Welcome

Welcome to issue number eight 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:

• Arty…The Creative Mind

• Wellness Tip: Eating Your Way to Success

• Mental Demons Q+A

• In Person Events - Book The 3 Minute Golfer

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Arty…The Creative Mind

Ever watched a golfer who seems to relish the weirdest situations on the course…dancing off the fairway into the deep rough, with a mischievous grin, like they’ve just stumbled upon some secret treasure chest hidden behind a bush? No, they’re not entirely bonkers. This is the type of golfer who thrives on creative challenges and isn’t afraid to get clever with their play. They’re the trick-shot artists, the high-risk, high-reward adventurers who find joy, not frustration, in the improbable chip from the bunker-laden Bermuda triangle of Hole 12…..they are the players with an Arty mental style.

Arty is the golfer who, rather than playing it safe and chipping out to the fairway, eyes the narrow gap between two towering pines and thinks, “Ooh, what if?” They’re the ones who see golf less like a strict puzzle to be solved (Plotty) and more like a sandbox for their imagination. When the rest of us are silently panicking…heart pounding, palms sweating…over a ball precariously perched on a root, they’re casually thinking, “Hey, I bet I can flop it onto that tuft of grass and let gravity do the rest!”

The Science Behind Arty’s Mindset

So, what’s going on in Arty’s head? Research suggests that a golfer’s personality and approach are key drivers of performance under pressure (Weinberg & Gould, 2015). Arty golfers often have a high tolerance for perceived risk, a strong sense of self-confidence, and a preference for adaptive problem-solving. Basically, they are not playing just to avoid mistakes…they’re playing to create magic.

Sport psychologists talk about being “task-involved,” focusing on personal improvement, challenging oneself, and engaging in the experience rather than worrying about impressing anyone else (Duda & Treasure, 2010). Arty tends to embrace this mental style, harnessing all their thought energy into the shot itself rather than the scorecard or the critical gaze of their playing partners…who have their own mental styles.

Hungarian-American psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi (1990) conceived the concept of “a flow state” where a person is so absorbed in an activity that time warps and the inner critic takes a short nap. Arty often slips into flow when faced with improbable shots. With their hearts thumping just the right amount, their mind focuses on the challenge at hand rather than the rattling voice of doubt in their heads.

It’s a bit like being at the playground as a kid: Remember that feeling when you decided to skateboard off a makeshift ramp, knowing full well it might end in grass stains and a bruised knee but going for it anyway, because, hey, what if it’s awesome? That’s the headspace Arty inhabits…the sweet spot between excitement and panic…like a tightrope walker who prefers the wind to be just a bit gusty.

Pro Tips for Tapping Into Your Arty Side

Zone In: Instead of spiraling into worst-case scenarios, try zoning in on the shot you’re about to create. Think of it like cooking a tasty meal…focus on the ingredients, the pan heat, the perfect sizzle…and don’t waste mental energy picturing the fire alarm blaring.

Manage Your Internal Chatter: When you face a high-stakes shot, that voice in your head might say, “You’re going to dunk it in the water.” Block that out and start saying…“I’m curious to see what happens if I try this.” Shift your self-talk from doubt to curiosity. This subtle shift can keep you engaged and confident.

Balance Your Arousal: Feeling a bit too pumped up…heart racing…take a deep breath, wiggle your toes in your golf shoes, and remind yourself…this is fun. On the flip side, if you’re feeling flat like a limp headcover, snap yourself out of it with a simple body shake, a few practice swings, or a quick mental image of a similar shot you’ve pulled off before.

Embrace Failure as a Learning Opportunity: Not every daring shot will go as planned but you will certainly learn something new every time. Perhaps a better sense of where to aim the ball, or at least an improved ability to find a ball in thick rough. Remember, if you’re not failing occasionally, you’re not experimenting enough.

You don’t have to become a full-time daredevil to benefit from the Arty mental style. Even small shifts, like daring to shape a shot around a tree or attempting that gentle flop over a bunker, can spark the creativity, confidence, and possible flow state. So, next time you find yourself in an awkward lie, stymied behind a tree, or perched on a hillside that looks more like a ski slope, channel your inner Arty…and ask yourself, “What if?” and swing away with a smile.

See the References Here.