Mastering the Mental Game: Kevin Kirk’s Blueprint for Junior Golf Success

11/14/24 • 56 min

On this episode of The Golf Parent, I sit down with the original "Golf Sherpa" and one of the most fascinating figures in the world of golf, Kevin Kirk. Kevin isn’t just any coach—he’s a 2019 PGA Coach of the Year, a deep thinker, a culture creator, and an all-around incredible human being whose wisdom has profoundly shaped my approach to coaching and training. We’re even teaming up on some exciting future projects that I can’t wait to share with you.

Kevin’s track record speaks for itself. He’s the driving force behind the success of elite players like Patrick Reed, Lexi Thompson, and many others on tour. But beyond his impressive resume, Kevin is known for his unique perspective on developing talent and the mental game. He believes that success hinges on hyper-intentionality—having a crystal-clear vision of goals and the discipline to achieve them. Kevin explains how he identifies promising junior golfers, what he looks for in an athlete’s mindset, and the traits that make someone truly stand out.

In our conversation, Kevin shares invaluable insights into the mental side of the game. From object meditation and controlled breathing techniques to building resilience and learning from failure, he discusses powerful tools that parents, coaches, and athletes can use to prepare for the national stage and beyond. We dive into navigating difficult personalities, cultivating a winning culture, and understanding the nuances of long-term athlete development. Kevin even shares why he encourages multi-sport engagement to build physical literacy and transferable skills.

Get ready to learn from one of the most interesting men in golf as we explore what it truly means to raise a champion, both on and off the course.

Don’t miss this one—it’s packed with insights that could change the way you think about the journey to greatness.

Takeaways

Success in golf requires hyper-intentionality—a clear picture of goals and intentions.
Exceptional traits, in physical skills or character, set standout golfers apart.
Facing and overcoming adversity builds resilience and the ability to manage failure.
A supportive culture is crucial to achieve desired outcomes in golf.
Techniques like object meditation and controlled breathing help golfers stay present and manage energy.
Coaching difficult personalities involves being non-reactive, recognizing patterns, and finding teachable moments.
Mental prep techniques, including hypnosis, can aid competition readiness.
Young athletes should focus on long-term growth, not fast-tracking, to ease transitions from junior to professional levels.
Multi-sport engagement builds physical literacy and transferable skills.
Running supports physical fitness, tapping into our evolutionary strengths.
Parents should support their child’s sports journey, teaching resilience and life skills along the way.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

01:27 What to Look for in Promising Junior Golfers

02:21 Hyper-intentionality and Clear Goals

03:21 The Role of Exceptional Traits

03:50 The Importance of Adversity and Resilience

07:08 The Significance of Culture in Golf

11:35 Focusing on Specific Outcomes

16:20 Crystallizing Possibilities and Visualization

19:57 Managing Energy and Staying Present

24:32 The Role of Eye Movement and Breathing

27:14 Object Meditation and Stillness

30:12 Coaching Difficult Personalities

32:40 Mindset and Mental Preparation

38:31 Pitfalls in the Transition to Professional

45:34 Developing Physical Literacy

51:36 The Benefits of Running

56:20 Parenting in Sports

Links:

Kevin Kirk

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-kirk-ba56b45

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kevinkirkgolf

The Golf Parent

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thegolfparent

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thegolfparent

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thegolfparent

For more information check out www.thegolfparent.com

Get ready to learn from one of the most interesting men in golf as we explore what it truly means to raise a champion, both on and off the course.

Don’t miss this one—it’s packed with insights that could change the way you think about the journey to greatness.

