Mind Caddie - Improve Your Mental Golf Game

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The key to better golf isn't thinking more, but thinking less?

In this episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by psychologist and author Dr. Dicken Bettinger for a in depth conversation about the mental game of golf, performance under pressure, stress, overthinking and the "no thought state."

Dicken explains why being in the zone isn't about eliminating thoughts, but changing our relationship with them. When golfers become caught up in thoughts about past mistakes, future shots, technique or results, they can lose connection with the present moment — and with the natural intelligence and skills they have already developed.

Karl and Dicken explore why stress can actually be a useful signal, how letting go of resistance can restore clarity, and why some of the best performances in golf happen when players stop trying to control every aspect of their game and simply respond to what is in front of them.

Drawing on Dicken's experiences with Sydney Banks and the Three Principles, this is a thought-provoking discussion about golf psychology, mindfulness, confidence, pressure and what happens when we learn to trust our training rather than getting trapped inside our heads.

If you've ever stood over a golf shot thinking too much, struggled with pressure, or wondered why your range swing disappears on the course, this conversation could change the way you understand your mental game.

In this episode, Karl Morris and Dr. Dicken Bettinger discuss:

• The "no thought state" and what it really means to be fully present on the golf course.

• Why overthinking, analysis and trying too hard can interfere with performance.

• How stress and pressure are created by our relationship with thought — and how they can become useful signals.

• Why golfers can lose access to skills they already possess when they become trapped in their heads.

• The connection between trust, training, intuition and peak performance in golf.

• The influence of Sydney Banks and the Three Principles, and how these ideas can transform our understanding of the mind and performance.

A fascinating exploration of the space between thinking about playing golf and actually playing golf.

Find out more from Dr. Dicken Bettinger here

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John Dunigan thinks improving your golf swing is not actually the key to improving your golf?

In this episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by renowned golf coach and skill-acquisition specialist John Dunigan for a conversation that challenges one of the biggest assumptions in modern golf coaching: that the swing itself is the skill.

John's simple but powerful phrase — "The swing is not the skill" — becomes the starting point for a much deeper discussion about how golfers actually learn to play better. Instead of obsessing over positions, mechanics and what the golf swing looks like, Karl and John explore what really matters: what you are trying to make the golf ball do, your awareness of the clubface, intention, feel, feedback and your ability to develop adaptable skills on the course.

PGA Tour Coach and Master Coach - John Dunigan explains why watching the steering wheel while driving would be just as strange as watching your putter during a stroke, and why golfers can become trapped trying to control movements rather than learning to control outcomes. The conversation moves into putting, clubface awareness, shot shaping, practice design and the importance of experimenting with different outcomes rather than treating every mistake as failure.

There is also a fascinating discussion about curiosity rather than judgment — using errors as information and learning from your own patterns and experience. As John puts it, golf can become an ongoing scientific experiment: see the shot, feel the movement, do it, review it, and learn from what happened.

For golfers heading into the winter practice season, this episode offers a very different way of thinking about golf improvement, practice, swing mechanics and performance under pressure.

If you've ever stood on the range trying desperately to perfect your swing, only to discover that the beautiful swing doesn't necessarily produce better scores, this conversation could change the way you practise.

The swing is not the skill. The swing is there to serve the shot.

• 🏌️ Why the golf swing should serve the shot — rather than become the goal itself

• 🎯 Clubface awareness, intention and why learning to control the ball matters more than perfect positions

• 🧠 How curiosity, experimentation and learning from mistakes can transform your practice and performance

More about John Dunigan: https://www.johndunigangolf.com

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In this episode of Mind Caddie, Carl Morris is joined by Feldenkrais teacher Dr Jeff Haller to explore the powerful relationship between movement, awareness, balance and performance. Jeff explains how the Feldenkrais Method can help golfers become more aware of their bodies, escape habitual movement patterns and access greater freedom and creativity in their game.

