#80: [Inside the Mind] Shaun Diachkoff: Get Golf Strong, Hit More Bombs, and Conquer Chronic Low-Back Pain

In this high-energy and value-packed episode of The Scratch Golfer’s Mindset Podcast, I sit down with Shaun Diachkoff, founder of Fairway Performance, to dive deep into how golf-specific fitness transforms not just your physical game, but your mental edge as well.

Shaun’s background in the Australian military, paired with his deep experience in strength and conditioning, offers a no-BS, high-accountability approach to training that’s rooted in discipline, structure, and personalization. 

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• How discipline and daily structure from Shaun’s military background translate to golf and business success
• The difference between mobility, flexibility, and stability—and why most golfers get it wrong
• What golf fitness really means, and how to tailor your workouts to your specific swing, body type, and performance goals
• Why strength is your ultimate insurance policy against injury
• The critical importance of power and speed training—and how to implement them safely and effectively
• How better fitness directly fuels your mental stamina, clarity, and confidence during every round

Whether you’re recovering from injury, struggling to break 80, or want to future-proof your body for decades of better golf, this episode lays out the exact roadmap to do so. Shaun delivers clear, actionable insight on how to train smarter, not harder—and how your body is your greatest golf asset when properly trained.

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 Shaun

Shaun is a golf fitness coach with over 15 years of personal training experience, including nearly a decade as a gym owner and the past five years specialising in coaching golfers. He believes in assessing, not guessing, to create personalised programs tailored to each golfer’s unique needs and goals. 

His expertise lies in improving strength, mobility, and performance on the course, helping clients eliminate back pain, hit longer drives, and build consistent training habits. Known for his no-nonsense approach, Shaun delivers results by cutting through the fluff and focusing on what works so clients spend the least amount of time in the gym possible for the best results on course!

• Work with Shaun
• Follow Shaun on Instagram - @shaun.diachkoff 

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
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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:

• Discipline creates identity. Shaun shares how military habits like structure and routine create consistency, build momentum, and ultimately forge a new identity—on or off the course.
• Mobility vs. flexibility. Know the difference. Flexibility is muscle length. Mobility is joint function. Most golfers confuse the two.
• Stability is strength. You can’t build power without stability. Unilateral work like split squats and lunges balances your body and reduces swing faults.
• Power vs. speed training. Power is potential. Speed is expression. Both require different protocols in the gym—and both matter to golf.
• Low back pain? Look elsewhere. Most back pain isn’t from the back itself—it’s a consequence of limited mobility in the hips or thoracic spine.
• Fitness fuels mental energy. A fitter body reduces fatigue, improves focus, and boosts resilience—so you don’t fall apart late in your round.

Key Quotes:

• What was once impossible becomes inevitable.
• Small hinges swing big doors.
• Fitness is the gateway to personal development.
• Stability is strength. And strength is injury prevention.
• You can’t outscore your body.

Time Stamps:

• 00:00 The Impact of Military Discipline on Life
• 02:57 Building Momentum Through Daily Habits
• 06:02 The Importance of Morning Routines
• 09:00 Understanding Golf Fitness
• 12:02 Common Misconceptions in Golf Training
• 14:58 The Role of Mobility, Flexibility, and Stability
• 17:50 The Connection Between Fitness and Golf Performance
• 26:50 Balancing Strength and Stability in Golf
• 32:51 The Importance of Mobility and Range of Motion
• 33:11 Understanding Speed vs. Power Training
• 40:14 Mental Benefits of Speed and Power Training
• 45:17 Addressing Chronic Back Pain in Golfers