Golf Psycho Podcast

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In episode 14 of The Golf Psycho Podcast, Carlos and Laurie tackle one of the most common and least talked-about reasons golfers stop improving: the difference between putting in effort and putting in skilled effort.

Carlos opens up about the 20 years he spent stuck at the same score, and the exact framework (programming, accountability, and support) that finally broke the plateau — including the raw, unedited moment he broke a personal best he'd held since he was 17. Then Laurie and Carlos walk through 5 practical tips you can start using in your very next practice session, whether you're working with a coach or figuring it out on your own.

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Too many golfers guess their way through 100 yards and in. Carlos and Raul break down Raul's wedge play at the Firecracker tournament and build the system for turning that guesswork into confidence — mapping wedge distances by swing speed and clock position, fixing the belief systems that quietly sabotage practice ("my bunker game is trash"), and using the same mental game skills that got Raul out of a first-hole spiral.

Pairs directly with our previous episode on putting under tournament pressure — listen to that one first if you haven't yet.

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You're not missing putts because of your stroke — you're missing them because you're guessing. Carlos and Raul break down how to read grain on the green, how to calibrate your real putting distances instead of eyeballing them, and why the state you arrive at the green in decides how confident you feel over every putt. Includes the alignment-stick distance drill a touring pro taught Carlos, and two real three-putts from Raul's last tournament that came down to grain, not stroke.

NOTE: BE SURE TO CHECK OUT OUR EPISODE ON POST-SHOT ROUTINE TO HELP TIE THIS IN!

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Golfers don't lose tournaments on the back nine — they lose them on hole 1. In this episode, Carlos sits down with Raul to break down a real tournament round at the Firecracker in Austin, where an unmanaged nervous system turned a short par 4 into an 8 before the round ever got going — and the exact adjustments that turned the back nine into five-plus birdie chances.

Carlos and Raul dig into why "just relax" doesn't work, how nervous system dysregulation shows up in your hands before it shows up on the scorecard, and the two pre-round habits — intention-setting and warmed-up breathing — that keep golfers out of the first-tee spiral entirely. Carlos also walks through a live 4-4 / 4-8 breathing demo and the most common mistakes golfers make when they try it.

If you're a competitive or serious amateur golfer who's ever felt your first tee shot slip away from nerves, this episode gives you the actual mechanism behind it — and what to do about it before you ever get to the course.


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✅ Like this video
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✅ Drop a comment with your biggest takeaway
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🎧 Listen on the go: Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms
🔗 Podcast Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523086

🚀 Work With Us: Book a Golf Mental Game Lesson or custom Golf Psycho Assessment 👉 https://calendly.com/golfpsychopodcast
📩 DM us on Instagram or email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://www.thegolfpsycho.com/

🎥 Filmed by L&C Media Productions – https://www.lcmediaatx.com/


00:00 – Intro: Why round 1 nerves cost golfers strokes
01:37 – Raul's tournament backstory and pre-round nerves
02:54 – Hole 1 breakdown: wrong club, ruling confusion, blown-up 8
05:15 – Hole 2 struggles and the shift toward breathing
06:46 – Carlos steps in as caddy — the turning point
08:59 – Tip 1: Set an intention before you tee off
10:13 – Tip 2: Warm up your breathing before you warm up your swing
18:43 – Why tournaments only feel like "a different beast"
20:16 – Watch your hands: grip tension, adrenaline, and the "won't this distract me" myth
27:09 – Live 4-4 / 4-8 breathing demo + common mistakes
30:47 – Recap and what's next: mental game for putting

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n this episode of Golf Psycho, Carlos (golf mental game coach) and Laurie (occupational therapist co-host) dissect the psychological battle that raged behind the scenes at the 2025 Ryder Cup. With hostility, heckling, and poor crowd behavior making front page headlines, we dig into:

• Which players showed mental steel (and when)
• How Europe's team seemed more resilient overall
• Moments when U.S. players looked shaken by pressure + crowd noise
• Key mental game strategies you can use when distractions hit
• OT + neuroscience insight: how your brain processes heckling and noise

Whether you're in a local tournament or just chasing personal bests, this is a masterclass in staying composed under fire.