In this episode:

• The Feldenkrais Method explained — how curiosity, questions and awareness can reveal physical and neurological possibilities we didn't know we had.

• Why balance comes first — Jeff explains why the brain will always prioritise stability and safety, potentially overriding your conscious intention during the golf swing.

• Moving beyond technique — how golfers can become trapped trying to use technique to overcome anxiety, rather than developing greater awareness and freedom of movement.

• What happens at address — an intriguing look at posture, breathing, balance and the way golfers organise themselves before the club even moves.

• The importance of sensation — Jeff distinguishes between thinking, feeling, sensing and intention, and explains how reliable sensory experiences can help golfers discover new possibilities.

• From effort to exploration — why reducing effort and becoming genuinely curious about movement can help players escape old habits and find a more composed, spontaneous way of playing.

  More about Dr. Jeff Haller: https://www.insidemoves.org/Home

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Get a personalised mental game plan with Karl AI. Start Your 7-Day Free Trial Now. https://mindcaddie.app.link/B8OMj7jVv6b

Playing better golf starts with accepting bad shots rather than trying to prevent them.

In this episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by golf performance coach Jim Waldron for a deep dive into the mental game of golf, golf psychology, performance under pressure and the mind-body connection.

They explore why acceptance can be the foundation of better performance — and why trying to control your swing, your thoughts and your outcomes can actually make your golf worse.

In this episode:

• Acceptance and the mental game — why accepting every possible outcome can reduce threat and free you to perform.

• The yips and performance anxiety — why resistance can reinforce the yips and how changing your relationship with them can help.

• "Let's see what happens" — the simple mindset used by elite players to reduce emotional attachment to the outcome.

• Swing thoughts and overthinking — why micromanaging tiny movements on the golf course can interfere with natural movement and skill.

• The mind-body connection — using focused awareness and feel, particularly through the hands, grip and body, rather than constantly thinking about technique.

• Playing golf with freedom — moving from hope and fear towards acceptance, confidence, focus and a more carefree approach to performance.

A compelling conversation about golf mental toughness, confidence, focus, the yips, mindfulness, golf performance coaching and how to access the skills you already have.

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: Become Mentally Strong, When It Counts.

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

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📖 Get a FREE chapter from the Amazon best-seller Mind Caddie Book: https://web.mindcaddie.golf/

One of the biggest opportunities to lower your golf scores lies between 60 and 140 yards?

In this episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by renowned golf researcher and coach Dr. Sasho Mackenzie to explore the science of wedge play, distance control, practice, feel and skill development.

They discuss why better feedback can transform your practice, how technology can help develop genuine feel, and why becoming highly skilled with your wedges could give you the confidence to attack more pins and lower your scores.

In this episode:

• 🎯 Why 60–140 yards is a scoring sweet spot for many golfers
• 🧠 How feedback and feel actually help you develop skill
• 📊 Why measuring your real wedge performance can transform confidence
• 🏌️ The science behind Stack Wedge and smarter practice
• 🔥 Why contact, ball speed and distance control matter more than obsessing over swing positions
• ⚡ Sasho's insights into sequencing, speed and the full golf swing

A fascinating conversation for anyone looking to improve their golf, lower their handicap, practise more effectively and become a better wedge player.

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

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What if your worst golf could teach you more than your best? In this episode of Mind Caddie, Karl Morris talks to renowned performance psychologist Jared Tendler, author of Everyday Golf Psychology, about pressure, confidence, adaptability and why understanding your C game may be the key to becoming a more consistent golfer. Their conversation ranges from golf to professional poker, and explores how we can learn to research our own experience rather than simply trying to eliminate mistakes.

