Welcome

Welcome to issue number 50 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 Duel Between Impulse and Caution

• Wellness Tip – Do Politics Ruin Your Health?

• Mental Demons Q+A

• In Person Events - Book The 3 Minute Golfer

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The Duel Between Impulse and Caution

Golf is a place where wild impulsiveness duels strategic caution at every swing. One moment you are convinced to smash a drive over the trees…the next, you’re sensibly plotting to lay up. 

Every round features a quiet tug-of-war between the urge to swing freely in the moment and the discipline to plan, calculate, and wait. Impulse promises creativity and confidence, while strategy offers control and consistency. Together, they shape not only how you play, but how you experience the game.

Playing golf on impulse is fuelled by instinct and feel. You see the shot, trust your hands, and pull the trigger without overthinking. This mindset can lead to inspired moments…a daring carry over water, a perfectly judged flop shot, or a confident punch through a narrow opening in the trees. Impulse thrives on rhythm and momentum, and when it’s working, the game feels effortless. However, unchecked impulse can also invite risk, turning bold decisions into costly mistakes.

Strategic caution, by contrast, is rooted in restraint and foresight. You weigh the wind, your lie, distance, and trouble before committing to a shot. Strategy often favours safer targets, smarter club selection, and acceptance of pars and bogies rather than chasing birdies and eagles. It may lack the flair of your impulsive play, but it builds your score through patience and probability. Still, too much caution can stiffen a swing, slow decision-making, and drain confidence.

What makes golf uniquely fascinating is that these two mental states are not fixed…they can switch in your brain from shot to shot. You might attack a par-five green in two on impulse, then immediately revert to strategic caution with a conservative lag putt. One swing invites freedom, the next demands discipline. Your best golf will be played when you learn to recognise which mindset is required in different situations…and to transition smoothly between them without emotional whiplash.

Ultimately, success in golf doesn’t belong solely to impulse or strategy, but to the balance between the two. The art lies in knowing when to trust instinct and when to respect the percentages. A round well played is not one devoid of risk or spontaneity, but one where boldness is intentional and caution is confident. In that ongoing duel, the golfer who listens closely to the course and the moment usually performs best.

What the Research Says

Optimists…lean toward the positives, always seeing the opportunity for improbable outcomes, whereas pessimists tend to see trouble around every corner. (Springer) Optimists are often a little more impulsive, while pessimists play mostly with caution.

Risk Behaviour…isn’t a single trait but depends on impulses, perceptions, and emotional states that are contextual and flexible rather than fixed. (ScienceDirect)

Decisions…that affect other people often tilt you towards more conservative behaviour…even if you would otherwise go for glory. (ScienceDaily)

Dual Control…is required to successfully manage the emotional, fast-acting impulsive part and the slower, cautious analytical sides of your brain. (ScienceDirect) Research shows people toggle between impulsive and analytical systems constantly.

See the References Here.