#60: [Inside the Mind] Kathy Hart Wood: The Power of Neutrality, Ladder Thoughts to Level-Up, and Shifting Limiting Beliefs on the Course

Today, I’m joined by Kathy Hart Wood, an accomplished professional golfer, top 50 golf instructor, and mindset coach. 

Kathy shares her transformative journey from struggling to take her talent onto the course to becoming a mindset expert helping golfers unlock their full potential. 

In today’s episode, you’ll learn:

• The power of shifting limiting beliefs to unleash your full potential on the course.
• Why focusing on your mindset is as critical as your swing mechanics.
• How perfectionism and people-pleasing tendencies can sabotage your golf game.
• The importance of cultivating self-awareness and curiosity about your thoughts.
• Why numbers on the scorecard are inherently neutral—and how to stop letting them define you.
• Practical tools like "ladder thoughts" and brain dumping to rewrite unhelpful beliefs.
• How to create your preferred emotional state to play with confidence, calmness, and certainty.

Get your pencils ready and start listening. 

P.S. Curious to learn more about the results my clients are experiencing and what they say about working with me? Read more here.

More About Kathy

Kathy is a mental golf coach. She combines her extensive background as a Tour Player, Top 50 Teacher and certified Life Coach to help people get out of their own way on the course and play to their potential. She offers private coaching, group coaching and online programs. Kathy is also the host of the Think Above Par Podcast.

Follow Kathy on Instagram (@kathyhartwood) and learn more about her coaching here: https://kathyhartwood.com/ 

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
2. Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter
3. Download my “Play Your Best Round” free hypnosis audio recording.

High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching

Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential.

He has over 15 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential.

Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course. 

Instagram: @thegolfhypnotherapist 

Twitter: @parsoverbogeys

Key Takeaways:

• Shifting Beliefs: The belief "I'm always going to struggle with my putting" held Kathy back for years. Shifting to "It's possible I could putt well today" opened the door for dramatic improvement.
• Awareness First: Developing self-awareness about your recurring thoughts and emotions is the first step to meaningful change on and off the course.
• The Power of Neutrality: Numbers on the scorecard are neutral; it’s the stories you attach to them that cause frustration or pressure.
• Brain Dumping for Clarity: Writing down your thoughts—even if just to throw them away—can help uncover limiting beliefs and repetitive patterns.
• Combatting Perfectionism: Recognizing perfectionistic tendencies allows you to bring humor and curiosity to these moments rather than judgment.
• Preferred Emotional States: Play your best golf by anchoring to calmness, certainty, or confidence, and redirect yourself to these states when distractions arise.
• Focus on Process Over Results: Detaching from the outcome and focusing on your current shot or task can free you from the pressure of perfection.

Key Quotes:

• "You are the thinker of your thoughts; you get to pick which ones you want to keep." 
• "Numbers are neutral. It’s the story you attach to them that makes them feel good or bad." 
• "Positive affirmations don’t work if your brain doesn’t believe them. Start with thoughts that feel possible." 
• "Perfectionism and people-pleasing on the course are just reflections of how you show up in life." 
• "Your brain is like a puppy on a leash—it will wander, but you have the power to guide it back." 
• "Playing golf shouldn’t carry the weight of how you get to feel about yourself at the end of the day." 

Time Stamps:

• 00:00: Kathy's Journey in Golf
• 02:59: The Power of Mindset in Golf
• 06:06: Shifting Thoughts and Beliefs
• 09:08: Understanding Perfectionism and People-Pleasing
• 11:47: The Role of Self-Awareness
• 14:59: Coaching Techniques and Client Empowerment
• 24:25: Detaching from Results in Golf
• 30:06: Understanding Emotions and Performance
• 33:21: The Impact of People Pleasing on Golf
• 38:37: Encouragement for Women in Golf
• 40:25: Proud Moments in a Golf Career