#76: [Inside the Mind] Dr. Bob Winters (The Confidence Doctor): Building Confidence and Playing Mistake-Free Golf

In this powerful episode, I sit down with renowned sports psychologist Dr. Bob Winters - affectionately known as The Confidence Doctor - to explore how true confidence is built, sustained, and reclaimed after setbacks.

Dr. Winters explains why confidence isn’t something you’re born with - it’s something you build through competence, commitment, and mental resilience. He breaks down the difference between confidence, arrogance, and false bravado, and why confidence without skill is just noise. 

In today’s episode, you'll learn:

• Why confidence is earned—not inherited
• The difference between real confidence, arrogance, and bravado
• How to recover from slumps, setbacks, and embarrassing mistakes
• Why your physiology changes your psychology (and your performance)
• The two mindset trophies you must win before every round
• How to stop hitting “anyway” shots and start committing with clarity
• What Hakuna Matata and I can handle this have in common

If you want to win your club championship, break 80, or just stop getting in your own way, this episode is a must-listen (and re-listen).

Get your pencils ready and start listening. 

P.S. Curious to learn more about the results my clients are experiencing and what they say about working with me? Read more here.

More About Dr. Bob

Dr. Robert K. Winters, affectionately known as "Dr. Bob," is an internationally renowned sports psychologist, author, and professional speaker with over 45 years of experience in the field of sports performance. 

He holds a Ph.D. in Sport Psychology from the University of Virginia, along with Bachelor's and Master's degrees from Ball State University. Dr. Winters has dedicated his career to understanding the psychological components of athletic excellence, focusing on confidence development and mental toughness. 

He has worked with a diverse range of athletes, including PGA and LPGA Tour professionals, collegiate teams, and junior athletes

• Purchase “The 10 Commandments of Mindpower Golf”
• Connect on Instagram - @dr.bobwinters 

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
2. Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter
3. Download my “Play Your Best Round” free hypnosis audio recording.

High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching

Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential.

He has over 16 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential.

Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course. 

Instagram: @thegolfhypnotherapist 

Twitter: @parsoverbogeys

Key Takeaways:

• Confidence is not arrogance—it’s earned through competence and repetition
• Your environment, not your DNA, builds early confidence
• Commit 100% to your plan—especially when it matters most
• Real confidence doesn’t need external validation
• Your body language influences your brain: walk like a winner
• Persistence > talent. Confidence is a self-fulfilling prophecy

Key Quotes:

• Confidence is the mental and emotional strength to resist doubt, worry, and anxiety—and still move forward.
• The moment you change your mind, you change your game
• If you're always looking for others’ approval, you'll always be searching.
• You don’t fake it ‘til you make it. You do it until you become it.
• Average is a crowded place. Greatness is lonely—and worth it.

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 The Journey to Confidence
• 06:05 Defining Confidence vs. Arrogance
• 12:04 The Importance of Standing Out
• 15:57 Cultivating Confidence
• 24:08 Bouncing Back from Mistakes
• 29:02 Hakuna Matata: Embracing a Positive Mindset
• 31:14 The Connection Between Fitness and Confidence
• 38:11 Commitment: The Foundation of Confidence
• 44:47 Quality Over Quantity: The Right Practice
• 52:40 Creating Confidence Through Commitment