It’s no secret that your brain can be your best ally or your worst enemy in the game of golf. Have you noticed a connection between what you tell yourself mentally and how you play? According to Joseph Parent, PhD, author of Zen Golf: Mastering the Mental Game, what goes on in your head during your game has a huge impact on how you play. After you hit a poor shot, what’s the first thing you tell yourself? If you’re focusing on the negative things—all the mistakes you made—you’re essentially prepping your body to be tensed, stressed, and fearful. That leads to more mistakes and bad shots, more self-recrimination and anger, and that starts a vicious cycle of self-fulfillment: you keep telling yourself you’re doing terribly, so you keep playing terribly.
Is Golf Really 90% Mental?
Parent Magazine instructs golfers to think of one positive thing about any shot right away. Find something—anything—that was good and congratulate yourself for it.
This immediately switches your perception of your game as 90% bad and 10% good to 90% good and 10% something to improve on. Your body will relax, you’ll develop the habit of looking at the positive aspects of you game, and you’ll be able to work on your weaknesses without identifying yourself as a total loser.
Golf was made to be enjoyed, not stressed over, and that’s the most important thing here. We’ve cobbled up a list of 25 Instagram accounts that exemplify the best parts of the game. Sharpen your mental abilities by learning from the greats, having a few laughs, and reminding yourself that almost every golfer out there is a passionate—if imperfect—amateur like you.
Golf Gods
A little irreverent and a whole lot of fun, the Golf Gods serve up funny and amazing golf vids and photos along with their brand of golfing apparel. Remember why you should never take the game too seriously.
Cart Barn Guys
The Cart Barn Guys obviously love the game. They dish up videos and images of courses and shots, along with inspirational quotes and the weekly Golf Babe of the Week.
Hole in 1 Trick Shots
Joshua Kelley is a master at trick shots, and he lets you join the fun. This is just one of the reasons golf is such a versatile sport.
Annabel Rolley Golf
Aussie PGA golfer Annabel Rolley gives you a glimpse into her professional life, a bit of her personal life, and plenty of very useful tips to help you be a better player.
Golfballed
Another light-hearted look at golf, you’ll get an eclectic mix of trick shots, unintentionally funny golf shots, must-have products, and more.
Golf.addicts
When you want stunning golf architecture shots, excellent golf fashion suggestions, and tips on the best products, golf.addicts has you covered. It’s everything relevant about golf right now.
Golfplus_
Find photos of the greats along with inspirational quotes. If you want to be the best, you have to learn from the best.
Golf Please
Watching videos of great shots from both pros and amateurs will inspire you to keep practicing. Sometimes it’s luck, but most of the time, it’s all about the practice.
G O L F B O M B S
These are all bombs of the best kind. Inspire yourself by watching great shots by golf’s greats.
A N N A R A W S O N
Male and female fans alike can gain insights into Australian pro golfer Anna Rawson’s life, including her game, her travels, her family, and her fashion.
Sugar Loaf Social Club
The Sugar Loaf Social Club is all about amazing course photos (along with great course commentary), contest giveaways, and discerning golf fashion. You’ll literally hunger to visit the course they highlight.
Three Guys Golf
Adam Staelin uploads plenty of golf photos, but his main focus is on the hottest trends in golfing threads and gear. Follow Staelin’s advice to always look great on the course.
Matt Ginella
A golf travel writer, Ginella shares stunning photography of courses around the world, famous golfing faces, and inspirational ideas on keeping fit and growing a sustainable game.
Fairway Threads
Want to look fresh and fashionable? This place has all the tips on the newest and best in golf fashion for men and women.
iGolfReviews
Follow for beautiful photography of resorts, product reviews, and just enough photos of the family to make you feel like you know the guy behind this account.
GGSwingTips
George Gankas, a popular golf instructor, schools you on swings in his short but highly instructive vids.
Golf Hard
You have to remember that, in the end, golf is about the enjoyment of the game. Had a bad day on the course? Feel better about your own game after watching the funny or amazing golf videos posted here.
Beautiful Golf Courses
Plan your next golfing vacation, add to your bucket list of places to play, or just daydream while viewing these stunning photos of golf courses all over the world.
Total Golf Move
All things golf, including fun videos, great photos, inspiring and hilarious commentary, and product tips.
Golfcoursegram
Beautiful golf landscape shots as well as historical looks at some of the most famous holes on the most famous courses.
GolfThreadsBlog
You don’t have any excuses when it comes to knowing what is and isn’t fashionable on the greens. See what the pros are wearing, what’s trending, and find golf product reviews.
Golfgrinders
Relax with these amusing golf-related videos and photos. They feature the pros as well as your everyday anonymous golfing amateur.
Golfpornofficial
Can’t get enough of those luscious course photos and videos? Waiting to watch the most beautiful shots by the pros? This stuff is pure gold.
Golf Classics
You’ll get a visual tour through golf’s history here. Relive some of the best golf shots ever and see the greats when they were at the peak of their games.
Ship Sticks
You get a little bit of everything golf at this page, including shots and videos of the pros, beautiful photos of golf architecture, and pics of their shipping boxes holding the clubs of famous persons at famous courses.
Why do you golf? Whatever your reasons, it’s the mental aspect of the game that can either let you revel in the passion and love you have for this ancient sport and your ability to play it at whatever level or sink into despair. In Fearless Golf: Conquering the Mental Game, author Gio Valiente, PhD, reminds golfers to let go of the fear of how others perceive you and your game. He states, “People who have a mastery orientation toward an activity engage in that activity because they want to continually learn, refine, and master it regardless of their level of expertise. Guided by the constant striving to improve their skills and do things better each time, mastery-oriented people are driven to elevate their abilities to new levels.”
Golf is 90% mental. It’s what you tell yourself after both good or bad shots; it’s how you conquer your fear of failure or success; and it’s in where your focus is when you get ready to take a shot. You’ll play with passion and skill when you allow yourself to get your mental game in hand. Getting inspiration from others whom you admire, feeling encouragement from the community, and just allowing yourself to relax and enjoy the game are all part of playing the mental game.