubs and balls marketed to deliver performance improvements as contrary to the above ststement; for most they reflect a visible manifestation of their being a better golfer (most without actually achieving it), so that's ok 🤔

Lessons from the professional that have visible, to others, benefit (swing, distance etc) are more sought after than putting and general short game work for the same reason.

Long and the short - get involved for other than money in the handicap golfer game; don't expect a financial return from that market.

If you can break into the top professional sector there are huge benefits to be had. In the modern mass media world you may not need to publish loads of books before you get taken seriously (uncle Bob).
If I was you, and believing I was that good, wished to break into that market, I would start by getting involved pro bono with up and coming youngsters via England Golf (but you would have competition!).

 

[chrisd]

Apparently less than 20% of club members at my place even have a lesson from a pro on improving their swing etc so I'd say the demand for golf psychology is pretty small. I've read several books on the subject and do find it interesting though.

 

[Slab]

I would have thought in the amateur game there will not be much demand,purely because we are not playing for enough money.

Maybe if you gave your services away for free to an up and coming pro to get your name out there.

Tough business to get into

While I get the intention behind such an offer, in my experience & excluding favours for family etc, if you offer your skills for free that's exactly the worth people will attach to them

 

[HomerJSimpson]

Prime example that’s for some it’s pointless.
No disrespect Homer but in a lot of threads your so negative with your comments it’s hard to see you ever being overly positive.

You'd be surprised. What you see isn't always what you get. I am much stronger mentally on the course these days, and so I guess positive too and I am finding a lot of the time (not always) I can turn what use to be a horrid 25 points into a palatable 30 by staying focused and not chucking it all in. Bad shots are far less destructive and I am getting better at not compounding errors and bouncing back on the next hole. I've still a long way to go and it's an area that really interest me, even at my humble level.

 

[Britishshooting]

Unfortunately I think most amateurs overlook this aspect of their game, I know most of my playing partners do.

Mindset was my biggest wall so something I had to address, biggest improvement to my game to date and best money spent.

It may or may not work wonders for others but I was terrible for focusing on the negative, inadvertently using words that would trigger a negative response in my nervous system.

Instead of visualising the shot I wanted to hit in pressure situations I’d tell myself ‘Don’t push this right OOB’ guess what would happen as a result.

Understanding how the brain works and how this can affect your body and swing is a huge advantage to have.

Many other aspects to this but just one of the main ones for me.

 

[Capella]

I did have the chance to work with a mental coach (he was a retired pediatrician with an interest in psychology, if I remember correctly, and a trained hypno-therapist and NLP trainer, but a mid-handicap golfer who had picked up the game late in life), and even though by most standards I was a crappy golfer before and am still a crappy golfer afterwards, it was a total game changer for me. As I said: I don't necessarily play much better now (even though I would say my game got more stable because bad shots do not put me into that unstoppable downward spiral anymore), but I do get a lot more enjoyment out of my golf. It definitely was one of the best golf related training/practice things I ever did.

There are so many mental issues that can massivley influence your game, no matter if you are a high handicapped amateur or an aspiring pro, that I would say there are benefits to be had for any level of golfer. Be it first tee nerves, anciety or anger issues, the fear of winning ... you name it. Not every golfer will be open to the idea (just as with things like yoga for better flexibilty or strength training), and that is fine, but if you do offer mental coaching at a golf club, I am sure some of the members would try it out and hopefully benefit from it. It should not cost more than a lesson with the local pro, though (and also, you should probably talk to him about it beforehand, because it is important that he does not feel like you are taking business away from him).

 

[19th hole]

Apparently less than 20% of club members at my place even have a lesson from a pro on improving their swing etc so I'd say the demand for golf psychology is pretty small. I've read several books on the subject and do find it interesting though.

I did have the chance to work with a mental coach (he was a retired pediatrician with an interest in psychology, if I remember correctly, and a trained hypno-therapist and NLP trainer, but a mid-handicap golfer who had picked up the game late in life), and even though by most standards I was a crappy golfer before and am still a crappy golfer afterwards, it was a total game changer for me. As I said: I don't necessarily play much better now (even though I would say my game got more stable because bad shots do not put me into that unstoppable downward spiral anymore), but I do get a lot more enjoyment out of my golf. It definitely was one of the best golf related training/practice things I ever did.

There are so many mental issues that can massivley influence your game, no matter if you are a high handicapped amateur or an aspiring pro, that I would say there are benefits to be had for any level of golfer. Be it first tee nerves, anciety or anger issues, the fear of winning ... you name it. Not every golfer will be open to the idea (just as with things like yoga for better flexibilty or strength training), and that is fine, but if you do offer mental coaching at a golf club, I am sure some of the members would try it out and hopefully benefit from it. It should not cost more than a lesson with the local pro, though (and also, you should probably talk to him about it beforehand, because it is important that he does not feel like you are taking business away from him).

That’s a great insight - thank you.
I didn’t consider that increasing enjoyment of the game would be an outcome people would be looking for but it would be of enormous benefit to lots of club golfers.