"Everybody can get better on 15 minutes per day."
"You can even get better on 5 minutes per day."
Tom Tucker, Unrenowned Golf Coach 😄
Tom's Featured Tip: Self Talk For Better Putting
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Self Talk For Better Putting
The Best Training Aid For Indoor or Outdoor Practice
The Divot Board
This is the most useful ball striking development training aid that I own.
Self Talk For Better Putting
For simplicity, all advice on actual swings or drills is provided from a right handed perspective.
I saw this information in a Lou Stagner newsletter that I thought was shareworthy, enjoy. I'm definitely adding the words "still head" to my putting pre-stroke routine.
“Come on, you’ve made this a hundred times.”
“Rock the shoulders.”
“Don’t blow it…”
We’ve all been there. You stand over a three-footer… maybe it’s for birdie, maybe to save par, maybe to win your Saturday skins game, and suddenly, your putter feels like a jackhammer. The hands twitch, the mind races, and next thing you know… you’re walking off with bogey and a bruised ego.
That’s not just nerves. That might be the yips.
But here’s the good news: science says you can talk your way out of it. Literally.
In a study by Dave VJ Marshall and Stephanie J. Hanrahan published in the International Journal of Golf Science, they put a group of amateur golfers through a 10-session putting challenge under pressure… with video cameras rolling and a cash prize on the line. The twist? Two groups were trained in self-talk: one motivational, one instructional. The third group? No cue words, just encouragement to stay hydrated.
What They Found: Instruction Matters More Than Inspiration
Golfers using instructional self-talk… simple, actionable cues like “focus on the ball” or “follow through”, showed the greatest improvement in putting performance. Motivational phrases like “you got this” helped too, but not as much. The control group? Not much change.
And this wasn’t just perception. When comparing Session 2 (early in the study) to Session 10 (final session), the instructional group improved their average miss distance the most and holed the most putts.
But here’s the kicker: anxiety scores didn’t significantly change across the groups.
So why did performance improve?
You Can't Think Your Way Into a Make, But You Can Cue It
The answer might lie in attentional focus. Under pressure, many golfers shift from “automatic mode” to “manual mode”… they start consciously monitoring their movements. That’s a problem. Skilled putting, like many fine motor skills, depends on letting go, not gripping tighter (figuratively and literally).
Instructional self-talk works not because it fixes your swing path or calms your nerves, but because it gives your brain a clear, simple task… a cue to anchor attention, keep the process automatic, and crowd out performance-killing thoughts like “don’t miss.”
In other words, you don’t calm the storm. You give your mind something else to do while the storm rages.
Here’s how to apply this to your own game
- Pick a Process Cue, Not a Pep Talk
Use short, specific phrases tied to your stroke. Try “smooth tempo,” “eyes over ball” “rock the shoulders", "still head.” Avoid vague or outcome-based cues like “make this” or “don’t miss.”
- Be Consistent
Use your cue on every putt, not just under pressure. Make it part of your routine.
- Customize It
In the study, players were allowed to choose or create their own cues. The flexibility helped. What works for someone else may not resonate with you.
- Practice With Pressure
Replicate pressure in practice… film yourself, play for something, or challenge a friend. The more familiar pressure becomes, the less it throws you off.
- Track Your Putts
Use an app, journal, or strokes gained data to track your putting performance. Improvement is easier to measure - and to believe - when you’ve got the proof.
Golf is a solitary game, but that doesn’t mean you play it alone. You’re always bringing someone with you: your inner voice. And the science is clear… if that voice is helpful, focused, and process-driven, you’re more likely to putt well when it matters most.
So the next time you’re staring down a six-footer with shaky hands, don’t just hope for the best. Talk yourself through it.
And most important - make sure that voice is saying something worth listening to.
Try it, you'll like it!
Email Comments: to TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
Mike Bennett and Andy Plummer, The Stack and Tilt Swing
Love your practice, own your swing, own your health, and remember that golf is a game of discovery. Don't be afraid to experiment when you practice, it's good for your golfing brain.
Tom
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Sponsors and Affiliates
Buying a sponsored product through any of my affiliate links helps support this free newsletter, and I only affiliate with excellent products that I use myself. Thanks, Tom
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Click here to buy your Divot Board to drastically improve your ball-striking. Combine your Divot Board practice and putting practice with the included putting lesson drills, and watch your scoring improve1. And make sure to check out their new turf mats, I think they copied what I did - but in a better way!
Use your club or hand to re-set the board after your strike
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All the best,
Tom Tucker
Teaching Professional, Batavia Country Club
WGTF ' "Top 100 Golf Teacher"
USGTF Class "A" Teaching Professional
IGPA Certified Golf Psychology Coach
Cell: (716) 474-3005
Email: TomTuckerGolf@gmail.com
http://www.TomTuckerGolf.com
"There are no substitutes in the quest for perfection1"
~ Ben Hogan