#133: My Journey to Scratch Update: January 2026 Recap

UPDATE: I have decided to start anew on Instagram. Follow me @thepaulsalter for your daily dose of high-performance wisdom, insights, and actions.

Today's episode is a candid, no-BS monthly check-in on my own golf journey—the good, the bad, and the uncomfortable middle. 

Over the last 30 days, I've made more long putts and birdies than ever… and also racked up a painful number of triple bogeys. It's been frustrating, humbling, and oddly encouraging all at once.

In this episode, I pull back the curtain on what's actually happening beneath the surface—technically, mentally, and emotionally—as I continue the pursuit of scratch. If you've ever felt like you're doing the work but the results aren't showing up fast enough, this one's for you.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why progress often looks like "two steps forward, three steps back" before it clicks
• The real reason I'm hemorrhaging strokes off the tee—and how I'm fixing it
• How at-home putting became the biggest confidence (and scoring) game-changer
• The hidden cost of "playing bogey golf" as an identity and why I'm ditching it
• The exact process and weekly variables I'm tracking to stay committed and objective

Get your pencils ready and start listening. 

P.S. Curious to get a taste of high-performance hypnotherapy and the impact it can have on your life? Click here to apply to work with me and I'll be in touch to get this call scheduled

Play to Your Potential On (and Off) the Course

1. Schedule a Mindset Coaching Discovery Call
2. Subscribe to the More Pars than Bogeys Newsletter
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High-Performance Hypnotherapy and Mindset Coaching

Paul Salter - known as The Golf Hypnotherapist - is a High-Performance Hypnotherapist and Mindset Coach who leverages hypnosis and powerful subconscious reprogramming techniques to help golfers of all ages and skill levels overcome the mental hazards of their minds so they can shoot lower scores and play to their potential.

He has over 16 years of coaching experience working with high performers in various industries, helping them get unstuck, out of their own way, and unlock their full potential.

Click here to learn more about how high-performance hypnotherapy and mindset coaching can help you get out of your own way and play to your potential on (and off) the course. 

Instagram: @thegolfhypnotherapist 

Key Takeaways:

• Progress isn't linear—breakthroughs and breakdowns often coexist in the same season.
• Consistency in fundamentals beats chasing new fixes when pressure exposes old patterns.
• Putting confidence can save rounds, momentum, and belief—even when ball-striking lags.
• Playing "bogey golf" as an identity can quietly cap your potential and reinforce settling.
• Real improvement requires patience, repetition, and staying committed when results feel delayed.

Key Quotes:

• "I'm making more birdies than ever—and also more triple bogeys. Frustrating, to say the least."
• "If it feels comfortable, it's probably wrong—because comfort is usually my old pattern."
• "Putting has saved me more strokes than any swing thought ever has."
• "I caught myself playing not to screw up instead of playing to execute—and I'm done with that."
• "This game isn't just exposing my swing; it's exposing where I'm still settling."

Time Stamps:

• 00:00: Paul's Golf Journey: A 30-Day Reflection
• 04:48: Setting Goals and Tracking Progress
• 10:05: Lessons Learned: Alignment and Technique
• 17:37: Overcoming Mental Barriers and Course Management
• 23:51: Commitment to Consistency and Practice
• 26:38: Looking Ahead: Future Goals and Mindset