Takeaways

Success in golf requires hyper-intentionality—a clear picture of goals and intentions.
Exceptional traits, in physical skills or character, set standout golfers apart.
Facing and overcoming adversity builds resilience and the ability to manage failure.
A supportive culture is crucial to achieve desired outcomes in golf.
Techniques like object meditation and controlled breathing help golfers stay present and manage energy.
Coaching difficult personalities involves being non-reactive, recognizing patterns, and finding teachable moments.
Mental prep techniques, including hypnosis, can aid competition readiness.
Young athletes should focus on long-term growth, not fast-tracking, to ease transitions from junior to professional levels.
Multi-sport engagement builds physical literacy and transferable skills.
Running supports physical fitness, tapping into our evolutionary strengths.
Parents should support their child’s sports journey, teaching resilience and life skills along the way.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Setting the Stage

01:27 What to Look for in Promising Junior Golfers

02:21 Hyper-intentionality and Clear Goals

03:21 The Role of Exceptional Traits

03:50 The Importance of Adversity and Resilience

07:08 The Significance of Culture in Golf

11:35 Focusing on Specific Outcomes

16:20 Crystallizing Possibilities and Visualization

19:57 Managing Energy and Staying Present

24:32 The Role of Eye Movement and Breathing

27:14 Object Meditation and Stillness

30:12 Coaching Difficult Personalities

32:40 Mindset and Mental Preparation

38:31 Pitfalls in the Transition to Professional

45:34 Developing Physical Literacy

51:36 The Benefits of Running

56:20 Parenting in Sports

Links:

Kevin Kirk

Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-kirk-ba56b45

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/kevinkirkgolf

The Golf Parent

Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/thegolfparent

Tiktok - https://www.tiktok.com/@thegolfparent

YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/@thegolfparent

For more information check out www.thegolfparent.com

Next Episode

Taking Pressure off Junior Golfers with 2024 Pac-12 Coach of the Year: Matt Thurmond (ASU)

In this episode, I sit down with Matt Thurmond, the 2024 Pac-12 Coach of the Year and head coach of Arizona State University’s men’s golf team. Since taking the reins in 2016, Matt has transformed ASU into a powerhouse, leading them to 24 tournament wins, back-to-back NCAA Regional titles, and a Pac-12 Championship. Matt’s earned multiple West Region and Pac-12 Coach of the Year honors and coached 11 Sun Devils to 18 All-America honors.

Matt shares his philosophy on balancing success and setbacks, emphasizing mental resilience and the power of a growth mindset. He breaks down the recruiting process, revealing what he looks for in young athletes, and how he customizes his approach for each player’s unique goals and motivations. Matt’s advice goes beyond golf, touching on the importance of supportive relationships and self-forgiveness, offering parents and young players practical ways to thrive under pressure.

With insights into the daily life of a college golfer and the need for mental strength and joy in the game, this conversation is packed with wisdom. Whether you’re a parent, player, or coach, Matt’s perspective on the journey of junior golf is one you don’t want to miss.

Takeaways

Success and failure are part of everyone's journey, and it's important to acknowledge and learn from both. Individualized coaching is crucial in understanding and meeting the unique needs and motivations of each player.

Belief in oneself and deep understanding of one's abilities are key to achieving success in golf and in life.

Goals should be driven by personal beliefs and serve as directional beacons rather than strict targets.

Enjoying the process and finding passion in what you do is more important than focusing solely on the end result. Having a healthy and supportive relationship outside of the game can have a big impact on a golfer's mental, physical, and emotional state.

Elite-level golfers are driven and hard on themselves, but they also have the ability to forgive themselves and move on from mistakes.

A typical week for college golfers includes practice, workouts, and competition preparation, with a focus on improving all areas of the game.

Manufacturing pressure in practice can be done through team drills, inviting spectators, and tracking results.

Parents should take pressure off their child golfer and not tie their own happiness to their child's performance.

Reading Carol Dweck's 'Mindset' is recommended for parents and players to understand the importance of a growth mindset.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction and Recent Success

04:49 Navigating Success and Failure

07:04 Dealing with Disappointment and Learning from Failure

10:02 Coaching and Learning from Inspirational Movies

10:34 Lessons Learned from Coaching for Over Two Decades

15:21 Individualized Coaching and Understanding Players