O.N.E. word that changed everything
A Mental Game Anchor for Competitive Golf
A few months ago, I stood behind the 17th green at a college golf tournament. One of my players had just made bogey on 16. He missed a short putt. The kind that lingers.
As he was walking off the green, he looked back at me—frustrated, defeated, heavy. I wanted to give him something. Not advice. Not a swing tip. Just a word. But I had nothing.
I fumbled for something short and clear that could bring him back into the moment. Something that could settle his nerves and refocus him for the final two holes. But nothing came out. Just a forced thumbs-up and a weak “You got this.”
That moment stuck with me.
Because as a sport psychologist, I knew he needed a reset word. I just didn’t have it ready.
That moment sent me searching.
For weeks, I kept coming back to it. What’s the one word I’d want a player to hear in that exact moment of pressure, self-doubt, or fear?
My former golf coach, Joe Thiel, was also in pursuit of this one word. We hopped on a call the other day to discuss how we wanted something so simple to give to players in the moment that meant more than just an acronym… but something to have the ability to free someone up and have meaning.
Not just a word.
A mindset.
A mental reset.
A way to play with purpose under pressure.
We found it: “O.N.E.”
What does ONE mean—and how can you use it when you compete?
O – Own the Moment
I worked with a junior golfer who would spiral after one mistake. After every bogey, his tempo sped up, his body tightened, and his decisions got rushed.
We started working on presence.
Not through meditation apps or long routines—just one idea:
Own what’s right in front of you.
We created a phrase together: “Own this shot. That’s it.”
He wrote it on his glove.
The science supports this.
When you anchor attention in the present, your brain reduces anxiety, and it sharpens your focus. Owning the moment isn’t about perfection—it’s about presence.
It’s the first step in getting back to playing your game.
N – Nothing to Prove
An LPGA player I worked with once said, “I keep trying to prove I belong—and that’s when my swing begins to fall apart.”
That struck a chord with us. We worked on it. We reframed it.
She started showing up with a new belief: “I’ve got nothing to prove—only something to give.”
The research backs this up. Athletes who stay grounded in internal values rather than external approval perform better under pressure (e.g., Scottie Scheffler).
They feel freer.
More authentic.
More willing to trust themselves.
You don’t need to prove anything.
You just need to show up and play.
E – Execute for an Audience of One
I once asked a college player I work with, “Who are you playing for today?”
He gave me a list: his coach, his family, his team, and himself.
It was too heavy. He was burnt out trying to please everyone.
So we talked about the idea of playing for an Audience of One.
For him, that meant God.
For others, it’s purpose or joy—something higher than scorecards and rankings.
When you play for One, you don’t shrink under pressure. You rise with perspective. Your effort becomes an offering. Your game becomes an expression.
This word, “ONE,” isn't just a mental tool.
It's a reset.
When you're walking down the fairway after a double bogey…
When your hands begin to shake on the first tee…
When your mind wants to wander to the leaderboard…
Say it: ONE.
And remember…
O – Own the Moment
N – Nothing to Prove
E – Execute for an Audience of One
That’s what I’ll say next time a player looks back at me in frustration, self-doubt, or self-pity.
Not because it sounds good, but because I’ve lived the moment where I didn’t have the word.
Now I do.
And I’m sharing it with you.
Let this be your anchor. Whether it’s on the course, in competition, or in life.
Play free.
Play focused.
Play for ONE.
—
Your Mental Coach,
Dr. Mat