Anyone watching the last 4-5 holes at the 2024 US Open witnessed a prime example of the impact of the mental side of the game on performance.  Rory McIlroy, for all intents and purposes, was in position to walk away with his first major win in 10 years. And then the wheels fell off the bus.

Rory essentially self-destructed in the final holes, letting his lead evaporate. He was visibly distracted, focused on what was happening behind him rather than what was in front of him, and struggling to stay in the moment to hold onto the lead. Contrast this with Bryson Dechambeau who was intensely focused on the shot in front of him, generating energy from the crowds, and clearly going for the win.  

It should be obvious to anyone watching that Rory did not lack any necessary skill in those final holes to close out the tournament. He didn’t suddenly forget how to swing or somehow lose his technique. Whether it be old scars or the pressure of closing it out, he simply let his mind go to the wrong place and his body followed. He lost focus on what was important in the moment and failed to effectively regain it. Why is this so interesting?  Because it can happen to anyone.  Both Rory and Bryson are technically gifted, powerful, tactically sound athletes. They are among the best of their generation. All other factors being equal, Rory’s loss and Bryson’s win can both be chalked up to their mental approach in those closing holes.  

Most competitive players and coaches already know how important the mental game is.  Knowing this, seeing this, and hearing this it seems incomprehensible that coaches and athletes aren’t spending more time on training and developing the mental side of the game. Athletes and coaches spend hours and hours on technical and physical training, yet fail to spend any real time formally approaching the mental side of the game, even when the best athletes in the world consistently say it is the most important difference maker at the top! So why the lack of focus? Why is this still happening? 

There are two critical reasons mental skills continue to be ignored.  

First, athletes and coaches don’t really know what, let alone how to work on the mental side of the game.  It isn’t as simple as telling an athlete to “focus” or “just relax”. The mental side of the game requires a special set of knowledge and skills, just like teaching the technical side of the game requires a special set of knowledge and skills. This means coaches are often shy in addressing the mental aspects of the game, and rightly so.  Of course there are Sports Psychologists and mental skills specialists who can provide support with this work, but very few athletes have access to these services.    

Second, mental skills are far more difficult to measure and track than physical or technical skills.  For the most part the mental aspects of the game are invisible.  We have to make a best guess based on someone’s behaviour and what we can see.  Short of using a brain scan, how do you see what is going on inside someone’s head?  

So what do you do about this?  The starting point for developing the mental side of the game is, and always will be, self-awareness.  You need to know what you are doing well and what needs work from a mental perspective.  You need to understand what is helping you when you play your best and what is getting in your way when you aren’t.  Understanding your own strengths, weaknesses, and tendencies when under pressure will allow you to repeat the patterns of when you are playing your best and avoid or eliminate those of when you are playing your worst.  

One of the simplest tools available to build awareness is keeping a journal to capture reflections on what is working, what isn’t, and what is being tried to make improvements.  For those who want to take this to another level you can consider using a tool like the One Iota app to help you not only track your stats but also the mental aspects of the game such as notable holes and something called the PERFoRM Profile™ which assesses your use of critical mental skills while on course.  

The bottom line is start paying more attention to how you are approaching the mental side of the game…it could be the difference between leaving your name in the history books, or walking away with the sting of regret.