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Struggling with blow-ups on the front 9? You’re not alone. In this episode of Golf Psycho, Golf Mental Game Coach Carlos and Occupational Therapist Laurie break down why golfers fall apart early in the round — and how to turn things around before it’s too late.

We cover:
⛳ The mindset mistakes that sabotage your front 9
🧠 How to reset your mental game after a bad shot or bad hole
📋 Practical strategies you can use on the course today
💡 What tour pros do to stay calm under pressure

This is a no-fluff, real conversation blending sports psychology and occupational therapy insights. If you’ve ever walked off the 9th tee frustrated and mentally drained, this episode is for you.

Chapters
0:00 – Intro

2:51 – Tip 1 - The Mindset Update

10:17 – Tip 2 - Start Doing This

15:18 –  Tip 3 - What Pros Do

23:43 –   Tip 4 - The Big One

36:18 – Action steps for your next round

37:53 – Closing thoughts & Thank Yous! 

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In this episode of the Golf Psycho Podcast, golf mental game coach Carlos and co-host Laurie (occupational therapist and the other half of Golf Psycho) break down the tenacious mindset of Tommy Fleetwood.

After 164 starts on the PGA Tour, Fleetwood finally picked up his first win—a testament to mental toughness, patience, and fortitude. But what struggles did he face along the way? And what mental game strategies helped him persevere through years of close calls before breaking through?

Carlos and Laurie explore:

• The mental fortitude Fleetwood needed to keep competing without a win
• Possible struggles and self-doubt he endured during his journey
• How he may have reset his mindset to stay focused and resilient
• Practical lessons golfers can apply from Fleetwood’s story to their own game—on and off the course

Whether you’re chasing your first tournament win, grinding to lower your scores, or looking for more consistency, this episode will show you how to apply world-class mental game strategies to your golf journey.

 Subscribe for more episodes of the Golf Psycho Podcast – where the mental game meets real golf stories, struggles, and breakthroughs.

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On this episode of The Golf Psycho Podcast, Carlos and Laurie share the three-year journey of rewriting Carlos’s golf mental game—a journey filled with setbacks, breakthroughs, and habits that transformed frustration into freedom on the course.

You’ll hear:

Why support and accountability are more important than swing mechanics

How to track progress with post-round breakdowns

The role of celebrating small wins in mental performance

How a single club (the two iron!) became a turning point

Why our Mental Game Evaluation is changing golfers’ lives

👉 If your mental game is costing you strokes, stress, and confidence—this episode is for you.


🎙️ Subscribe to THE GOLF PSYCHO Podcast for weekly episodes on the golf mental game, mindset hacks, and how to play your best golf.

If you love Golf Sidekick, Good Good, or Rick Shields...this pod is for you!

A huge thank you to the love of my life Laurie. Love we finally did this and it will be here forever. Thank you for changing the way I look at the game. I couldn't have done it without you. I owe this all to you. Thank you for healing my game. Thank you for all your patience. Thank you for helping let go of what was never me to begin with. And most of all....thank you for your love. I cherish you. I LOVE you.

- C


🎯 Don’t Forget To:
✅ Like this video
✅ Subscribe for weekly Golf Psycho episodes
✅ Share with a golf buddy who needs this!

