The Mental Golf Show

📕 Click this link to get Cameron Strachan's book UNF*CK YOUR GOLF BRAIN, plus bonus videos, a pre-round cheat sheet, and more: https://bit.ly/ufygb-josh

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Cameron Strachan was not a name I had heard before this. But when he reached out to me expressing interest in being on the show and shared his book UNF*CK YOUR GOLF BRAIN with me, I gave it a read and I was immediately hooked. I read over half of it in about 30 minutes. It's unlike any golf book I've ever read before. The best way I can describe it is a wakeup call to the golfer who is obsessed with mechanics and swinging "correctly" and looking good on camera. And despite what I've learned over the years I would put myself in that class of golfers. It's a refreshing read, and I encourage you to pick it up.

This conversation with Cameron was equally refreshing. It's crazy to think that someone saying "just be yourself, let it rip, and go play" is controversial, yet it is. And it kind of broke my brain at times. I think you'll like this one.

Here are some of the topics we cover:

Balancing Golf and Family Life

Freedom in Golf: Letting Go of Control

Instruction vs. Coaching: What Actually Helps?

Trusting Your Swing

Mastery vs. Expertise in Golf

Why Simplicity Wins in Golf

Performance, Psychology, and Enjoyment

What Makes Golf Legends’ Swings Unique

Golf as a Journey of Self-Discovery

Playing Freely: An Art Form

Letting Go Is Harder Than You Think

Giving Yourself Permission to Play Your Game

Learning Without Losing the Joy

The “Lazy and Stupid” Approach to Golf

From Expert to Mastery: The Real Shift

Trust and Self-Acceptance on the Course

The Radical Idea of Playing Freely

Simplifying Your Game, Elevating Your Results

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Mentioned in the episode:

🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!

🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.

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Josh's stuff:

📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.

📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips atjoshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.

👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com to work with Josh on your mental game.

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Podcast partners:

🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there.

🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.

⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.

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🔥 🧈 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

I had the pleasure of hosting Alex Fortey on the podcast. Alex is a content creator with over 300,000 subscribers on YouTube (The Art of Simple Golf). He's a pro golfer with some very strong opinions on the golf industry and golf instruction, and has some very honest takes on how to make golf simpler.

Some of the topics we cover:

The Complexity of Golf Instruction

Understanding the Disconnect in Golf Performance

The Importance of Setup in Golf

Simplifying Golf: The Art of Simple Golf

The Psychological Aspects of Golf

Overcoming Fear and Embracing Authenticity

The Journey of Improvement in Golf

The Pursuit of Perfection in Golf

The Role of Expectations in Performance

Finding Joy in the Game of Golf

The Impact of External Perceptions

The Power of a Simple Checklist

Reducing Variables for Better Performance

The Balance of Enjoyment and Competition

Future Goals and the Fear of Failure

Alex Fortey's YouTube channel: The Art of Simple Golf

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Mentioned in the episode:

⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.

🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there

🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.

📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.

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📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.

👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.

🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.

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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

Is chasing consistency actually hurting your golf game?

In this episode, I’m joined by Brendon Post — a longtime competitive player, coach, and caddie with decades of experience at the college and professional levels. Brendon brings a rare perspective from living on both sides of the rope: competing under pressure and watching the game with total clarity as a coach and caddie.

Topics covered:

Why your ability doesn’t disappear under pressure — your ability to access it does

How “tournament mode” creates mental clutter and breaks down trust

Why easy shots often produce more fear than hard ones

The danger of chasing repeatability and “perfect” ball striking

How acceptance has to be credible to actually work

Why messy golf can still produce low scores

The caddie/coach perspective vs. the player perspective

Swing thoughts vs. feels (and why it’s completely individual)

Course management as a true separator at higher levels

What to prioritize when time is limited: body, mind, and putting — not panic practice

This one genuinely changed how I think about practice and performance under pressure.

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🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.

🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there

🏋️‍♂️ FREE Nerd Fitness Golf Workout - Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!

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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.

📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.

👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.

🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.

⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.

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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

I had the honor of hosting Steven Yellin on the podcast. Steven is an author of the book Simplicity. He holds some very strong positions on how good golf must be played. But he claims they aren't his ideas, they are just the way the brain and the body work. I truly can't spell it all out here, you'll have to listen to know what I'm talking about. 

If you like this podcast in general, you're going to love this conversation with Steven Yellin.

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Steven Yellin's links:

Website: stevenyellin.com

Book: Simplicity: The Fluid Motion Factor Golf Program

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🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.

🎯 Shot Pattern - The Golf GPS App Designed to Help You Play Smarter Golf - Start a free trial and get 20% off by using the discount code 'MENTALGOLFSHOW' or click this link to go straight there

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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.

🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!

📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.

👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.

🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.

⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.

-----

🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.

🎓 The Perfect Pre-Shot Routine digital course - Dial in your pre-shot routine, play your best golf.

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I used to always play golf with a ton of fear. And frankly, I still play golf with fear. But not as much as I once did, thanks to an understanding of some of the core reasons we as humans encounter fear.

In this episode, you will learn what the core sources of human fear are, why we fear those things, how that relates to golf, and a solution for dealing with and extinguishing each of the core sources of human fear.

I'm confident you will leave this episode with a better understanding of yourself, your tendencies, and having new tools to play better golf.

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📊 FREE Mental Game Assessment: joshnicholsgolf.com/assessment - identify your mental strengths and areas for mental game improvement.

🏋️‍♂️ Get the Free MVP Golf Workout from Nerd Fitness here!

📧 The Mental Re-Grip Newsletter: Sign up for weekly mental game tips at joshnicholsgolf.com/newsletter.

👨🏻‍🏫 Josh Nichols Golf (1-on-1 Mental Coaching): Email [email protected] or visit joshnicholsgolf.com for sessions.

🏌️‍♂️ Divot Board: Get 10% off at divotboard.com/mentalgolfshow using code 'MentalGolf10'.

⛳️ PutterCup: Get 15% off your PutterCup order by going to puttercupgolf.com/mentalgolfshow and signing up for the PutterCup newsletter.

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🔥 Special thanks to Titleist for their support of The Mental Golf Show. Join Team Titleist here.