Golf Myths Busted: The Psychological Traps That Are Wrecking Your Game

Golf is a game of skill, strategy, and mental fortitude. Yet, it’s also a game rich in myths and old wives tales that can sabotage your game. These myths, such as “Keep your head down,” “Slow your swing down,” and “Swing out to the target,” aren’t just technical errors—they’re rooted in deep psychological traps that make them hard to shake.

Hi friends and golfers!  My name is Erik Schjolberg and I am a professional golf coach located in Scottsdale, AZ at McCormick Ranch G. C.  In this post, I will explore the psychology behind some common golf fallacies and how they could be ruining your golf game. Whether you’re looking to improve your swing, putting, or overall strategy, understanding these mental pitfalls is crucial.

1. “Keep Your Head Down” – The Illusion of Focus

The advice to “keep your head down” seems straightforward, but it’s a fallacy that can lead to tension and poor results. This is the no. 1 swing killing advice out there since it is used by so many people to fix a poor golf shot, primarily the topped golf shot.  This advice preys on our natural desire for focus and control. However, by forcing your head down, you restrict your body’s natural movement, leading to mishits and a lack of fluidity in your swing. This is the exact opposite of what we should do if we have the issue of topped golf shots.  Watch one of my longer videos on this on my YouTube channel for a full explanation.  The psychological draw here is the comfort of focusing on something tangible, like the position of your head, rather than trusting your body to execute a fluid swing. To overcome this, shift your focus from a rigid head position to maintaining a consistent posture throughout your swing. For more on improving your posture and swing, check out my other videos on YouTube. 

2. “Slow Your Swing Down” – The False Sense of Control

Slowing down your swing might seem like a good way to gain control, but it often disrupts your natural rhythm and timing. This advice appeals to our brain’s desire to minimize risk—slowing down feels safer. However, this cognitive bias can lead to a choppy, disjointed swing that lacks power and accuracy. The key is to develop a smooth, consistent tempo that allows for full energy release without compromising control. If you’re struggling with your swing speed, my Swing Speed Tips on YouTube and my other social media channels offers practical advice on how to find the right balance.

3. “Keep Your Left Arm Straight” – The Myth of Rigidity

“Keep your left arm straight” is another piece of advice that seems helpful but actually creates tension in your swing. The idea is that a straight left arm maintains the width of your swing arc, but forcing this can lead to a stiff, unnatural motion.  Understanding that a broken down lead arm is typically from the golfer not rotating and our system trying to do anything to help us produce some kind of power.  The psychological appeal lies in its simplicity—it’s easier to follow a rigid rule than to trust in a more fluid, natural motion. However, golf is about feel and fluidity as much as it is about mechanics. Focus more on your rotation with your chest and your straight-ish left arm will follow.  To learn to rotate better in our golf swing check out this video from my YouTube channel.

4. “Putt Straight Back and Through Like a Pendulum” – The Fallacy of Simplicity

The advice to putt like a pendulum, straight back and through, oversimplifies the putting stroke, ignoring the natural arc that should occur. Remember this, there is no putter by rule that is set at 90 degrees.  We can no longer have a pendulum stroke knowing that the putter is at an angle at address.  This advice appeals to our desire for simplicity and precision—a straight line seems easier to replicate. However, forcing a pendulum-like motion can disrupt the natural flow of your stroke. Embrace the natural arc in your putting stroke for better consistency and results. For more advanced putting techniques, visit my video on how to improve your Putting Technique.

5. “Swing Out to the Target” – The Deception of Direction

“Swing out to the target” is a fallacy that can lead to an over-the-top swing path, causing slices and pulls. This advice taps into our need to feel in control of the ball’s direction. However, golf swings are rotational, and trying to force a straight line disrupts this natural motion. Instead, focus on turning your body fully and naturally for better accuracy. If you’re looking to correct your swing path, go to EJS Golf and send me a message or sign up for golf lessons online or Scottsdale Golf Lessons.

The Monte Carlo Fallacy

These golf fallacies are rooted in a psychological bias known as the Monte Carlo Fallacy—the mistaken belief that past events can influence future outcomes in independent situations. This cognitive bias can lead golfers to cling to myths, believing that if they’ve hit several bad shots, they’re “due” for a good one. This is the same thought as a gambler sitting thinking that the next color has to be red b/c black has come up so many times in a row.  This type of thinking is dangerous because it relies on imagined patterns rather than sound technique. Recognizing and overcoming this bias is key to improving your mental game.