In this episode:

• Why Jared's own experience of choking in US Open qualifying changed the direction of his career
• The surprising connection between golf psychology and professional poker
• Why every golfer has an A, B and C game – and why narrowing the gap matters
• How to recognise the early signs of pressure, anger and overconfidence
• Why journaling and researching your own experience can transform your relationship with the game
• How better practice, clear intention and commitment create a more reliable feedback loop

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

Shop with code : MINDFACTOR10 at checkout for 10% OFF your next order at www.fenixxcell.com @fenixxcell

📖 Get a FREE chapter from the Amazon best-seller Mind Caddie Book: https://bit.ly/4yUqY0Q

What if accepting your worst golf could actually help you play your best?

Karl Morris is joined by renowned coach Randy Joyner for a fascinating conversation about why golfers — even the very best in the world — need to stop trying to control the game and start embracing what it actually gives them.

In this episode:

• Why Gary Woodland's cold top on the PGA Tour is a lesson for every golfer
• Why accepting bad shots can actually unlock better golf
• The difference between "positive thinking" and staying open to what's possible
• Why Randy believes golfers should influence the ball — not try to control it
• How Scottie Scheffler and Seve Ballesteros demonstrate the power of clear intention
• Why simplifying your golf swing could be the biggest breakthrough of all

Karl and Randy also dive into gratitude, the short game, feel, sound and why your body may be far better at playing golf than you give it credit for.

The more you accept the reality of golf, the more freedom you have to play it.

A thought-provoking conversation for anyone who wants to play better, think less and enjoy the game more.

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

Shop with code : MINDFACTOR10 at checkout for 10% OFF your next order at www.fenixxcell.com @fenixxcell

📖 Get a FREE chapter from the Amazon best-seller Mind Caddie Book: https://bit.ly/4yUqY0Q

What happens when the interviewer becomes the interviewee?

In this special episode of The Mind Caddie, Jim Waldron turns the tables on Karl Morris for a fascinating conversation about Karl's own journey through golf, coaching and the mental game.

Karl reveals how a 30-year struggle with his own golf ultimately transformed his approach to performance coaching — and why he believes golfers often look for answers in completely the wrong place.

In this episode:

• Karl's journey from teenage golfer to professional coach

• Why technical thinking can actually damage your golf

• His work with players including Louis Oosthuizen and Lee Westwood

• Why observation is the most important principle in the mental game

• How acceptance and gratitude can reduce the threat of golf

• Why creating your own definition of success could transform your game

A revealing conversation about golf psychology, confidence, performance and what it really takes to play better golf.

Perhaps the answer isn't another swing thought. Perhaps it's learning to stop thinking and start observing.

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

Shop with code : MINDFACTOR10 at checkout for 10% OFF your next order at www.fenixxcell.com @fenixxcell

📖 Get a FREE chapter from the Amazon best-seller Mind Caddie Book: https://bit.ly/4yUqY0Q

What if the reason you're not playing your best golf has almost nothing to do with your swing?

In this fascinating episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by renowned golf researcher Dr. Debbie Crews, and what she reveals about the brain could completely change the way you approach your next round.

Debbie has spent decades studying what happens inside the brains of golfers and other elite performers. Her latest research explores the different "mini-me's" that can appear on the golf course — the perfectionist, the worrier, the performer, the focused player, the frustrated player and more.

The remarkable discovery? They don't all produce the same brain patterns — and some versions of you are far better at playing golf than others.

Karl and Debbie explore why you should decide who you're going to be before you play, why the final second before the swing is so important, and why thinking about your technique when you're actually playing may be one of the worst things you can do.

They also reveal why target, feel, rhythm and timing can help the brain move away from conscious control and allow your subconscious skills to take over.

And if you've ever stood over a putt drowning in swing thoughts, alignment thoughts and technical information, Debbie has a wonderfully simple solution: get the clutter out of your golf and let your brain and body do what they've been trained to do.

This is a fascinating conversation about neuroscience, subconscious performance, decision-making and the hidden mental game of golf — with some remarkably practical ideas you can take straight onto the course.

• 🧠 Are you playing with the wrong "you"? Discover Debbie's fascinating research into the different "mini-me's" that emerge during a round.

