Think Above Par | Your Mental Caddy for Golf Mindset & Performance

Kathy Hart Wood
  • 4.4 (8)
  • GOLF
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

Serious golfer? You know you’ve got the talent—but your brain keeps getting in the way. Think Above Par helps you master the mental game of golf, stop overthinking, and quit worrying about what others think on the course so you can play calm, confident, and consistent golf every round. If you’re a serious golfer who knows you’re leaving shots out on the course, Think Above Par is your go-to podcast for mastering the mental game of golf. Hosted by Kathy Hart —a former Tour player, Top 50 Teacher, and Certified Mental Coach—each episode helps you strengthen your golf mindset, manage pressure, and play calm, confident, and consistent golf. You’ll discover why you underperform under pressure, how to stop overthinking your swing, and what to do when you’re worried about what others think on the golf course. Whether you struggle with performance anxiety, perfectionism, or negative self-talk, Kathy shares proven mental-game tools to help you unlock your talent, enjoy the game again, and lower your golf scores. Learn how to think above par—so you can play below par. Subscribe now to your weekly dose of golf mindset coaching and start transforming your golf brain today.

  1. 1D AGO

    Why Fear of Disappointment Is Killing Your Golf Game (Rory McIlroy’s Lesson)

    Let’s talk about the real reason you might be holding back on the golf course—and it’s probably not what you think. After watching Rory McIlroy at the Masters, I had to break this down because what he shared about heartbreak? That’s not just about elite golf. That’s about every golfer. In this episode, we’re getting into the truth about the mental game of golf—and why your fear of disappointment might be the exact thing keeping you from playing your best. We’ll talk about:  Why golfers avoid certain emotions (without even realizing it)  How fear of disappointment leads to playing small  What’s actually happening when you hold back on the course  Why you have to be willing to feel it all to play freely  And how to start showing up with more courage and confidence Here’s the deal: if you’re trying to protect yourself from feeling bad, you’re also holding yourself back from playing great. You don’t get the high without risking the low. 🎯 Ready to stop playing small and start playing to your potential? Come join me inside Unleash Your Golf. Go to paperbell.me/golf to book a discovery call or get started. 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    11 min

  2. APR 8

    What Winning Golf Really Looks Like (Lessons from the ANWA Champion)

    What does winning golf really look like? In this episode, I’m breaking down the mindset of Maria Jose Marin after her win at the Augusta National Women’s Amateur—and giving you real, on-course examples of how she handled pressure, nerves, and her own thoughts. Because here’s the truth: she didn’t win by playing perfect golf. She won by managing this: Feeling nervous—and not making it mean anythingRiding emotional highs and lows without spiralingResetting with simple “caddy phrases” like breathe, calm down, you’re okayTrusting her momentum and adjusting her game plan mid-roundLooking at the leaderboard…and immediately feeling the pressure spikeChoosing patience instead of trying to force birdiesThis is what winning golf actually looks like. Not perfect swings. Not forcing results. Just a player who knows how to guide her mind back to calm, confident, and clear—over and over again. If you want to play more consistent, confident golf and stop letting your emotions run the show, this episode will show you how to think differently on the course. Let’s go. 💛 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    10 min

  3. APR 1

    What to Do Mentally on the Golf Course After a Lesson

    Ever feel like you’re actually getting worse after working on your golf game? You take a lesson, spend time on the range, really try to improve… and then your scores go up—and your brain goes straight to, “What is wrong with me?” Yeah. We’re fixing that today. In this episode, I’m breaking down what I call the Aerated Green Effect—and why expecting great results while you’re changing your swing is one of the fastest ways to tank your confidence. You’ll learn: Why your golf game feels worse after a lesson (even when you’re improving)The mental mistake that keeps golfers stuck and frustratedHow to stop judging your game mid-improvementWhat to focus on instead so you can actually get betterIf you’ve ever walked off the course thinking, “I just ruined my swing,” this episode is your reset. Because you’re not getting worse—you’re just in the middle of the process. And if you can learn how to handle that part? That’s where real confidence comes from. 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    11 min

  4. MAR 25

    Why You Play Worse on the Back Nine (And How to Stay Calm Under Pressure)

    Ever make the turn, realize you’re playing well… and suddenly everything feels tighter? Welcome to your back nine brain. In this episode, I’m breaking down exactly what happens when you go from playing freely to trying not to mess it up—and why that shift is what actually costs you the round. We’re talking about: Why your brain goes into “protect the score” modeThe sneaky difference between “I’ve got this” and “don’t blow it”How future-thinking kills your ability to swing freelyAnd the simple shift that helps you stay present and finish strongHere’s the truth: nothing has gone wrong—you just left the present moment. If you’ve ever felt the pressure creep in on the back nine (or the last few holes), this episode will help you spot it, laugh at it, and get right back to playing your game. One shot. One decision. One commitment. Let’s go. 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    11 min

