Welcome

Welcome to issue number 45 of The 3 Minute Golfer. This FREE, weekly publication is here to help every golfer improve their mental game and their personal wellbeing. 

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In this issue:

• The Let-down Effect

• Wellness Tip – The Pros and Cons of Aspirin

• Mental Demons Q+A

• In Person Events - Book The 3 Minute Golfer

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The Let-down Effect

Ever walk off the course riding on a mental high…every putt falling, every fairway finding your ball, your swing so automatic it’s like someone else was in control? For four glorious hours, golf felt easy. Manageable. Logical. And then, cruelly, the very next round arrives and everything collapses. The swing you trusted deserts you, wedges come off thin and hot, and putts that should drop somehow dodge the hole like it’s personal.

This isn’t just bad luck. It’s the psychological weight of trying to repeat excellence. Call it “The Let-down Effect.” The mental strain of following a career best round with expectations you didn’t even realise you were carrying. One great round quietly rewrites the story in your head…from hoping to play well, to expecting to. And expectation in golf is a dangerous thing. It tightens your grip, speeds up your tempo, and turns a free-flowing swing into something forced and fragile.

The emotional arc is almost always the same. You roll in a monster putt on the 18th to post your best score ever. There are smiles, handshakes, and a drive home where you replay every shot, convincing yourself you’ve “figured it out.” But as the week goes on, confidence quietly mutates into pressure. You start planning how to go even lower…but you start remembering all the rounds where nothing worked, and doubt creeps in, dressed up as preparation.

Then you step onto the first tee the next time out, no longer relaxed, no longer curious. You’re trying to protect something. Hope and fear collide, your arousal level spikes, and suddenly the game demands explanations instead of satisfying answers. When the first shot goes wrong, panic sets in. “Why can’t I do what I did last week?” And, just like that, the mind that carried you to greatness becomes the very thing standing in your way.

Great Rounds…for most golfers are few and far between. When you have a great round, you’re typically in the perfect zone…focused, but not too intense. After that epic day, it’s easy to let your guard down. You expect that same effortless rhythm to magically appear, so you either underprepare or over-psych yourself trying to recreate perfection. Either way, your sweet-spot level of arousal is out of whack. And it’s easy to get over aroused when your real ability doesn’t align with your spurious expectations. 

Pro Tips…To Minimise the Let-down

Manage Your Negative Internal Commentary…When your 5-iron starts to misbehave, and your brain starts chirping, “You stink. How did you ever think you could actually play like Rory? You can’t even play like Tony behind the bar.” This negative internal commentary is one of the biggest pitfalls for golfers. When the mental chatter ramps up, your swing mechanics break down. The moment you realise you’re ruminating on your deficiencies…take a deep breath and reset by saying to yourself something like “Smooth,” or “Tempo.” It works better than self-flagellation.

Create a Calming Pre-Round Routine…A calm, familiar pre-round process helps ready your mind for the game. Most brains relax best when the routine is familiar and unbothered. Your mind loves a tranquil tempo rather than rushed stress heading to the first tee.

Keep Your Mind on the Job…If you start dwelling on the last shot or daydreaming about your record-breaking round last week, consciously bring your attention back to the present. Your next shot doesn’t care what you scored yesterday…only what you’re doing right now.

Accept Imperfection…The odds are definite that you’re not going to replicate that best round every time. You’re human, and golf has a cruel sense of humour. Relax, embrace the challenge, and set realistic goals to sustain your sense of focus. Golf is funny…one day, you’re the talk of the club and the next, you’re searching for your balls on neighbouring fairways. The key is realising that your mind isn’t a machine programmed for guaranteed repetition. Your concentration and focus need to be nurtured, especially after a great performance when you’re lulled into a false sense of ability.

Embrace…the let-down effect as part of the game. It reminds you that golf is about the journey…one that, ironically, is easiest when you’re not expecting perfection. Keep your arousal in check, talk kindly to yourself, and give yourself a break if you shoot 10 shots worse than your personal best. Because you never know…tomorrow might be the day you do it all over again.

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