🎧 Listen on the go: Spotify, Apple Podcasts & all platforms
🔗 Podcast Link: https://www.buzzsprout.com/2523086

🚀 Work With Us: Book a Golf Mental Game Lesson or custom Golf Psycho Assessment 👉 https://calendly.com/golfpsychopodcast
📩 DM us on Instagram or email: [email protected]
🌐 Website: https://www.thegolfpsycho.com/

🎥 Filmed by L&C Media Productions – https://www.lcmediaatx.com/

⏱️ Chapters 

0:00 – Why the mental game almost broke me
 3:45 – The role of patience and repetition
 8:15 – Celebrating wins vs. focusing on failures
 12:40 – The two iron breakthrough
 18:25 – Support, accountability & habit change
 24:50 – Post-round breakdowns & tracking
 29:00 – The Mental Game Evaluation explained
 34:00 – How nervous system regulation impacts golf
 41:30 – Why support is the secret weapon
 46:00 – Closing thoughts & invitation

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 Welcome to Episode 6 of the Golf Psycho Podcast!

In this episode, golf mental game coach Carlos sits down with two of his former high school students — both Gen Z golfers who trained in the mental game during their teenage years. One is headed to play Division 3 collegiate golf, while the other stepped away from competitive golf and is now pursuing a career in film and video.

Together, they reflect on:

• The mental game lessons that helped them compete under pressure
• How golf psychology shaped their confidence, focus, and resilience
• Why mental game tools apply both on and off the course
• The realities of junior golf, pressure from tournaments, and transitioning to college
• How Gen Z golfers view golf, mindset, and life beyond the sport

 Whether you’re a parent of a junior golfer, a coach, or a player chasing your potential — this conversation shows how golf’s mental game creates lessons that last far beyond the scorecard. Episode Takeaway: “The mental game doesn’t just lower scores — it builds the confidence to handle life’s biggest moments.” Guests: Former Golf Mental Game Students Featuring: Gen Z golfers (D3 college player + student pursuing film)

Austin D. IG @austinduelley

Hudson M: IG @ h2m_cinematics

Work With Us: Book a Golf Mental Game Lesson or custom Golf Psycho Assessment  https://calendly.com/golfpsychopodcast 

DM us on Instagram or email: [email protected] Website: https://www.thegolfpsycho.com/ 

Filmed & Recorded by L&C Media Productions – https://www.lcmediaatx.com/

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In this episode of the Golf Psycho Podcast, golf mental game coach Carlos sits down with Johnnie, founder of the Austin golf community Caddy Issues. Together they dive into how Carlos completely re-wrote his golf mental game, finally breaking 20+ year scoring plateaus with proven strategies for focus, confidence, and mindset on the course.

You’ll learn:

1. Mental game shifts to overcome frustration and self-sabotage.
2. How to build a resilient golf mindset that lowers scores.
3. Why “keeping the vibes high” is key to better performance (Caddy Issues’ mantra).
4. Takeaways you can use immediately to stay calm, focused, and competitive.

Whether you’re a weekend golfer or chasing tournament wins, these golf psychology tips will help you break your old scores and enjoy the game at a higher level.

⛳ Episode Highlights

0:00 – Welcome w/ Carlos & Johnnie (Caddy Issues)
 1:22 – Building a golf community in Austin & growing the game
 6:08 – Taking a 10-year break & returning with old habits
 9:00 – Golf meltdowns, frustration & almost quitting again
 10:04 – Rewriting the mental game: accountability & progress tracking
 12:00 – Why gratitude became the foundation of mindset change
 14:18 – Anxiety = future, depression = past… golfers do both
 16:52 – Shooting 70s, then 80s… and the breakthrough shift
 18:07 – The real scoring key
 19:23 – Nervous system control & fight-or-flight on the course
 22:18 – “Loading the Who”: the pre-shot mindset reset
 30:44 – The Mo Willy tournament that changed everything
 35:42 – Golf, anxiety, depression & healing through presence
 38:34 – Golf as a spiritual practice & personal growth mirror
 42:36 – Breaking a 20+ year scoring plateau at Wolf Dancer
 47:34 – Shooting 74, 72, 71 after decades of struggle
 52:02 – Golf mental game = freedom & enjoyment again

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