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Think Above Par

Sometimes you just need someone to explain why your golf brain does what it does.

Think Above Par is where Kathy talks about the thoughts, emotions and patterns that show up on the golf course—and what you can do with them.

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All episodes (305)

Library updated

Episode 285

How to Avoid Big Numbers on the Golf Course

Blow-up holes usually don’t come from one bad shot. They come from what you do next. In this episode, I’m breaking down the four reasons big numbers happen and how to stop piling mistakes on top of mistakes. You’ll learn how to calm down, think clearly, make the smart play, and keep one crappy shot from turning into an eight. Because bad shots are part of golf—but the real damage comes from what you do after them. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 284

Putting Yips: What Causes Them and How to Fix Them.

Got the putting yips and wondering how to fix them? In this episode, I’m breaking down what causes the putting yips—from wonky mechanics and inconsistent routines to fear, doubt, and self-imposed pressure. You’ll learn how to determine what’s feeding your nervy putting stroke, what to work on first, and a few simple putting drills to help you feel calmer and more confident over short putts. No shame, no panic, and no pretending a new putter will solve everything. Although…it might be worth a try. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 283

How to Choose Better Thoughts on the Golf Course

Golfers say a lot of things—to themselves and to each other—and sometimes those “helpful” comments create more doubt than confidence. In this episode, I’m talking about how to notice the thoughts running through your golf brain, decide whether they’re actually useful, and be more intentional with what you say to your playing partners. You don’t have to judge every thought, fix every thought, or believe every thought. Sometimes you just need to notice it, let it pass, and hit the next shot. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 282

Stop Trying to Focus for 18 Holes

Ever feel like you should be able to stay focused for all 18 holes? Yeah… good luck with that. In this episode, I’m giving you permission to stop trying to focus for four straight hours like some kind of highly caffeinated golf robot. Your brain is supposed to wander. It’s human. It’s normal. It may even start thinking about dinner, the beverage cart, or why Betty won’t stop talking right before you hit. The real skill isn’t perfect focus. It’s learning how to refocus. You’ll learn why losing focus doesn’t mean something has gone wrong, how to bring your brain back to the shot in front of you, and why your pre-shot routine can become your best little reset button. We’ll also talk about what happens after a bad shot, when your focus gets stuck on the mistake and suddenly one swing turns into four holes of mental drama. Golf is not a game of perfect focus. It’s a game of repeated refocusing. So if your brain wanders off like a puppy rolling in a dead frog, don’t panic. Just bring it back to the fairway. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 281

How to Settle Into Your Round Faster

Ever feel like it takes three, four, or even five holes before you finally feel like yourself on the golf course? In this episode of Think Above Par, I'm talking about one of the most common challenges golfers face—getting into the rhythm of a round. Whether you're dealing with first tee nerves, tournament anxiety, or just feeling out of sync early in your round, I'll show you why it's completely normal... and why making it a problem only keeps you stuck there longer. You'll learn: Why you don't have to feel comfortable to play good golf. How to stop judging those first few swings. The mindset shift that helps you settle into your round faster. Why neutral thinking leads to better scores and more enjoyable golf. You don't have to wait until Hole #5 to start playing your game. Learn how to trust yourself, manage your mind, and play solid golf—even while you're still settling in. If you're ready to improve your golf mindset and lower your scores without changing your swing, this episode is for you. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 280

The 3 Questions Every Golfer Should Ask After a Round

What if your next breakthrough on the golf course isn’t happening during your round—but after it? In this episode, I’m sharing an excerpt from a live coaching session inside Your Mental Caddie where we talk about one of the most overlooked skills in golf: learning from your rounds instead of simply reacting to them. Most golfers either celebrate a good round or try to forget a bad one. But both approaches leave valuable lessons behind. I’ll walk you through the three simple questions I encourage every golfer to ask after a round so you can build your mental toolkit, strengthen your confidence, and create solutions that actually help you perform better the next time you tee it up. You'll learn: Why identifying what went well is critical for confidence How to evaluate mistakes without beating yourself up The mental patterns that keep showing up in your game How to create your own solutions instead of feeling at the mercy of golf A simple process for turning every round into a learning opportunity Remember: every round gives you data. The golfers who improve fastest are the ones who know how to use it. If you're ready to build a stronger mental game one round at a time, this episode is for you. ⛳️ Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 279

