If you’ve ever googled “how to fix a snap hook at 3 AM,” you’re not alone.
Last night, one of my college players called me in a full-blown swing crisis.
“Dr. Mat, I’m hitting it everywhere. I can’t find my swing.”
I pulled up the leaderboard.
She was one shot back from the lead going into the final round.
That’s when it hit me: this conversation isn’t unique.
I’ve heard it from major winners, juniors, and weekend golfers. The story is always the same: “I’m not hitting it like I can.”
But the scoreboard tells a different story… they’re still right there in contention.
Somewhere between feel and facts, we forget that golf measures strokes, not style points.
Stop Tinkering in Tournaments
Tournament mornings often turn into swing repair shops: band-aid tips, new feels, and last-minute “fixes.”
That’s not the time to rebuild.
That’s the time to compete.
You rent the swing you woke up with.
You don’t buy a new one on the range.
I told her,
“Play the shot that’s showing up. Aim for it. Commit. Repeat.”
Simple. Not easy.
Acceptance Is a Strategy
Acceptance gets misunderstood as giving up.
It’s not. It’s ownership. It’s the fastest path to scoring your best with what you have.
Once you stop fighting your ball flight, you start strategizing.
You start playing golf. Great rounds are often built on imperfect swings and calm decision-making.
Great seasons are built on ugly range sessions that were scored well.
The 30-Second Commitment Routine
Here’s the process I gave her for tournament day:
Deep exhale.
State the shape you see: “Five-yard draw.”
Pick a start line and a finish line.
Swing. No tutorials. No second guessing.
That’s it.
Beyond the Course
This applies far beyond golf.
When you’re tired at work, frustrated at home, or stuck creatively, use what you have today. Don’t chase perfection. Performance follows honesty, commitment, and acceptance.
Before bed, say it out loud:
“I have enough game for tomorrow. Trust, aim, commit.”
Then close the range in your head.
You’re done searching.
Tomorrow, go play what you brought.
That’s the game that wins.
You don’t need your best swing to win. You just need your best acceptance.
LIVE updates from Dr. Mat and MPGA
Cydney Clanton, a 14-year LPGA Tour veteran, recently joined team MPGA to develop our elite performance system for golfers. We will be launching a program called the Tour Putting Performance System exclusively on MPGA+, a membership site for serious golfers. MPGA+ is unlike any other community where we provide weekly LIVE coaching on the mental game, technical game, strategy, and performance. With tour-rated content and coaching available, you get direct and exclusive access to world-class support to elevate your game to next level play for only $89 a month. If you join now, you will be grandfathered in at this price for life. We will be increasing our monthly membership in a few months so now is the time to invest if you are serious about your golf.
Mark your calendar! Our next LIVE IG hosted by MPGA Coach, Gen Fulton, LMFT will feature PGA Tour Winner, Billy Horschel on an intimate and honest discussion around resilience. Make sure you give us a follow and join in on the conversation November 6, 2025 at 12:00pm (ET).
MPGA Instagram: @mpga.golf
Lastly, our incredible partners at Caddy Snacks have recently launched their direct to consumer products. So many of my players, coaches, and parents of athletes have been asking us “Where can we get more Caddy Snacks!?” Right here: www.eatcaddysnacks.com This is hands down the best snack and bar in the industry for sustainable and optimal performance that tastes great!
Happy Hump Day!
Your Mental Coach,
Dr. Mat