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Improving your golf game isn’t just about perfecting your swing—it’s also about cultivating the right mindset.
LSU women’s golf coach Garrett Runion has led the Tigers through a five-year period of national prominence, with consecutive annual appearances in the NCAA championship beginning in 2021. In 2022, the team captured the first SEC championship for LSU in 30 years. Runion was named SEC Coach of the Year in both 2022 and 2023. Prior to that, he spent six years as an assistant coach for the LSU men’s team.
Here are his tips for sharpening both your mental and physical approach to the game.
Set ‘process goals’ for yourself.
“Process goals” are short-term goals that help you achieve a larger goal by breaking that larger goal down into smaller, more manageable steps. For example, you could set small goals like “I want to get my putts under 30 per round” or “I want to hit more greens.” Hitting those incremental targets will serve to slowly but surely improve your overall performance.
Visualize success.
By imagining yourself successfully executing a shot, you paint a mental picture that guides your physical actions. Visualization also boosts your confidence and focus. “The mind is a powerful thing,” Runion says. “It’s a supercomputer. The brain is a magnet, and it will attract what you think about.”
Establish a consistent pre-shot routine.
A pre-shot routine is a sequence of actions you go through before each shot, like taking practice swings or tugging on your gloves. Runion says it’s similar to the routines that basketball players go through before shooting a free throw—it blocks out distractions and creates a rhythm that sets the stage for success.
Control your emotions.
Letting anger or frustration take over can quickly derail your game. By learning to manage your emotions—whether after a bad shot or a missed opportunity—you’ll be able to maintain your composure, which is essential when it comes to executing your best shots and making smart decisions. “You can’t play this game mad,” Runion says.
Talk to yourself in a positive way.
Make an effort to replace any negative, self-critical thoughts with constructive, encouraging language. Instead of focusing on what could go wrong, remind yourself of your strengths and your past successes. Reinforcing your belief in your own abilities will help you approach each shot with greater calm and poise.