  5. MAR 18

    How to Calm Tournament Nerves (5 Steps That Actually Work)

    Got a tournament coming up and your brain is already spiraling? You’re not broken—your brain is just trying to protect you. In this episode, I’ll show you what’s actually happening when nerves kick in and give you a simple 5-step process to calm your mind, quiet the noise, and show up ready to play. Because it’s not about getting rid of nerves…  It’s about not letting them run the show. If you’ve ever thought “I’m not ready” before a round—this is for you. 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    16 min

  6. MAR 11

    Why Your Brain Sabotages Your Golf Game

    Ever feel like your brain turns against you on the golf course? One minute you’re standing over the ball… and the next your brain is yelling: Don’t hit it in the water. Don’t mess this up. Everyone’s watching. In this episode, I’m sharing a funny story about my husband assembling a bike rack without reading the instructions—and how golfers do the exact same thing with their brains. Here’s the truth: your brain wasn’t designed to help you shoot lower scores. It was designed to keep you alive. That means it’s constantly scanning for danger, mistakes, embarrassment, and anything that might go wrong. So if your mind goes negative on the golf course… nothing has gone wrong. You just haven’t been given the instruction manual. In this episode, I’ll walk you through why your brain works this way and how a little awareness can help you guide your thoughts instead of getting pushed around by them. Because when you understand your brain, the pressure drops—and the game gets a lot more fun. ⛳️ KathyHartWood.com 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    12 min

  7. MAR 4

    The Real Source of Golf Fear

    Most of the fear you feel on the golf course doesn’t come from your swing. It comes from the questions you’re asking yourself. In this episode, I’m breaking down the sneaky “I don’t know” questions that spike anxiety, tighten your body, and send your brain into full-on threat mode. “Am I going to shoot under par?”  “What are they thinking about me?”  “Am I about to blow this round?” Your brain hates uncertainty. And when you ask questions you can’t actually answer, it fills in the blank with fear. I’ll show you how to catch those questions, swap them out, and create certainty your brain can actually work with — so you can play present, confident, and free. Because the solutions are inside of you. Not in the wind. Not in your score. Not in someone else’s head. Let’s clean up your questions and calm that golf brain down. ⛳️ 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    8 min

  8. FEB 25

    Why More Practice Won’t Fix Your Tournament Play

    You’re putting in the reps. You’re taking lessons. You’re grinding on the range. So why does your tournament play still fall apart? In this episode, I’m breaking down why more practice alone won’t fix your performance under pressure — and why tournament golf exposes something completely different than your swing. Practice builds skill. But mental reps build belief. If you’re striping it on the range but tightening up in competition… if you’ve ever wondered why you can’t access your talent when it matters… this one’s for you. We’re talking about: • Why tournament pressure reveals your mental habits • How negative self-talk becomes automatic • Why managing emotions is a skill (just like your swing) • What to focus on this season if you want better tournament performance Because you don’t need more balls on the range. You need to stop practicing mental mistakes. And that changes everything. Get details on The Competitive Edge 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 Private coaching starts with a Free Discovery Call here:  Email Kathy at Kathy@KathyHartWood.com Website: KathyHartWood.com

    11 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.4
out of 5
8 Ratings

About

Serious golfer? You know you’ve got the talent—but your brain keeps getting in the way. Think Above Par helps you master the mental game of golf, stop overthinking, and quit worrying about what others think on the course so you can play calm, confident, and consistent golf every round. If you’re a serious golfer who knows you’re leaving shots out on the course, Think Above Par is your go-to podcast for mastering the mental game of golf. Hosted by Kathy Hart —a former Tour player, Top 50 Teacher, and Certified Mental Coach—each episode helps you strengthen your golf mindset, manage pressure, and play calm, confident, and consistent golf. You’ll discover why you underperform under pressure, how to stop overthinking your swing, and what to do when you’re worried about what others think on the golf course. Whether you struggle with performance anxiety, perfectionism, or negative self-talk, Kathy shares proven mental-game tools to help you unlock your talent, enjoy the game again, and lower your golf scores. Learn how to think above par—so you can play below par. Subscribe now to your weekly dose of golf mindset coaching and start transforming your golf brain today.

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