So, when we want to improve, where should we invest our time and energy in technique or mindset?

Having played golf for more than 40 years, been a PGA Professional for over 25 years and, more recently, worked as a mindset and performance coach, I don’t believe we should see technique and mindset as opposing avenues to improvement. They run parallel to each other and, ideally, complement each other.

The challenge is knowing which area needs our attention, and that begins with awareness.

What is actually costing you shots?

One of the greatest benefits I have found with on-course coaching is that it gives both the player and coach a clearer awareness of what is limiting performance. Sometimes the problem is technical. Sometimes it’s strategic. Sometimes it’s mental. And quite often, what initially looks like a swing problem isn’t a swing problem at all.

For example, I often see players hit poor shots into the wind and assume they have executed the shot badly. But when we look more closely, the mistake began before they swung the club. They didn’t take enough club.

A player might try to hit a wedge harder into the wind, increasing speed and spin and creating a greater margin for error. I will give them a nine-iron or eight-iron and ask them to hit a more controlled shot. Suddenly, the result can be completely different. Their swing hasn’t magically improved in 30 seconds; we changed the strategy.

That is an important distinction, because if we diagnose the problem incorrectly, we can spend hours trying to fix something that wasn’t actually causing the problem.

Consistency isn’t only about your swing

Routines are another area where I see golfers unknowingly creating inconsistency. If the process before each shot is constantly changing, why would we expect the performance that follows it to be completely consistent?

When we establish a repeatable routine, how we assess the shot, prepare, walk into the ball, look at the target and commit, we create a more consistent environment from which to perform.

Of course, technique still matters enormously. I see players who could improve through simple fundamentals such as grip, alignment, ball position, posture, pivot or tempo. Particularly earlier in a golfer’s development, establishing sound fundamentals can have an enormous influence on how far they progress.

Analyse your round differently

I also like to look for patterns. One simple exercise I use is to draw two lines representing a fairway and mark where each tee shot finished: left, centre or right. I’ll also draw a large circle representing a green, put the flag in it and mark where my approach shots finished, numbering 1–18.

Very quickly, patterns can start appearing. If approaches are continually finishing short, perhaps club selection or assessment of the conditions is the problem. If shots into the wind are consistently short, while shots downwind are long, perhaps I’m not allowing sufficiently for the wind.

The purpose isn’t to judge the round; it is to learn from it.

Where will you get the greatest return?

Before hitting another bucket of balls, I’d encourage you to ask yourself: what part of my game would give me the greatest return on the time and energy I’m about to invest?

Sometimes the answer will absolutely be your golf swing. Other times it might be your strategy, your routine, your tempo, your commitment or your ability to trust the swing you already have.

Every golfer can begin developing the awareness to understand where improvement needs to occur.

If you have great technique, but a poor mental game, you won’t access your full potential. If you have a great mental game, but significant technical limitations, the same applies. We want them working together.

Because improvement isn’t simply about working harder on your golf swing. It is about becoming more aware of what is actually holding you back and then putting your time and energy into where it can make the greatest difference.

Sometimes the greatest breakthrough begins simply by becoming aware of what is holding you back.