What is the “confidence spiral”?
The confidence spiral is a mental loop where poor outcomes lead to negative emotions, which then undermine confidence and smooth mechanics, leading to further bad outcomes.
For instance, every golfer understands the crucial role confidence plays in putting. No doubt you had experiences when your confidence was shot on the putting greens. Each putt seemed like a game of chance; even short putts found a way to lip out. Every time you stood over a putt, your heart was pounding, fearing another miss. Under these circumstances, you most likely missed more putts.
Here’s the issue at hand: If you need confidence to play at a high level, how can you maintain high confidence when you are playing poorly?
This is the issue Collin Morikawa faced midway through the 2025 PGA season, as he has struggled to find his putting stroke.
At one point during the first round of the 2025 Rocket Classic, Morikawa lost over four and a half strokes to the field on the greens, which ranked last in the field. Even though his swing off the tee remained elite, his troubles on the putting greens had a profound impact on his confidence.
In his post-round comments, Morikawa’s frustration was evident.
MORIKAWA: “I hit it good enough to play well, putted like a blind man, honestly. It’s just an uncomfortable feeling, shoving everything and not being able to square up the face. It’s tough. … You’ve got a lot of poa growing in, you have to just be confident with your stroke, and there was just no confidence today after seeing a couple miss.”
From Morikawa’s comments, you can gain a sense that Morikawa has lost his confidence and that his inner critic has taken over on the greens.
However, your confidence does not need to be beholden to your level of play. The fact is that you can maintain your confidence even when a part of your game is off.
If you need evidence to support that fact, just look at the thousands of golfers who won tournaments after starting slowly.
The key is to understand that confidence is not the absence of mistakes or a bad round. Confidence is the ability to silence your inner critic, allowing your abilities to come to the forefront.
5 Mental Golf Strategies to Break Out of the Confidence Spiral
Do you feel like one bad shot leads to another? Like every miss chips away at your confidence? You’re not alone. But you don’t have to stay trapped in the downward spiral. Use these five mental strategies to break out of the confidence spiral and get back to playing your best golf.
1. Separate Outcome from Identity
You are not your scorecard. A missed putt or a hooked drive is not who you are. It’s just one shot. One moment.
When you start to believe a mistake means you’re a bad golfer, you lock yourself in the confidence spiral. That’s why you must separate outcomes from your identity.
Tell yourself, “That shot doesn’t define me. It’s just feedback.” This mindset will keep your confidence stable even when results don’t go your way
Remember, confidence grows when you interpret mistakes as opportunities, not personal failures.
2. Visualize Success
Your mind is powerful. The images you hold shape how you feel and how you perform.
Before your next shot, take a breath. Close your eyes if you can. Picture yourself making a smooth, solid swing. See the ball flying toward your target.
Don’t let the fear of missing be the movie that plays in your head. Instead, visualize success.
Rehearse positive outcomes. This will program your brain to trust your swing and help you break out of the confidence spiral.
3. Talk to Yourself Like a Trusted Caddy
What you say to yourself matters more than you think. Negative self-talk is like fuel for the confidence spiral. It makes every mistake feel worse and every doubt stronger.
Imagine if your caddy spoke to you the way you sometimes speak to yourself. Would you keep them on your bag? Probably not.
Be your own trusted caddy. Replace harsh words with calm, encouraging, and constructive messages. Try phrases like, “I’ve got this,” “I trust my routine,” or “I’m prepared for this shot.”
4. Take a Mental Pause
Stress makes everything harder. When your heart is pounding or your mind is racing, mistakes multiply.
When you feel overwhelmed, pause. Take two deep breaths. In through your nose, out through your mouth.
This simple pause resets your nervous system. It slows your heart rate. It clears your mind so you can focus fully on the next shot.
You don’t have to rush. A short break can stop the spiral before it starts.
5. Invest in Confidence
Confidence isn’t something you either have or don’t have. It’s a skill. Like your swing, it can be trained and improved.
Set aside time every day to work on your mental game. Journal about your successes. Reflect on how you responded to challenges. Practice visualizations and positive self-talk.
When you make confidence training a habit, you’ll build resilience. You’ll bounce back faster from mistakes. You’ll stay steady under pressure. And you’ll finally break out of the confidence spiral.
Separate Outcome from Identity
You don’t have to let one bad shot ruin your round. These five strategies give you the tools to regain control of your mind and your game.
Remember: separate outcome from identity, visualize success, talk kindly to yourself, take mental pauses, and invest in your confidence every day.
Use these tools and you’ll not only play better—you’ll enjoy the game more.
Now go out there and trust yourself. You’ve got this.
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