This is How to Play Golf: Learning the Mindset Game as an Athlete

Side-by-side golf swing from different courses and range time.

I play golf. Yes, like the driver and putter and golf ball golf. I have been playing since I was eight years old. I still have my first club. It is a small iron made from steel, none of that plastic kid golf club stuff they make today. I started playing when my parents took me to the golf course for the first time and I LOVED it. Yes, I also really really wanted to drive the golf cart, but I liked the golf part of it too.

I started in local camps, took private lessons, played in small groups, went to the range, played on the course, got into tournaments, won tournaments, lost tournaments, played on teams in middle school, high school varsity, was MVP of matches, won and lost more tournaments, and then...I quit. I stopped playing golf for five years. I didn't pick up a club, didn't watch it on TV, didn't walk a tournament, nothing, no golf. You ask me why, I have no idea. I just know I was burnt out. I didn't love it anymore. It made me angry thinking about playing. So I quit.

Fast Forward Five Years...I Started Learning the Mindset Game as an Athlete

Returning to competitive sports after a five-year hiatus reveals just how much the mental game deteriorates without practice. Your body might remember the mechanics—the swing plane, the grip, the stance—but your mind has grown soft to the unique pressures that only competition brings. That first round back exposes mental muscles you forgot you had: the ability to shake off a bad shot, maintain focus through 18 holes, and trust your instincts under pressure. What's humbling is realizing that physical skills fade gradually, but mental toughness disappears almost completely without consistent challenge. The good news? Your mind is like any other muscle—it responds quickly to training once you commit to rebuilding those neural pathways that turn pressure into performance.

And Then I Missed the Putt

I was back, baby. Back on the course, back on the field, playing the games I love, when I missed an extremely important putt. And what was I telling myself when I walked up to the green, laying on that beautiful green grass...

Woah, that's far away. How can I make that?

Wrong. Plain and simple. Wrong thinking. That doesn't exude confidence or belief. I expressed fear first then I literally told myself to miss the putt. And guess what, I missed it. The power of what you hold in your mind becomes real. Learn from me, get the thoughts strong. This is what I could have said in my mind instead...

I make putts like this all the time. This is going in the hole.

So standing over a crucial putt with the match on the line, every golfer knows that technical skill alone won't determine the outcome. The difference between sinking that putt and watching it slide past the cup often comes down to what's happening between your ears. Golf, perhaps more than any other sport, teaches us that mastering the mental game is just as important as perfecting your swing. Every round becomes a lesson in emotional regulation, focus, and resilience—skills that translate directly into leadership and life. When you learn to quiet the negative self-talk after a bad shot and refocus on the next opportunity, you're developing the same mental discipline that separates great leaders from good ones.

The beauty of golf's mental challenges lies in their immediate feedback and constant variety. One hole you're navigating the pressure of a tight fairway with water on both sides, the next you're managing frustration after finding a bunker despite a perfect setup. Each scenario demands a different mental approach: strategic thinking, patience, confidence, or the ability to let go and reset. These aren't just golf skills—they're leadership competencies in disguise. The golfer who learns to stay composed under pressure, make decisive choices with incomplete information, and bounce back from setbacks with renewed focus is developing the exact mindset that drives success in business, relationships, and personal growth. Every time you step onto the tee, you're not just playing a game; you're training your mind for the bigger games that matter most.

View from the next green as I watched the Western Amateur.

How has the athlete mindset game impacted you? Are you winning or losing it? Do you play golf? Do you make those 20-foot putts? 4-foot putts? Yes, you have to practice the skill. Your muscles must be trained to know the feel of the process. But like I have said in other posts (which you might wanna read if this makes no sense), the balance of body, mind, and spirit is key.

You can swing the club, you gotta believe in that swing, and have faith it'll help you do what you need it to do. But friends, if you are on the golf course, please, please, please HAVE FUN! It took me over ten years and too many wins (and losses) on the course to realize it is a game, it's important, but I needed to have more fun with it.

What's that cool quote, it doesn't matter if you win or lose it's how you play the game. Yeah, just follow that...

Some of my favorite golf things:

• Callaway Warbird Golf Ball

• Callaway sleeveless polo

• Ping Irons

• Nike golf shoes

• Lululemon golf skirt (technically made for tennis, but who cares)

• Oofos slides

• Fellow carter move mug (for my morning coffee or tea)

• KSwiss Sneakers

• Reach out for more...!

Let's win!

xx

Nani