Why You Always Get Bad Breaks in Golf

Do you feel like you're always getting the bad breaks on the golf course? The tree kick that goes out of bounds. The putt that lips out. The weather that seems to turn against you at exactly the wrong moment. In this episode, Kathy explores why so many golfers feel unlucky—and why the reality may be very different. You'll learn how your brain naturally pays more attention to negative events, how that shapes your experience on the course, and why the story that you're "unlucky" might be costing you more strokes than the bad breaks themselves. Plus, Kathy shares a simple exercise you can use during your next round to shift what you're looking for, change your perspective, and start giving equal airtime to the good breaks that often go unnoticed. Because sometimes it's not the golf course working against you. It's the scorecard your brain is keeping. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 278

Why Golf Gets Hard Again (Even When You're Playing Well)

Ever feel like you finally figured golf out... and then the game gets hard again? In this episode, I explain why that's completely normal. Golf isn't a problem to solve—it's a practice. Just when you think you've arrived, the game will invite you into a new level of growth, discomfort, and learning. You'll learn why setbacks don't mean you've gone backwards, how your brain's negativity bias can pull you off course, and the one question to ask instead of, "What's wrong with me?" Because there is no graduation in golf—only practice. And that's actually good news. ⛳ Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 277

The Hidden Pace Problem in Golf

Ever notice how some golfers seem to be playing in fast-forward while others move like they're on a Sunday stroll? In this episode, I'm sharing a simple analogy that can help you understand your mental game in a whole new way: your personal speed limit. Some golfers speed up under pressure. Others slow down and get stuck overthinking. Neither is wrong—but when you get pushed outside your natural pace by your playing partners, pace of play, or your own emotions, your performance can suffer. I'll show you how to identify your speed, recognize when you're getting out of your zone, and stay in a rhythm that helps you play your best golf. Because confidence isn't about playing faster or slower—it's about knowing your pace and trusting it. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 276

How to Shift Your Energy During a Bad Golf Round

Have you ever noticed how quickly the energy in your foursome can affect your golf game? One frustrated player, one bad hole, one negative mood—and suddenly everybody’s struggling. In this episode, Kathy breaks down the connection between energy, emotions, and golf performance. You’ll learn how to recognize when your mental state is hurting your game, how to reset your energy during a round, and why confidence has less to do with your swing and more to do with the emotional state you bring to the course. This episode is packed with practical golf mindset coaching to help you stop spiraling, protect your energy, and play with more calm, confidence, and intention—especially after a tough start. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 275

The 5 Moments Your Golf Brain Costs You Shots

Most golfers think they lose shots because of their swing. But if your swing was working on the range… chances are it’s not your swing costing you strokes on the course. It’s what happens in a handful of very specific mental moments during the round. In this episode, Kathy walks through 5 moments where golfers commonly lose control of their minds — and their scorecards: ⛳ The first tee ⛳ After the first mistake ⛳ Mid-round mental drift ⛳ When the score starts to matter ⛳ The final holes when golfers start protecting instead of playing You’ll learn why these moments feel so hard, what your brain is actually doing, and why most golfers don’t have a process for handling them. If you’ve ever thought: “I know I can play better than this…” This episode is for you. Plus, Kathy shares details about her new program, The Master Your Golf Brain System— a complete mental game system designed to help golfers stop hoping their brain behaves on the course and finally build a process they can trust. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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Episode 274

The Mental Game Tip Golfers Will Actually Use

What if golfers could get mental game help right before they tee off… without having to read a book, hire a coach, or admit they’re “in their head”? 😏 In this episode, I’m sharing the new project I’m ridiculously excited about: Mental Game Monday QR tips at golf clubs. Weekly bite-sized mental game insights golfers can scan right at the course — before the first tee nerves, after the blow-up hole, or heading into a big tournament round. We’re talking about the golfers who secretly struggle, the juniors learning the game right now, and why sometimes ONE small mindset shift changes everything. Because better golf starts with a better-managed mind. Receive free weekly mental golf tips HERE How many shots is your mental golf costing you? Take the quiz here: quiz.mymentalcaddy.com Continue your mental journey at Your Mental Caddy HERE Mastering Your Golf Brain - A Guide to Self-Coaching Mastering Your Golf Brain - The Workbook Mental Golf Journal - A Range for Your Brain Are all available at KathyHartWood.com/book Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

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