• 🎯 Choose who you want to be — why deciding before you play which version of yourself you want on the course can transform performance.

• ⏱️ The final second matters — what brain research reveals about the crucial moment before the club starts moving.

• 🏌️ Stop thinking about your swing — why target, feel, rhythm and timing can outperform conscious technical control.

• 🧹 Declutter your golf — could all those routines, swing thoughts and pieces of information actually be making you worse?

• 🧠 Meet your "coach and team" — Debbie explains why your conscious mind should make the decision and then trust your subconscious to execute it.

• ⛳ Why indecision kills performance — why committing to a shot, even the wrong one, is better than standing over the ball with a question mark in your head.

• 🔥 The simplest golf instruction of all? Debbie's final message: get the ball in the hole and trust your team to figure it out.

If you've ever wondered why you can hit the ball beautifully on the range but struggle to reproduce it when it matters, this conversation could change the way you think about your game.

Find out more about OptiBrain here: https://www.myoptibrain.com/

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

Shop with code : MINDFACTOR10 at checkout for 10% OFF your next order at www.fenixxcell.com @fenixxcell

📖 Get a FREE chapter from the Amazon best-seller Mind Caddie Book: https://bit.ly/4yUqY0Q

What if one of the quickest ways to lower your scores has almost nothing to do with changing your golf swing?

In this episode of The Mind Caddie, Karl Morris is joined by world-renowned putting coach Phil Kenyon, who has worked with many of the very best golfers in the game, including Scottie Scheffler.

Karl and Phil explore why putting represents such a huge opportunity for golfers at every level and why simply spending more time on the putting green doesn't necessarily lead to improvement.

They break putting down into three crucial skills — face control, speed control and green reading — and discuss how to identify which area is actually costing you shots.

Phil explains why green reading is better thought of as a prediction skill, how feedback accelerates learning, and why many golfers practise putting without ever really knowing what they're trying to improve.

They also explore the difference between technical practice and performance practice, how elite players structure their putting sessions, and why understanding your own tendencies is far more valuable than constantly searching for the latest tip.

Phil shares fascinating insights from his work with Scottie Scheffler, including the importance of trusting intuition, accepting the inevitable ebb and flow of performance and developing a clear, repeatable approach rather than constantly searching for something new.

The conversation also looks back at legendary putting pioneer Harold Swash, Phil's mentor and one of the people responsible for establishing putting coaching as a specialist discipline.

A fascinating conversation about putting, learning and performance — and why becoming a better putter may be one of the most accessible ways to become a better golfer.

• Why face control, speed control and green reading are the three fundamental elements of putting performance.
• How to identify the low-hanging fruit that could improve your putting fastest.
• Why green reading should be viewed as a prediction skill, not simply something you either have or don't have.
• A simple way of using feedback to improve your ability to predict break.
• Why hitting three balls repeatedly on the practice green may be doing very little for your game.
• How the world's best players structure putting practice around their individual tendencies and biases.
• Why performance practice is essential if you want your putting skills to transfer onto the golf course.
• What recreational golfers can learn from Phil's work with Scottie Scheffler.
• Why constantly searching for technical fixes can actually make performance more difficult.
• The importance of accepting the natural ebb and flow of performance.
• Why putting offers club golfers an enormous opportunity to lower scores without requiring elite physical capabilities.
• How Phil's approach has evolved from a prescribed putting method towards treating every golfer as an individual case study.
• The influence of legendary putting coach Harold Swash on Phil's career and modern putting instruction.
• Why great coaching isn't necessarily about having a single method — it's about finding the right solution for the player in front of you.

Buy the Mind Caddie book: Mind Caddie: How to Become the Golfer You Know You Can Be

Become a Certified Mind Factor Coach: www.themindfactor.com

Join the Mind Caddie community: www.mindcaddie.golf

Shop with code : MINDFACTOR10 at checkout for 10% OFF your next order at www.fenixxcell.com @fenixxcell