The Mental Game of Golf: How to Score When You Don’t Have Your Best with Tom Field

Golf may be played on the course, but much of the game happens between your ears.

Mark Immelman sits down with sports psychology coach, Tom Field of BTE Sports Psychology, to discuss managing expectations, recovering from bad shots, handling pressure, and getting the most out of whatever game you bring to the course that day.

Tom’s central message is simple: Golfers often perform better when they stop obsessing over the result and focus instead on the shot in front of them. 

In This Episode, You’ll Learn 

Why focusing too much on score can hurt performance. How to reset mentally after a bad shot. Why one mistake should never define your round. How expectations and ego create unnecessary pressure. Why elite golfers tend to have more stable confidence. How trying harder can actually make golf more difficult. Why process goals are more useful than score goals. How visualization can help without creating over-control. Why accepting imperfect golf can lead to better scoring. How to “flip the script” after mistakes.

Key Takeaways:

Stay in the Present -  Thinking about your final score, your last mistake, or what other people think takes attention away from the shot in front of you. Tom explains that golfers tend to play their best when they stay present and allow the game to happen naturally. Stop Turning One Mistake Into Two - Bad shots are inevitable. Recognize what happened, learn from it, accept it, and move on. Carrying frustration into the next shot is often what turns a bogey into a double or worse. One Shot Does Not Define You - Confidence becomes fragile when golfers judge themselves by their most recent result. A bad shot is simply one event. It does not mean you are suddenly a bad golfer. Focus on What You Can Control - You cannot completely control your score. You can control your routine, target, attitude, response to mistakes, and commitment to each shot. Tom recommends entering a round with a simple process goal rather than chasing a specific number. Flip the Script - Hit two terrible shots and still make par? Instead of thinking, “I got lucky,” try: “I hit two awful shots and I’m still good enough to make par.” That change in perspective can turn difficult moments into confidence instead of frustration.

Memorable Quotes:

“The best round of your life happens when you stop caring about the result.”

“One bad hole is one event. It’s not an end story.”

“The harder you try, the worse you play.” “

Thoughts become your feelings. Feelings become your behaviors.”

“Be proud about the bad golf.”

This podcast is also available as a vodcast on YouTube.  To watch and learn, search and subscribe to Mark Immelman.