There is something in our primate brain wiring that wants to believe fallacy. About 25 million people visit Las Vegas each year to try their luck at various games of chance. Roulette, keno, craps, slot machines. The house advantage in these games ranges from about 1 per cent (craps) to 30 per cent (keno). That’s how the casinos can afford pyramids, gondola rides, cheap buffets, and Cher. She has a $60m contract with Caesars. Yet, we wager our cash knowing full well that the odds are against our winning. This could be because even in these games of pure chance with dice, wheels, or electronics, many players believe — or at least behave — as if they can do something to improve their odds. By playing their "lucky" number, or betting on a "hot" shooter, or wagering on a color or number that is "due". People want to believe. People sometimes need to believe. It is more comfortable for the psyche to have an explanation for random events. Say, for instance, in a game of roulette, a black number has come up five times in a row. Should we keep betting on black, because black is "hot"? Or should one bet on red, figuring that a red number is "due"? Does the bet change if black has come up ten times in a row? Or fifteen times in a row?

These questions are not hypothetical. On August 18, 1913, at the Casino de Monte Carlo, a remarkable run of black numbers unfolded at the roulette table. On European wheels, a red or black number is expected to come up almost half the time. By the time black had come up fifteen times in a row, gamblers started placing larger and larger bets on red, convinced that the streak was due to end. And yet black hit again, and again. Players doubled and tripled their stakes, figuring that the chances were less than one in a million of a run of twenty consecutive black numbers. But the wheel kept hitting black until the streak ended at twenty-six. The Casino was the winner of course. The incident in Monte Carlo is the textbook case for what has been dubbed the "Monte Carlo Fallacy" (or "Gambler’s Fallacy") — the belief that when some event happens more or less frequently than expected over some period, then the opposite outcome will happen more frequently in the future.

Roulette Wheel

For random events such as rolls of dice or the spin of roulette wheels, this belief is false because each result independent of the previous rolls or spins. Our very powerful brains have trouble grasping this simple reality. And the problem is when this spills over from games, into real-life decisions. Such as parents with children that are of one sex who opt to have another with the hope, if not the expectation, that the next child will be of the opposite sex. But, like the flip of a coin, the sex of a baby is pretty close to a random event ("close" because there is a slight skew in the natural birth ratio of boys to girls of about 51:49).

The Monte Carlo Fallacy is an example of what psychologists call cognitive bias — errors in thinking that skew the way we see the world. When investing, these biases distort our sense of control over random outcomes and cause us to overestimate our chances of success. A large body of research has revealed that our cognitive biases and our responses to them are part of our normal brain wiring.

Psychological studies on both laboratory subjects and in real field situations (casinos) have documented the Monte Carlo/Gambler’s Fallacy concerning runs of numbers. They have also found that near misses of jackpots (non-wins that fall close to winning combinations) increase our motivation to play. One explanation for our fallacious thinking is that our brains are adapted to working every day to perceive patterns and to connect events. We rely on those perceived connections both to explain sequences of events and to predict the future.We can easily be tricked then to believe that some sequence is a meaningful pattern, when in fact a string of randomly determined independent events is just that — random. It is a matter of our biology, then, that humans have such a complex relationship with random chance. On the one hand, we enjoy games of chance, even though we lose often. Of course, when we lose, we accept it as just a matter of "bad luck”. But on the other hand, when we win — and many people do win every day — that often gets an altogether different interpretation. Good fortune is often chalked up not to the mathematics of chance, nor even to mistaken confidence in gambling "strategies", but rather to other forces. For some it is a just reward for good character or deeds, a prayer answered, and for some, it's even skill and strategy.

Take California truck driver Timothy McDaniel. On Saturday, March 22, 2014, McDaniel lost his wife to a heart attack. The next day, he bought three "Lucky for Life" lottery tickets. When he scratched them off, he discovered he had won $650,000. McDaniel said, "I think she just kind of sent me this money so I could continue taking care of the (grand) kids.” McDaniel’s heart breaking story reflects how in the larger game of life and death our relationship with chance is even more conflicted.

Many people prefer to banish chance altogether, to believe "everything happens for a reason.” But not everyone. Let's not fall for fallacies. Accept chance, randomness and probability for what they really are.

Conclusion: Understanding the Mental Game of Golf

Golf myths are more than just outdated tips—they’re psychological traps that can derail your game. Don't be led down the wrong path as so many golfers are with this poor advice.  By understanding the cognitive biases that lead to these fallacies, you can break free from their hold and unlock your true potential on the course. Remember, improvement in golf comes not just from physical practice but from mental growth and understanding. If you’re ready to take your game to the next level, explore our comprehensive resources at EJS Golf.

Coach Erik Schjolberg

EJSGolf.com

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