The Golfing Mind

Robin with special guests, Mike Kershaw and Tom Needham, explore the first major of the year is upon us—and with it, all the anticipation, pressure, and possibility that make the US Masters unlike anything else in golf. Augusta National doesn’t just test technique; it exposes temperament, patience, and the ability to think clearly when everything matters most. In this episode of The Golfing Mind, we look ahead to the 2026 Masters through a different lens—the six inches between the ears. What separates those who contend on Sunday from those who fade? Why do some players rise to the occasion on these iconic greens, while others are undone by the moment? We’ll explore the unique psychological demands of Augusta: the necessity of emotional control, the discipline to stay present, and the courage to trust your game under immense scrutiny. We’ll also identify the players most mentally equipped to handle the challenge, and what their approach can teach every golfer listening. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.siegergolf.com/online-courses This week on The Golfing Mind, we examine pressure — how it builds, how it leaks, and how it ultimately decides tournaments. We begin with the visible frustration of Shane Lowry last weekend, and explore the heart of what is really going on — a reminder that even major champions are not immune to emotional drift. When momentum turns, it is rarely the swing that collapses first. It is the internal narrative. From there, we turn to Bay Hill and the searching examination that is the Arnold Palmer Invitational. With penal rough, firm greens and swirling winds, this course punishes impatience and exposes ego. We’ll analyse five leading contenders — including Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy — and explore why emotional regulation, not raw talent, may determine the outcome. Because at Bay Hill, the winner won’t be the player who avoids mistakes. It will be the player who recovers from them fastest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.siegergolf.com/offers/BaAEYBog/checkout This week on The Golfing Mind, we are stripping golf back to the cold, hard evidence. No clichés. No swing theories. Just Facts, Figures and Statistics. Over the past twenty years, the average PGA Tour drive has increased by more than ten yards. Ball speeds have surged. Players train like elite athletes. Technology has refined every inch of performance. And yet — scoring has improved by barely half a stroke. How can that be? We’ll explore the rise of Strokes Gained — the statistical revolution that exposes exactly where tournaments are won and lost. We’ll examine Greens in Regulation, sand save percentages, driving accuracy, and putting averages. We’ll reveal how less than one stroke per round often separates the world number one from the player ranked fiftieth. And here’s the uncomfortable truth: The margins are microscopic. One poor decision. One emotional lapse. One moment of doubt. The numbers prove what I’ve argued for years — excellence in golf lives inside tiny gaps. And those gaps are not technical. They are psychological. Because when performance differences are measured in tenths of a stroke… The mind becomes the ultimate differentiator. Let’s examine the data — and then read between the lines. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.siegergolf.com/online-courses⁠⁠ In this week’s episode of The Golfing Mind, we move to Part 2 and step away from swing mechanics, equipment, and technique, going right to the heart of what truly separates great players from the rest of the field: the mental skills that stand up under pressure. Most amateur golfers believe the difference between them and the professionals is talent. In reality, it’s a lot more than that. The main difference is psychological structure—how elite players think, decide, recover, and regulate themselves when the stakes are high, and the margin for error is thin. In this second part, continuing from last week's podcast, we rank the fourth and fifth of the five most important mental skills used by successful professional golfers. Not the most fashionable ideas, not the most talked-about clichés—but the skills that fail first when players unravel, and the ones that hold firm when champions close. We explore why emotional control sits above everything else, why rapid recovery matters more than confidence, and why great decision-making prevents pressure before it even appears. We also look at commitment, acceptance, patience, and process—and how amateurs can begin to train these skills deliberately rather than hoping they’ll magically appear on the back nine. If you’ve ever wondered why your best golf doesn’t show up when it matters most, this episode will give you clarity—and a clear mental framework to start changing that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

https://www.siegergolf.com/online-courses In this week’s episode of The Golfing Mind, we step away from swing mechanics, equipment, and technique, and go right to the heart of what truly separates great players from the rest of the field: the mental skills that stand up when pressure arrives. Most amateur golfers believe the difference between them and the professionals is talent. In reality, it’s not. The gap is psychological structure—how elite players think, decide, recover, and regulate themselves when the stakes are high and the margin for error is thin. In this episode, we rank the first three of the five most important mental skills used by successful professional golfers. Not the most fashionable ideas, not the most talked-about clichés—but the skills that fail first when players unravel, and the ones that hold firm when champions close. We explore why emotional control sits above everything else, why rapid recovery matters more than confidence, and why great decision-making prevents pressure before it even appears. We also look at commitment, acceptance, patience, and process—and how amateurs can begin to train these skills deliberately rather than hoping they’ll magically appear on the back nine. If you’ve ever wondered why your best golf doesn’t show up when it matters most, this episode will give you clarity—and a clear mental framework to start changing that. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices