The Mental Mistake That’s Costing You Strokes

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Most golfers think their swing is the problem… but that’s not what’s really costing them strokes.

In this video, I break down one of the biggest hidden mistakes in golf: thinking at the wrong time. If you’ve ever felt like your scores don’t match how well you can hit the ball, this is likely the reason why.

Using concepts from Thinking, Fast and Slow, I explain how your brain has two systems—and how most golfers use them completely backward. You’ll learn why overthinking your swing hurts performance, why poor decisions lead to big numbers, and how to flip your mental process to start scoring better immediately.

We’ll cover:

* Why golfers think too much during the swing (and not enough before it)
* The difference between reactive vs. strategic players
* How “what you see is all there is” leads to bad decisions (like pin hunting)
* A real tournament example of how one bad decision can blow up a hole
* How to use the Think Box / Play Box to simplify your process
* Practical ways to trust your swing and make smarter decisions

The goal isn’t to think more—it’s to think at the right time.

If you can fix this one mental mistake, you’ll avoid big numbers, make better decisions, and finally start shooting the scores you’re capable of.

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If you want to go deeper on strategy, expectations, and practice, check out my book The Four Foundations of Golf, linked below.

📘 The Four Foundations of Golf:
amzn.to/3BMTJDY

Who am I?

My name is Jon Sherman 👋. I'm a best-selling author, PGA Tour coach, and a golfer just like you. I aim to help golfers of all levels lower their scores and enjoy the game more, but without talking about the golf swing. I focus on four topics - expectation management, strategy, practice, and the mental game. I'll share some of my best advice on this channel in an easy-to-understand, actionable format.