Welcome

Welcome to issue number seven 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:

• Plotty…The Strategy First Mindset

• Wellness Tip: Building Those Muscles

• Mental Demons Q+A

• In Person Events - Book The 3 Minute Golfer

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Plotty…The Strategy First Mindset

Ever tee off behind that golfer who seems to be muttering quietly, staring down the fairway as if plotting a daring escape from prison, rather than choosing a club for a Sunday round? These individuals are strategic golfers who approach each hole as a complex problem requiring a carefully planned solution...Plotty types. 

Instead of stepping up and smacking the ball with all their might, they consider wind direction, possible landing zones, the pin placement, slopes on the green, and probably mentally recite the club distances they memorised last night while brushing their teeth. They don’t just play golf…they plan it.

And guess what? Their obsessive planning doesn’t make Plotty totally weird. In fact, it often helps them perform better because they have a plan that can lead to more confidence, focused concentration and some positive outcomes. 

But not always…because even though the Plotty mental style has a lot of positives, they can be over analytical and prone to mental fuzz…the worst of the fuzzes when it comes to playing golf.

Solving A Puzzle

Plotty views the course as a dynamic puzzle, like a living, breathing Sudoku that changes with the wind. They think about “Where can I miss?” as much as “Where should I hit?” They weigh the risks and rewards, pulling from their internal library of shot histories and outcomes. 

To Plotty, each shot is more than just hitting the ball straight; it’s planning a chain of events that sets up for the next shot, and the next, and the next…a bit like playing chess with a 7-iron. They understand that even a tiny tweak, aiming a few yards to the left or choosing a hybrid instead of a driver can have a domino effect on their next shot.

They are the thinking person’s golfer.

Staying Present 

Another positive for the Plotty mental style, is they are generally good at staying present. Sure, they plan ahead, but they also know how to park themselves in the moment. They rarely let the last double-bogey cloud their judgement. Instead, they channel a kind of “golfer’s mindfulness,” giving full attention to the here and now.

Sport psychology research (Weinberg & Gould, 2019) suggests that being fully present reduces anxiety and helps a player engage with the shot at hand. No more worrying about the “What if I chunk it again?” Instead, Plotty is calmly asking, “What is the best shot I can play right now?” 

Staying present is a challenge for all golfers, particularly in the two crucial seconds. But Plotty is normally quite good at taking it just “one shot at a time,” and minimising any meltdown that could have them mumbling to their putter like it owes them money.

Internal Dialogue

Plotty tends to have an inner voice that’s less “heckler” and more “helpful caddie.” They rarely berate themselves with thoughts like, “You always slice when you try to cut the corner!” Instead, they will often say something like, “Let’s pick a target line that ensures a safe landing spot, even if you fade it a bit.”

In other words, they turn their internal dialogue into a positive, guiding commentary. According to Hardy (2006), adjusting self-talk to be more instructional and encouraging can enhance performance. Telling yourself you’re a “hacker” every time you shank one is a little self-defeating on a number of levels.

The best Plotty is good at building reinforcing self talk like… “Let’s choose a conservative club and aim for the middle of the green,” which helps their internal dialogue sound less negative and more like a golfer with a solid game plan.

Pro Tip

The Plotty types are meticulous planners that know how to stay present, keep their self-talk on point, and control their excitement levels. They are good at turning golf into a game of logic and low risk. 

Their two main potential downfalls are…trying to deal with way too much irrelevant information…and over-analysis. Imagine trying to juggle flaming torches while simultaneously solving a Rubik's Cube blindfolded. That’s what handling way too much data on the golf course can feel like and it can cause overload, indecision, and poor shot making. Plotty can also suffer from a dominoing loss of confidence when they make one or two errant shots that were not in the plan.

Their mind overload can be so intense at times that, by the time they swing, the probability of a good outcome fades significantly. So Plotty really needs to keep things simple and avoid turning golf into a brain-busting marathon of data points and mental gymnastics.

Every golfer needs a little Plotty in their game but keep it simple. Before your next shot, take a breath…notice the wind, pick a safe target and swing calmly…and avoid whipping out a rangefinder on every 30 yard shot.

See the References Here.