Wintertime = mental recovery time
Why you should work on your golf mental strength now
Winter is often a quiet season for golf. Fewer rounds, shorter days — maybe even a few weeks without setting foot on the course. But that’s exactly why winter — including the holiday season — is such a valuable time to use if you want to improve your game in a lasting way.
Not your momentum. Not your technique. But your mental strength.
If you start training your mindset now, you will feel a difference in the 2026 season that others only look for when the scores are already counting.
The most important mental strategy in golf: mindfulness
Mental strength doesn't begin on the pitch. It begins in the mind, in everyday life. And there's a simple but extremely effective exercise you can do for 5 to 20 minutes every day.
The exercise (very simple):
Sit upright without leaning back.
• Close your eyes
• Focus your attention on your breath
- for example, the air that flows in and out
- or the movement in the abdomen or chest
• Your goal: no other thoughts
• As soon as you notice a thought arising:
- Stop him in the middle
- Gently but clearly return to your breath.
That's all. And yes, it's challenging at first. That's precisely the point.
What this exercise achieves
Mental :
• improved focus and concentration
• Let go of distracting thoughts
• Hold thoughts (goal thoughts) longer without wandering
• more inner peace and clarity
And that directly translates to your golf game:
• You can hold onto the goal for longer
• more focus in the address position
• better connection to the ball
• longer length, because tension is released
• greater precision and consistency
• lower scores
• More stable emotions
• more joy and confidence on the pitch
And outside the Gulf?
The effect doesn't end after the round.
Many golfers report:
• Greater clarity of thought
• Improved concentration in everyday life
• a calmer approach to challenges
• less anxiety, less inner pressure
• significantly better emotions
In short: You react less, remain calmer, and have significantly more clarity.
Give yourself a few weeks
Do this exercise daily for a few weeks. Not to 'achieve' anything, but to observe.
Observe:
• your thoughts
• your feelings
• your inner clarity
• your focus
And then see what changes, on the golf course and in your life.
If you would like to delve deeper into the topic
If you would like to approach mindfulness and mental strength in golf more systematically, Mental GolfMastery offers a suitable program.
It includes:
• Mental preparation for golfers in spring
• Three individual days with theory, mindfulness and practical application
• Focus on a strong start to the 2026 season
You can find more information here: https://www.bodymind.golf/go/mgm
A little extra information
Visitors to the golf trade fair currently receive a 25% discount on Mental GolfMastery. If you'd like to take advantage of this offer, simply send a brief email to info@bodymind.golf with your full name, email address, and mobile phone number, along with the subject line "Golf trade fair discount 25%". You will then be personally registered for the discount. No pressure – it's simply an option.
BodyMind.Golf will have a booth at the golf trade fair. Feel free to stop by and ask your questions – Rolf Stauffer, CEO and Head Coach of BodyMind.Golf, looks forward to the exchange.
Conclusion
This mindfulness exercise may seem simple — and that’s exactly where its strength lies. It trains focus, clarity, and the ability to consciously let go of thoughts.If you give it space for a few weeks, you’ll probably notice the change first in everyday life — and later on the course as well. Winter isn’t just a break. It can also be the moment when you lay the mental foundation for your new season.
Article written by Rolf Stauffer, CEO and Head Coach BodyMind.Golf, www.bodymind.golf